This photo was taken during the Great Depression in the late 1930s. To an extent, the crash of 1929 impacted everyone; however many of the upper class retained much of their wealth and were not affected by unemployment and poverty. As a result, they were severely taxed to help aid the poor. The upper class was furious, because they believed it was not their responsibility to take care of the less fortunate. Surprisingly, class antagonism was a major problem during the Great Depression. I chose this photo for various reasons. Throughout my years of school, I have been taught that the Great Depression affected many, and drastically increased the percentage of unemployment. On the other hand, I had never learned how the Great Depression impacted
The unemployment rate skyrocketed from 5.3% in 1929 to 37.6% in 1933 (Document 4). Many families who were middle class dropped to lower class status. Many were living paycheck to paycheck to support themselves and their families. But there was also a small percent of Americans whose lives didn’t change because of this crash, maybe even improved. This was the small 2% of the high class Americans who were able to afford luxury items.
The journal article begins by introducing an African American couple who resided in Russellville, Kentucky. James Wright held an occupation as a corn cutter while his wife Gladys worked as a cook in a white home. The time span of their journey occurred at the beginning of the great depression all the way through World War II. Seeking better employment opportunities, James traveled to Louisville. Although, his first couple trips were in vain. His resilience and determination eventually lead to a job working for International Harvester. During an era of many trials and tribulations, James found a way to support himself and his family by migrating from a rural to an urban area. By sharing this anecdote the author establishes a mood of hardship
In chapter 21, the Great Depression greatly affected the migrant families and local farmers. Mold of cruelty is a metaphor describing the harsh living condition that the migrant workers received from the landowners. In California, the local landowners didn’t want the migrants to take over “their land” so they armed themselves in order to prevent any uprising and threatening actions that will threaten their superiority. They felt they had a right to treat the migrants bad because they were the first to claimed the land. This treatment could be linked to WWII as the Nazi discriminated the Jews in Germany and in the United States, some people are still discriminating that immigrants the moved to the United States. Although, the men that were armed
The Great Depression affected Americans no matter their educational stance or social class. For example, a college educated woman named Vera had extreme problems with acquiring a job. Due to her inexperience, no one would hire her. The didn’t care if she had a college
This photograph caught my attention because of how dirty their clothing is and their facial expression which seemed depressing and desperate for help. The picture is of Bud Fields (who was a sharecropper-farmer who gives a part of each crop as rent) and his family, they are seen sitting (except for the eldest kid) and are staring at the camera trying to show sympathy and show what the Great Depression has done to their lives. As you can see the background of the house looks very dirty and empty and by the look of their clothes they seem like they haven’t showered because their water probably ran out and haven’t washed their clothes. This picture was taken in 1936 or 1937 in Hale County, Alabama.
"Great Depression: People and Perspectives" by editor Hamilton Cravens, is a book on the people of the Great Depression era. It shows how minorities dealt with the traumatic turmoil of the times, including rural Americans, women, children, African Americans, and immigrants. Furthermore, it offers different viewpoints on the conflict between the social scientists and the policymakers responding to the crisis, the impact that the Great Depression had on the health of U.S. citizens, and the roles of American technology and Hollywood movies that played in helping the nation survive and later prosper. The author’s thesis is that even though the there was a 25 percent unemployment rate, 5,500 banks declared bankruptcy, and 32,000 business declared bankruptcy as well, the Great Depression’s impact was extensive and catastrophic, however, the impact it had on the day-by-day lives of ordinary American citizens was the strongest indicator of the Depression's devastation.
How do I start this huh? I’ve never done this – I don’t know why I’m doing this. It leaves a trace when I need to make tracks. You have to listen to your mother though. Especially if you don’t want her to know that you’re in the business. You know what business. I’m a bootlegger in The Windy City. I serve in the Chicago Outfit; otherwise known as the “Capones”. The name’s James Remus and I am writing this on the eve of the new decade. Hopefully it’ll be just as prosperous as the last. Just make sure this book doesn’t fall into the hands of the coppers. Times like these, everyone has got to fight just to keep their heads above water what with the banks going down and all. Hell I even lost
The Great Depression, however inevitable, took the world by surprise when the stock market crashed in 1929. At first people did not fully understand the state of the economy, they could not wrap their heads around the transition from popping champagne bottles to eating bread crumbs for dinner. People were expecting a quick fix to the problem, assuming their lives to go back to normal after a few months, tragically underestimating the situation America was in. As a result, no one was prepared to properly combat the extreme shortage of food, jobs, and money in the years to come.
By 1933 employment reached to a twenty-five percent, which cut of half of the U.S gross national product. The Great Depression “for ten years it left what one observer has called “an invisible scar” running through the lives of millions of Americans “(Dubois, 485). The image of Dorothea Lange’s haunting photograph, which took a part of the Depression decade. The photograph evoked many people because unemployment rose to about thirty percent with thousands of Americans losing their homes and farms. Race was a big thing for the woman especially the different color during the Great Depression.
¨Fortunately, we were able to save our house from foreclosure.¨ Citizens struggled in the 1930’s due to rough times. This event was known as the Great Depression. The Great Depression had a negative effect on the people who fought through the economic fatality. Many individuals had to take on multiple jobs to try to bring in additional money to deal with the grim situation.
The Great Depression was a harsh global economic depression in the decade prior World War II. The Great Depression, while it happened far before the “Great Recession” of 2008, it can be greatly compared. During the Great Depression, all income, tax revenue, and prices dropped. International trade decreased by more than 50%, and U.S. unemployment climbed to just above 25%. Industrial cities like Detroit and Pittsburgh took the heaviest hits. While the recession of 2008 was not as drastic, it affected the world economy and resulted in a global recession more so than ever before. The percent of U.S. citizens unemployed had reached 10% as of 2009. Along with the challenges unemployment presented, consumer
There were a handful of very rich families who were not affected by the Great Depression, but many people believe that the major gap between the rich and poor is what caused this devastating era. There were many Native Americans, African Americans, Hispanics, and farmers that “lived below the poverty line” (class, 7-22). Those who did not live in the rich class were affected in so many traumatic ways. Many families lost there homes and had no where to go, “I knew one family there in Oklahoma City, a man and a woman and seven children lived in a hole in the ground” (Owlsey, 45). This was a time when the gap was widening between the ‘haves’ and ‘have
"In other periods of depression, it has always been possible to see some things which were solid and upon which you could base hope... but as I look around about, I now see nothing to give ground to hope.” This great quote was made by former president, Coolidge. In the great depression people in cities and towns already lost too many jobs. Farmers struggles have already been happening since the 1920s, and farmers tried to do anything to save their farms. However, farmers may have been better off than city folk. The government tried to pitch in multiple times, but did not succeed as people hoped. After the great depression, people were all shaken up and scared. Also Hoover, was not very much liked during this time
After the Great War (1914-1919) came the “Roaring Twenties” followed by the Great Depression (1929-1939). After World War I America experienced the greatest economic growth in its history. Its economic expansion was due to how undamaged it was after the war. It became the richest country in the world at that time. The people enjoyed life as it were back then until the US experienced the largest economic downturn in history when the Stock Market crashed on 29th October 1929. It began in the summer months of 1929 when the US economy began experiencing a small recession where consumers began spending less and unsold goods began piling up, thereby slowing down production. While this was happening stock prices continues to rise reaching levels that could not be justified by anticipated potential earnings. This occurred for a few months until October 24th 1929 when the stock market crashed and America faced the Great Depression a few days after on October 29th 1929 . So what were the contributing factors of the Great Depression? These include:
Florence in the photograph portrays the real effects that the depression of 1929 had on people in the United States. The real intention