The Great Depression was a huge economic crisis that drove millions of Americans into poverty. People lost their jobs and homes, leaving them with nothing. How did this happen? |
||||
The Stock Market Crash of 1929 The stock market crash of 1929 is said to have been the start of the Great Depression. It occurred on Thursday the 24th; this date is nicknamed Black Thursday (Eh.net). The meaning of this nickname is obvious- the color black reflects bad thoughts and feelings, sorrow, pain, despair, and anguish. Black was the color of these poor people's lives after this unfortunate event in American history. The stock market continued to degenerate over the days following Black Thursday. By Tuesday the 29th, the stock market went decreased more than 22% and the market lost about $14,000,000 (socialwelfarehistory.com). Nine thousand banks failed during the following months of the crash of 1929. Businesses lost thousands of dollars, and had to fire a lot of their staff. Without jobs, Americans went into poverty. "Anyone who bought stocks in mid-1929 and held onto them saw most of his or her adult life pass by before getting back to even." —Richard M. Salsman  Photo 11. Annedarlingphotography.com The American citizens were desperate. There were riots where people would break into grocery stores and steal supplies for their families. People also started riots outside in the streets demanding help from the government. Franklin Roosevelt In November of 1932, Franklin Roosevelt was elected President. It had been been 3 and a half years since the depression started and Americans were hoping for a change with the election. The "New Deal" was when Roosevelt initiated a bunch of different economic programs between 1933 and 1936. His goals were to Reform financial practices and businesses, provide Relief to the unemployed, and Recover the economy (millercenter.org). For example, Congress passed the Emergency Banking Act of 1933, which brought 3 quarters of the nation's closed banks back into business. |
 Photo 10. (Dorothea Lange) Grief Imagine. Things are going fine, you live in a nice apartment with your 4 younger siblings. Your dad works for a factory and will sometimes pick up a treat for you on his way home from work. Your mother takes care of you and helps you with your studies. Then, one day, your father comes home with tears in his eyes. Momma asks whats wrong...daddy lost his job. You don't really know what it will mean for you so you keep a smile on your face, glancing at his pockets to see if he has treats. He doesn't. Over the next couple of weeks Dad is almost never home- he's out looking for work while Mom does the laundry with a worried look on her face. Then, one day, you have to move in with Grandpa and Grandma in their tiny house with one bedroom, one bathroom, a front room, and a kitchen. "How will we all fit", you think to yourself. Bedrolls are laid out, and you share the corner with your siblings. You try your best to answer their questions, why are we here? What is going on? Why isn't mommy making dinner? Dad asks you to help him with work. You go out onto the streets with a bag of apples and sell them for 5 cents each. Most people that pass have the same expressions on their face that you've been seeing on your Momma's. Only a few people buy an apple. Daddy lowers the price to 4 cents. A young boy in rags comes up holding his Mother's hand. He holds up 4 cents with a scrawny little hand. Your Father gives him an apple and reluctantly takes the money. When you get home, your little brothers are crying. "Hush", Momma says, "We are lucky that we have somewhere to live." That isn't how you see it- you're sick of living in such tight conditions, taking care of your siblings all the time, and not filling your tummy at meals. You are eating less and not as often. Momma gets sick, Daddy says we can't afford a doctor. You stay home and watch the kids while Grandma tends to Mom. Grandpa starts going out with Daddy to help him make money. When he gets home you wash his sore feet with your tears. You feel dirty, you can't bathe very often. You only have one pair of overalls now, and they are getting ripped and filthy. Momma stays in her bedroll sweating all day and all night. You try to calm down your crying brothers, tell them everything will be alright, it will be OK. You know things are getting worse. You hear Grandpa and Daddy talking about declines, stock markets, and banks-whatever those are. Daddy finally gets medicine for Mommy- you couldn't be more grateful for her recovery. So what you missed out on a few meals? Your family is the most important thing to you. You know that somehow you will survive. Saving.mp3 Audio 2. Youtube.com Click above to listen to the Audio of a short memory of Janice Herr's from the depression. |
Great Depression.mp3 Audio 1. Npr.org Above is a short audio clip that describes the living condition of a victim of the depression, Henry Martinez. President Hoover Herbert Clark Hoover was the president when the Great Depression occurred. This economic crisis made him very un popular among the American citizens because he did very little to fix things. Hoover believed that things were going to get better within a matter of time, which of course, was not the case at all. According to Pbs.org, Hoover said, "Any lack of confidence in the economic future or the basic strength of business in the United States is foolish." To hear the leader of your country say this with such confidence must have been reassuring to the people suffering from the effects of the crash, but when the condition of America was worsening every single day, they lost faith in their president. In March of 1930, 3.2 million people were unemployed. at this point in time President Hoover stated that, "All the evidences indicate that the worst of the effects of the crash upon unemployment will have passed during the next 60 days" (Pbs.org.).This was not true at all! Circumstances in the US got worse and worse for years and he was remaining optimistic! Something had to be done.  Photo 12. Money.howstuffworks.com. "Hard times are still Hoovering over us." This picture shows the blame that the people put on President Hoover, and how desperate they were to make money.People lived in terrible conditions, making houses out of cardboard and cloth. 1 in every 4 americans were unemployed.  Photo 13. English.illinois.edu The End of the Depression On December 7th, 1941, Pearl Harbor was bombed, which began the war for Americans. Millions of Americans were enlisted into the military. With almost 10 million Americans gone, the rest of the American society was open to more jobs. Not everyone, but many people got jobs. Many jobs also opened because the US needed people to make weapons and ammo. We also needed pilots and soldiers. With so many war related jobs open, the Great Depression started to come to an end. |
||
