English- Research Project
The Great Depression
The daily life of men and women during the great depression was very challenging, as everyone felt indifferent for the struggle and reality of it all. The roles of the men and women were very different as well. The relationships of families conformed to the current conditions of work and hard times that the depression brought.
Throughout the Great Depression, people seemed to change how they thought about themselves and the relationships to the country and world. About thirty million Americans lost their jobs and with that, many labor strikes had formed as well as unionizations. Through the thoughts of the men and women, there became a new understanding about strength and power of the general people and racial and gender divisions.
“Unemployment, homelessness and hunger were considered a man’s problem.” For the women in society, their jobs usually consisted of cooks, servants, nannies and washwomen. Of the work force, 25% were women. Older women were discriminated because of their “old age and long history of living outside of family systems.” Times were worse for black women for they had suffered 42.9% unemployment to the 23.2% of white women without jobs. Some black businesses were “barbers and hair dressers” because many white barbers refused to cut black people’s hair.
Children and teenagers during the Great Depression had it very tough as well. If they were lucky enough, the children would go to school. About 250,000 teenagers were roaming America on trains because they “felt the need to leave their home to live on their own.” The death rate rose for children because of the dietary disease. There was not enough money to buy sufficient food such as fruits, vegetables, milk and eggs.
During the Great Depression, having a college degree was of no use to the people. “Professions that had few job openings were bankers, architects, agriculturists, educators and salesmen.” If people did get good jobs, they were usually temporary.
Through the lives of the people during the Depression, they had few jobs, little food and with sickness and disease was spreading. The unemployment rate started to decrease, as more workers were needed in factories when World War II began. As the United States entered the war, this marked the end to the Great Depression.
You May Also Find These Documents Helpful
-
There were many downfalls in america’s economy, but there was one that vanquished them all, the great depression. Millions of people, rich or poor, were affected in different ways. Families searching in the trash for food, and farmers killing their sheep because they don’t make profit due to the price for shipping them. Those are two examples of many in which the great depression affected some.…
- 563 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
The Great Depression affected all of America. “By 1933, 11,00 of the United States’ 25,000 banks had failed” (Britanica 1). This failure caused a loss of confidence in the economy. Unemployment was also a big issue at the time. By 1932 unemployment had raised to 12 to 15 million people out of the work force; that is 25 to 30%. The manufacturers also lost a lot of their output. By 1932, The U.S. manufacturing output had fallen to 54% of its 1929 level. Many people’s lives were dramatically changed during the Great Depression. Many people had to deal with starvation, cold, drought and many other problems.…
- 2193 Words
- 6 Pages
Better Essays -
The Great Depression affected many people, but it especially tested the Cult of Domesticity. The Depression tested the Cult of Domesticity geographically, economically, and socially. The Great Derepression caused many men to lose their jobs and were not be able to support their family because of this men either committed suicide or had to rely on the women as well. Back in the 1930’s men were supposed to have a job and support their family while the women stay home and be a homemaker.…
- 84 Words
- 1 Page
Satisfactory Essays -
The Great Depression hurt America in almost every way possible politically, economically, and socially. This was a huge turning point in American history that will not be forgotten.…
- 996 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
During the Great Depression there were many deaths. For example, starvation from the lack of food and many more of the deaths were caused by dust pneumonia. The Great Depression made people died, face discrimination, and bankruptcy.…
- 325 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
The great depression was arguably one of the worst times for those who lived in America. The crippled economy forced families into poverty and unemployment was at the highest it ever was. Those who were able to keep their jobs suffered from wage cuts around 50% and those who lived in the mid-west were subject to regular dust storms and droughts that amplified the suffering compared to those who lived elsewhere 1 . The president at the time, Herbert Hoover, was struggling to alleviate the great depression with some programs that resembled what FDR later expanded on. Hoover’s economic policies, were seen in the public as hurting, or at least not helping the economy during the great depression 2…
- 1547 Words
- 7 Pages
Good Essays -
The Great Depression is one of the hardest times that Americans had to face. Countless people lost their jobs. The poor suffered, while the rich thrived. In the story, ¨President Cleveland Where Are You?¨, by Robert Cormier, a boy named Jerry and his family lived during the Great Depression. As a hobby, he collected cards. He felt torn between making his family happy or keeping up with the card competition, which as a result, caused him to make a final decision. The family also faced many obstacles during the Great Depression. In the text, the narrator stated that, ¨After Christmas, a layoff at the shop had thrown my father out of work...the only income we had was from Armand’s after-school job at Blue and White Grocery Store- a job he finally lost…” Now the family had no more income coming into their home and family, which caused them to have less and less money. The problems which Jerry had faced caused him to learn to put family first and sacrifice his happiness so others can be happy.…
- 443 Words
- 2 Pages
Satisfactory Essays -
The Great Depression caused many people to struggle and children to grow up faster. The book No Promises in the wind by Irene Hunt and the passage “Loss of Childhood” by Robert McElvaine shows how people struggled during the Great Depression. The Great Depression had a positive effect on children while having a negative effect on adults.…
- 378 Words
- 2 Pages
Satisfactory Essays -
The Great Depression was the deepest and longest-lasting economic downturn in the history of the world. After the stock market crash of 1929, the American economy plummeted. This was devastating for many families. Thousands of people were out of their jobs, and left to starve on the streets. Many were forced to simplify their wardrobes, problems in the education systems arose, and the banking system was destroyed. People turned to the government to help them out of their problems. Hoover and FDR worked to pass relief acts that would boost the American economy.…
- 1432 Words
- 6 Pages
Better Essays -
The people’s changes in behavior was ever changing as well as their income. From the streets, to the banks, “...the impact of this severest and longest depression upon daily life could be observed everywhere” (A History of American Life). Even today the effects of the Great Depression can still be shown whether it be by actions that physically show or books that verbally…
- 1641 Words
- 7 Pages
Powerful Essays -
The Great Depression badly impacted average American family through ten years of economic downfall. To be a child living in during “The Great Depression” was to live a very sad and tough life. But even before those children had to experience life they had to be born. But the average birth rate in these times fell from an average of three children per a woman, to about two children per a woman ( see bibliography # 4 ). Schooling…
- 1302 Words
- 6 Pages
Good Essays -
The Great Depression had a drastic impact on families, women and children. Due to the loss of savings during this economic crisis, families lost their homes or were evicted from their apartments, destabilizing countless lives. This led to multiple families being forced to share small living spaces and the number of homeless to significantly escalate. Disorganizing the flow of family life, the marriage rate sharply declined as well as the divorce rate with a lot of citizens unable to pay for both. In addition, desertion of wives increased, causing greater chaos and hardship to especially women with children in an already troubled time.…
- 574 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
Daily life Daily life during the great depression wasn't easy. Many people were unemployed and without decent clothes. Children ran away and “Rode the rails” to loosen the burden on their families, because they wanted a better life or just because they wanted an adventure. Other kids got jobs to support their families. During the depression, people ate whatever they could afford or whatever they could find.…
- 453 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
This depression destroy the social life of those effected by the Great Depression, they were afraid of one another due to the fear of losing even more than they already have. However, after a while into the depression, they started enjoying the life in theaters or listening to the…
- 508 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
Women during The Great Depression were conflicted with not having their husbands with them when they were going through starvation. Many men went through unemployment including women. It went from 3 million to 4 million in just a year. Women were being the heroes throughout this point.…
- 396 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays