How Did Americans Suffer From The Great Depression?

The stock market crash of 1929 sent the nation spiraling into a state of economic paralysis that became known as the Great Depression. As industries shrank and businesses collapsed or cut back, up to 25% of Americans were left unemployed. At the same time, the financial crisis destroyed the life savings of countless Americans (Modern American Poetry). Food, housing and other consumable goods were in short supply for most people (Zinn 282). This widespread state of poverty had serious social repercussions for the country.

Once President Franklin Roosevelt was elected during the Great Depression, his first 100 days enacted what he called the New Deal. This “deal” was a series of reforms that were meant to increase available jobs, better the working conditions, and put money back into the economy. Jobs offered during this time, as well as the relief, recovery, and reform efforts gave a kick start to the American economy, helping to pull us out of the Great Depression. Some examples of these efforts can be seen in the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), the National Recovery Administration (NRA), and the Social Security Act (SSA).

The Great Depression was a devastating time for many Americans. From 1929 to 1932, the US experienced an economic downturn that was calamitous to the lives of many people. Millions upon millions of Americans lost everything when the stock market crashed on October 29, 1929. After exiting an era that left people living a life of luxury, the stock market crash came as a surprise. As a result of the stock market crash, many became unemployed and many families were being forced to close their businesses. Although there were many factors that contributed to the cause of the Great Depression, the three main causes were The Stock Market Crash of 1929, high unemployment, a decrease in consumer purchases due to being “stuffed with stuff” during the roaring twenties.

In the year 1929, after a century of Americans being filled with a great sense of being alive and chasing after the American dream with new opportunities in front of them, everything Americans had worked so hard to establish came crashing down. On one fateful day the stock market crashed, leaving Americans all over the nation scared, penny less, and uncertain feelings about what the future would hold for them. The days leading up to years following this crash became known as the Great Depression a time where Americans struggled to get by or even had to leave the only home they’ve ever had when it comes to the dust bowl. The Great Depression posed a great hold on American economy leaving people unemployed and immigrants

When the Great Depression occurred the U.S. and the American nation was thrown into complete chaos. Herbert Hoover established a ”hands off” policy which left the American people poor, homeless, and unemployed. Then FDR decided to intervene and take the U.S. out of the Great Depression with the New Deal idea which was a set of policies set in place to pull Americans out of the Great Depression. The policies help many and were very successful in getting American citizens back on their feet. One example of the impact of the New deal on American people was it employed many people. Including providing jobs for young men which also gave food clothing. The CCC cared for nearly 2.5 million young men. Many more bills employed many people under CWA and WPA. The program also provided food for many malnourished children and nursed them back to health. Last of all the New Deal offered recovery to many poor in debt farmers. These beneficial bills were very successful in pulling the U.S. out of the Great Depression and leading them to a new better life with the New Deal.

In the 1930s, several economic, political, and environmental factors caused Americans to lose hope of a future beyond the extreme circumstances in which they had to survive. America prospered during the roaring ‘20s, but the stock market crash of October 1929 set off a devastating chain of events; banks and factories closed and one out of every four Americans found himself unemployed. The sudden economic collapse began the era of the Great Depression, in which millions were jobless by 1933 and countless others wandered the country in search of work, food and shelter. “The core of the problem was the immense disparity between the country’s productive capacity and the ability of the people to consume” (Nelson). The economic downturn coupled

During the Great Depression millions of families lost their jobs, homes, and depleted their savings in both urban and rural areas. In 1930, 15 million people became

After the prosperous 1920’s, America headed into what would be none as the Great Depression. The economy crashed and the standard of living for majority Americans was the lowest it has ever been before. America needed a hero, and fortunately, Franklin Delano Roosevelt was elected into office in 1933. He immediately began working on ways to get out of the depression, and he came up with what would be known as the New Deal. The New Deal was praised for how it treated problems involving unemployment, poverty, and other concerns. It did things such as make new jobs, through the WPA (Works Progress Administration) and CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps). By creating new jobs, people were helped physically, mentally and socially. After the Stock Market

Americans felt desperation during the time of great economic shortage. If they were to survive this era, they needed to condition themselves mentally and psychologically for the tougher times that might stretch on for years on end. Millions of families lost their savings as numerous banks collapsed in the early 1930’s. Incapable of making mortgage or rent payments, many were deprived of their homes or were evicted from their apartments. Working and middle class families were immensely affected by the Depression. The cultural change that happened in America during the Great Depression can be divided into two types: one was type of culture that accepting and embracing the extreme poverty and by finding logical ways to stay alive. The other

