The diagram that best represents one cause of the Great Depression is D, which explains how government tariffs on imports led to a decline in international trade, contributing to the economic downturn. Therefore, option D is correct.
The diagram that best describes one cause of the Great Depression is:
D. The government set high tariffs on imported goods. - caused - Trade with other nations declined.
This is supported by the historical fact that, in 1930, Congress passed the Hawley-Smoot Tariff Act. Originally intended to protect American farmers and manufacturers from foreign competition, it backfired by worsening unemployment in industries that relied on export, as foreign markets could no longer afford American goods.
The retaliatory tariffs raised by European countries further decreased international trade, contributing to global economic strife. Indeed, world trade fell by more than 40%, exacerbating the severe downturn of the domestic and international economy and fueling the conditions that led to the Great Depression.