Question

By the start of 1929, more than half of the U.S. population was living below the poverty line. A major and immediate effect of this situation would be

A New Deal programs being created.
B a reliance on foreign-made goods.
C consumer goods were not being sold.
D the stock market crash put people out of work.
E wealthy people were losing huge sums of money

Answer 1

By the start of 1929, if more than half of the U.S. population was living below the poverty line, a major and immediate effect of this situation would be:

**C consumer goods were not being sold.**

This response captures the idea that when a significant portion of the population is living in poverty, they have less disposable income to purchase goods, leading to a decline in consumer spending and a corresponding impact on the economy.