Final answer:
President Hoover advocated for a hands-off approach during the early years of the Great Depression and encouraged businesses and individuals to practice rugged individualism. However, his approach did not effectively address the social consequences of the Depression.
Step-by-step explanation:
President Hoover's reaction to the early years of the Great Depression was to advocate for a hands-off approach. He believed in limited government intervention and wanted to encourage businesses to keep workers employed and for individuals to practice rugged individualism. However, his approach was not successful in alleviating the immediate social consequences of the Great Depression.