“The Great Depression was the most severe, prolonged economic crisis in American History. It displaced thousands of families, created hardships for millions of people, shaped an entire generation, and reshaped the way Americans viewed the role of their government,” (Cravens). Although the Great Depression had devastating effects on the United States, its impacts on family life and structure were the most devastating. Children had to take on more responsibilities by attempting to find jobs in a market where there were a scarce amount of jobs even available for adults. These children suffered a lot from the depression since their parents didn’t have the money to take care of them, but more children started finishing high school and going to college to get better jobs. Mothers were greatly affected by the Great Depression as well, they had to start working to help take care of their families. Most of the jobs a woman could find were very difficult, low paying jobs with long hours. Women additionally started separating from their husbands and started having less children. Families had to make do by budgeting, changing their shopping habits, and finding alternate ways of bringing money home.

When FDR created the New Deal his emphasis was on creating jobs and not allowing the American people to suffer any more than they already had. This aspect of the plan was successful, this can be seen in SQ3 Source A, which is a graph of the unemployment rates in America. From 1928 to 1933 the graph rises at an alarming rate, eventually stopping after reaching twenty-two percent. Almost a quarter of American people were without a job, a source of income, and a way to survive. The New Deal was implemented in 1933, from 1933 to 1934 unemployment decreased 4.6 percent. Over the next two years it continued to decrease to 9.9 percent. In three years the number of people jobless went down 10.7 percent, almost to the amount of unemployed before the great depression. In SQ3 Source B, it shows 3 public works projects started by the new deal to allow people to survive the depression and provide for their families. The Public Works Administration built bridges, hospitals, dams, and schools for future generations to make use out of. Civilian Conservation Corps was another form of public work, but instead of building things like schools, the young men who participated planted trees and built state parks. The Federal Writer’s project allowed for artistic people to write or create art pieces for money during the depression. These 3 projects gave more than 3 million people jobs and potentially saved their families from death during the depression. In SQ2 Source A, FDR talks about his goals for the New Deal and most of the new policies include government support or providing jobs. With these policies the New Deal lead America out of disaster by creating jobs for people.

The United States was forever changed during the 1930s. The United States had just come out of a period of unprecedented wealth. Farmers had abundance of crops, many were investing all of their paycheck into the stock market, and banking-business practices had not changed since the Industrial Era. Many of these factors contributed to the Great Depression. Americans felt as if they were immune to any economic downturn; however by 1932, one in four American “breadwinners” were out of work. On October 24th, 1929, the United States stock market crashed, setting the stage for the worst economic decline the US has ever seen, changing us as a society.

On October 29, 1929, the stock market crash, resulting in America falling into The Great Depression. The Great Depression was the largest economic downturn in American history, where the unemployment rate had reached to about 25%. In this time of economic crisis, millions of Americans were left unemployed, homeless, and without food or water. President Franklin Roosevelt took office in 1933, where he tried to stabilize the economy, provide jobs, and relieve the American people. The government initiated a series of programs called the “New Deal,” which aimed to restore American confidence in the government. Some of the programs of the New Deal was the Civilian Conservation Corps which provided jobs for people and built many public works across the nation. The Federal Housing Administration helped regulate mortgages, housing conditions, and combatted the housing crisis. The Social Security Act combatted the poverty among senior citizens and helped provide income to the elderly who were retired from work. Franklin Roosevelt and the New Deal was able to restore the confidence in the American people, and furthermore combat the difficulties that the poor had faced, demonstrating that the poor are not

The Great Depression (1929-1939) is the worst economic downturn that the modern world has ever seen before. Beginning with the Wall Street stock market crash of 1929, the situation grew worse in the United States, in part, due to the tremendous wealth disparity between the higher class and the lower class. Wages did not grow nearly as quickly as production did during this era, so many people were unable to purchase certain goods. As a result, there was an excess in supply, which prompted layoffs in several industries. In fact, the national unemployment rate jumped from just four percent to twenty five percent during the onset of the Depression. However, farmers arguably suffered the most during this time as the value of their crops

With the crash of the financial heart of America, came the rise of unemployment. The market crash not only affected large businesses, but also the smaller ones. Shockingly, even the former employees from industrialized cities and towns joined the breadlines. By the end of the 1932, more than ten million people were out of work in the United States, industrial production was down to one-third of its 1929 level, and what is more, the national income dropped by more than half.