What event marked the beginning of the Great Depression?

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The stock market crash of October 1929 is widely recognized as the pivotal event that marked the onset of the Great Depression. This crash symbolized a profound and sudden loss of confidence in the financial markets, leading to a sharp decline in stock prices. The event triggered a cascade of financial failures, business bankruptcies, and widespread unemployment that characterized the Great Depression throughout the 1930s. As investors panicked and sold off their stocks, the resulting economic shockwaves severely impacted banks and businesses, ultimately leading to long-lasting repercussions for the global economy.

In contrast, the signing of the Treaty of Versailles, while a significant post-World War I event, is unrelated to the economic turmoil of the Great Depression. The Dust Bowl, which occurred simultaneously with the Great Depression, was a severe drought that further exacerbated the economic distress, particularly in agriculture, but it was not the initiating event. The attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, although a crucial moment in U.S. history, occurred well after the Great Depression had begun and is not connected to its onset.

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