The Great Depression of the 1930s was the most severe economic downturn in modern history. Triggered by the 1929 stock market crash, it led to massive unemployment and bank failures worldwide. In the United States, GDP fell by nearly 25%, and millions lost their savings. Yet from this crisis emerged major reforms such as the creation of Social Security, unemployment insurance, and the Securities and Exchange Commission. These measures reshaped capitalism and laid the foundation for the modern welfare state and financial stability systems we rely on today.