Herbert Clark Hoover was the 31st President of the United States, serving from 1929 to 1933. He was a mining engineer and humanitarian who gained fame for his relief efforts during and after World War I. However, his presidency was overshadowed by the Great Depression, and he was criticized for his handling of the economic crisis. Hoover's presidency is often associated with the economic hardships of the time, and he was defeated in the 1932 election by Franklin D. Roosevelt.