Herbert Hoover

Herbert Clark Hoover was the 31st president of the United States.

He served from 1929 to 1933. Before his time in politics, he was a successful mining engineer. He was also a prominent businessman. Hoover is remembered for two very different roles. He was a major humanitarian leader during global crises. However, his presidency was defined by the Great Depression. This economic collapse changed how people viewed his leadership.

Hoover's early life was marked by significant loss. He was born on August 10, 1874, in West Branch, Iowa.

His parents were Quakers. His father, Jesse, was a blacksmith and store owner. His mother, Hulda, was active in the church. Sadly, Hoover lost his father to a heart attack in 1880. His mother died of typhoid in 1884. These events left him an orphan at a young age.

He moved to Oregon to live with his uncle, John Minthorn.

Hoover was a very determined student. He did not attend a traditional high school. Instead, he learned bookkeeping and math at a night school. He later became a member of the first graduating class at Stanford University in 1895.

He originally studied mechanical engineering. Later, he switched his major to geology. This choice set the stage for his future career. He spent his summers interning with the United States Geological Survey. This experience helped him become a mining geologist.

His career in the mining industry was global. He worked for a London-based company called Bewick, Moreing & Co.

He managed gold mines in the harsh environments of Western Australia. He was very successful in this role. He helped the company control about 50 percent of gold production in that region. Later, he moved to China to develop gold mines near Tianjin. He eventually became an independent consultant. He called himself a "doctor of sick mines." He specialized in fixing troubled mining operations. By 1914, his personal fortune was estimated at $4 million.

Hoover gained great fame for his humanitarian work. During World War I, he organized massive relief efforts.

He led the Commission for Relief in Belgium to feed people in occupied areas. In 1917, President Woodrow Wilson made him director of the U.S. Food Administration. Because of his success, people called him the "food dictator." He also led the American Relief Administration. This group provided food to millions of starving people in Central and Eastern Europe. His work helped many people recover after the war.

Hoover entered high-level politics after his relief work. He served as the Secretary of Commerce from 1921 to 1928.

In this role, he was very active. He helped develop new technologies like radio and air travel. In 1928, he won the Republican nomination for president. He defeated Al Smith in a landslide election.

However, his presidency faced a massive crisis. In 1929, the stock market crashed. This event started the Great Depression. The national debt rose from 20 percent to 40 percent of the GNP.

Many felt his conservative policies were not enough to fix the economy.

Because of the economic struggle, Hoover became unpopular. He lost the 1932 election to Franklin D. Roosevelt.

His retirement lasted over 31 years. This was one of the longest retirements for any president. During this time, he became a critic of the New Deal. However, public opinion of him began to improve later in life. He served on commissions for Presidents Truman and Eisenhower. Historians often rank his presidency poorly. Yet, they still praise his incredible work as a humanitarian.