The Great Depression caused massive job losses and poverty in West Virginia and across the country. It marked a major turning point in history. The government moved away from a hands-off approach and followed Democratic President Roosevelt’s New Deal, which gave the government a bigger role in helping people. Programs like the WPA, CCC, and others created jobs and put money back into people's pockets. These changes gave new hope to West Virginians and led to a long period of Democratic leadership in the state.