Life in the Great Depression 19291932

1
Life in the Great Depression 1929-1932
2
Unemployment

• Thousands of businesses shut down
  (esp. luxury items/services)
• Millions of workers were unemployed
• Estimated 13million 25
• Without worktheres
  no income
• Families struggled to
  pay bills and buy food
• Spending decreased
• Downward Spiral

3
Hoovervilles

• Families struggled to pay mortgage
• Banks foreclosed on family's homes
• Foreclose when banks take away
  property
• Some built shacks just outside of
  town
• Made of cardboard boxes, metal sheets, or
  leftover wood
• Small, no water, dirty, rundown
• Named after Pres. Hoover blamed him

4
Surviving in the City

• Employment agencies were overloaded with
  unemployed
• Some sold fruit for money
• Others washed windows
• Some cities set up relief aid
• Relief survival needs provided for free
  (food, clothing, shelter, etc.)
• Bread lines, soup kitchens offered free food to
  those in need
• In time, became too full
• Some begged for money
• Others simply wanted a job

5
Farmers Struggle

• During WWI, farmers took out loans to buy more
  land
• After the war there was no need for so much land
• Supply became too high, farmers lost money
• Couldnt pay off debt on land
• Banks foreclosed on farmers
• Many farmers lost their land
• Added to unemployment

6
Heading West

• People needed to find work
• Many people headed west
• California jobs (mostly unaffected during the
  Depression)
• Packed the car and left or
• Others rode the train
• Some illegally hobo
• Train-hopping from town to town
• Looking for work/food
• Riding the rails

7
President Hoover Responds

• Hoover believed the govt should not get involved
• The economy will fix itself
• Finally realized he was wrong
• Started govt programs to create jobs (built
  Hoover Dam)
• But didnt provide govt relief
• Believed in private charity (giving)
• Charity not enough to help
• People lost hope in Hoover
• Looked for someone else to lead