The Occupy Wall Street Movement

September 17, 2011 marks the beginning of the Occupy Wall Street movement. Two days prior, marked 3 years after the Lehman Brothers company filed for bankruptcy. After President Bush signed the American Dream Down Payment Act, buying a home became significantly easier. Companies like The Lehman Brothers became heavily involved by issuing loans to people of high risk. Banks were relying on the housing market to steadily continue to increase in order for them to make money. In 2006 however, the housing market began to crash which lead to the weakening of banks like Bear Stearns and The Lehman Brothers. The crash of big companies such as these, meant jobs were being lost and money was leaving the pockets of ordinary Americans.


On September 17 people gathered in Zuccotti Park, located in the NY Wall Street financial district. The objective of this peaceful protest was to draw attention on the social and economic inequality, corporate greed, and the influence of the financial sector on government policy.