What two events triggered the start of the Great Depression?

The Stock Market Crash of 1929 is widely recognized as the immediate catalyst for the onset of the Great Depression. This crash marked a significant loss of confidence in the U.S. economy, leading to a drastic reduction in consumer spending and business investment. Following the crash, many banks failed as a result of sustained withdrawals and the lack of sufficient financial backing, which further exacerbated the economic crisis. The combination of these two events created a domino effect that plunged the U.S. economy into deep recession, characterized by mass unemployment and widespread poverty.

While the other options list events that contributed to the economic turmoil of the era or were related to the broader context, they did not serve as the direct triggers for the Great Depression. For example, the Dust Bowl caused significant agricultural distress but was a consequence rather than a trigger, and World War I along with the Treaty of Versailles had more complex implications for international relations and economic policy than for the immediate economic collapse in the U.S. The industrial strikes and housing market decline were also significant issues of the time, but they functioned more as symptoms of the underlying economic problems rather than as initial catalysts. Thus, the Stock Market Crash and the subsequent bank failures were the primary events that triggered the Great Depression.