Which event greatly influenced the establishment of the New Deal policies?

The Great Depression was a catastrophic economic downturn that began in 1929 and significantly impacted the United States and many parts of the world throughout the 1930s. This period of widespread unemployment, bank failures, and severe deflation created urgent economic and social challenges that necessitated a robust government response. In reaction to the dire circumstances faced by millions of Americans, President Franklin D. Roosevelt implemented the New Deal—an array of programs and reforms aimed at recovery, relief, and reform.

The New Deal sought to provide immediate relief to the unemployed, stimulate economic recovery, and implement financial reforms to prevent future crises. Key programs established through the New Deal included Social Security, unemployment insurance, and regulations on financial institutions, all intended to support economic stability and to protect citizens from the hardships of future depressions.

In contrast, the other events mentioned—World War I, the Cold War, and the Civil Rights Movement—while significant in their own contexts, did not directly catalyze the need for the New Deal policies. World War I predates the Great Depression, while the Cold War and the Civil Rights Movement occurred mainly after the transformative period of the New Deal. Thus, the Great Depression stands out as the event that directly influenced and shaped the establishment of