How Did The Great Depression Affect America

Many consider the Great Depression a tragedy but few actually know the ways in which it actually affected the people who lived through it. One way it affected the people of the time is the hopelessness it brought. During the early 1920's many men returned from the "Great War" jaded and angry. The same effect was seen in most people during the depression. It was this hopelessness that spawned modernist literature and thought. Another way the depression affected the everyday man was the loss of homes. Many homes were foreclosed during the depression and this left many homeless. In fact the "Okies" were people left homeless after farm foreclosures. The last way the depression affected people was the broken homes it caused. The number of father's leaving their families rose dramatically during

The Great Depression was a very influential era in American history, affecting many future generations. One of the most prevalent impacts it had on society was the extreme poverty that swept across the nation, affecting both people in cities and in the country. The main cause for this poverty was the mass loss of jobs among the middle class. Millions lost their jobs and consequently their homes. Families lived out of tents and cars in shanty towns or Hoovervilles. In these camps, many people didn’t have their basic human needs met, children and adults alike starved. They lived in clothes that were caked in dirt and tattered, too small for growing children and too cold for the frail elderly. Government relief programs attempted to help but offered little support to the now impoverished families of the millions that lost everything.

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.

The Great Depression transformed American society and the way people thought about themselves and their relationship to the country. During this horrendous time period, many people lost many important pieces in their lives like money and jobs. Millions of families lost their savings as many banks collapsed in the early 1930s. They were unable to make rent payments or mortgage and many were removed from their apartments. The Great Depression challenged American families in vital ways, placing great economic demands upon families and their members.

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.

The Great Depression changed the lives of people who lived and farmed on the Great Plains and in turn, changed America. During this time period, many farmers ran out of business because no one could buy their products since many people were out of money.

The Great depression began in 1929 with a dramatic event called that Wall Street Crash. This led to the failure of banks and businesses all over the United States. Millions of people lost all their savings and their jobs, and thousands became homeless because they could not afford to pay their rent. Some homeless families lived in shacks made of cardboard. Others took the road to look for work. (Bingham J.) As it could be imagined it was very disheartening to many as losing everything that was worked hard for. Many events took place during this time, like the Stock Market Crash, The Dust Bowl, The New Deal and also Prohibition that changed the outcome of what people could and couldn’t do.

Primarily, the Great Depression left millions of people with a lack of money. The Great Depression initiated a serious decline in the world economy which caused businesses to go bankrupt and banks to shut down. In the 4th paragraph of source #1, Hastings states, "With no dependable income, we cut back on everything possible." Victims of the depression had to do everything they could to save money to prevent being stuck without it. This was a serious problem, as described in the 8th paragraph of source #3, "I see millions lacking the means to buy the products of farm and factory.

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 is one of the most misunderstood events in not only American history but also Great Britain, France, Germany, and many other industrialized nations. It also has had important consequences and was an extremely devastating event in America. It was the longest and most severe depression ever experienced by the industrialized Western world. When the New York Stock Exchange crashed in October 1929, the United States dropped sharply into a major depression. The world was in wide demand for agricultural goods during World War I, but they had rapidly decreased after the war and rural America experienced a severe depression throughout most of the 1920's and even on into the 1930's.

The actual word, “Great Depression,” derives from the thought of a thin man in a threadbare suit, shoes with holes, and selling apples for five cents on a street corner. It also paints a picture of women standing in line just to get bread and milk at relief stations just to supply for their families (Brennan, 2000). America struggles to turn their economy around in the years after World War I (Pietrusza, 1998). This depression threatened the continuation of capitalism for the country. The Depression was the only event that could make or break it (Brennan, 2000).

The Great Depression was an awful time for a majority of the American population and its economy. The Great Depression was caused by a dramatic uneven distribution in wealth, which caused consumption issues. 1% of America’s population was receiving 15% of the nation’s income. This lead to the stock market crash of 1929, which sent the economy into the age of depression. This depression had negative effects on a large majority of the US population.

In a time where everything appeared to be lost it was the people of the nation which brought it out of this time. Families that found ways to “make a profit off of the produce we grew on our farm. It was this time of self-conservation and self-preservation that allowed us to survive to the point of success”(Rural Families in the Time of Depression) were the ones who collectively brought the country out of the depression. Along with the help of governmental laws passed it was this effort by regular people of the nation that ultimately pushed us through the Great Depression. Even though many families lived in poverty, their determination to better their situation reflected the American Dream and that is what helped this country out. Because of all the interaction being done by people of the country, “the markets were stimulated enough to the point of stabilization just in time for the Second Great War”(1940’s Business and Economy: Overview); in addition to this, the “New Deal's assumption of the federal government's responsibility to provide for the welfare of those unable to care for themselves in an industrial society”(The Legacies of the Great Depression). Through the stimulation of the economy and with the aid of the government in the creation of a new welfare

The 1920s seemed to promise a future of a new and wonderful way of life for America and its citizens . Modern science, evolving cultural norms, industrialization, and even jazz music heralded exciting opportunities and a future that only pointed up toward a better life. However, cracks in the facade started to show, and beginning with the stock market crash of 1929 the wealth of the country, and with it the hopes and expectations of its people, began to slip away. The Great Depression left a quarter of the population unemployed and much of the rest destitute and uncertain of what the future held. Wealth vanished, people took their money out of banks, and plans were put on hold. The most significant way in which the Great Depression affected Americans’ everyday lives was through poverty because it tore relationships apart and damaged the spirit of society while unexpectedly bringing families together in unity.

The Great Depression is a defining moment in time for not only American, but world history. This was a time that caused political, economical, and social unrest. Not only did the Great Depression cause a world wide panic, it also caused a world wide crisis unlike any before it. This paper will analyze both the causes and the effects of the Great Depression in the United States of America.