Word Count: 1337
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The Great Depression
The Great Depression is known as a time of economic disaster, and for its impact
on the social structure of families. As times got harder, the family way of life changed.
Families that were well off did not suffer as much as those that were already struggling.
When men lost their jobs they also lost the ability to support their families. Children were
forced to leave home and find work without adequate schooling. The Great Depression
affected people both physically and psychologically. It was an era of unemployment,
family struggles, and the way they survived.
The Great Depression was an era of unemployment. One of the main causes of
unemployment was the combination of the greatly unequal distribution of wealth
throughout the twenties. The unequal distribution of wealth had gone on forever. Money
was distributed disparately between the rich and the middle class, between the United
States and Europe, and even between industries and agriculture. The unequal distribution
of wealth had created an unstable economy. Companies were losing money because of
this unstable economy so there for they had to make some changes. The first thing that
had to be done was to save money and they did this by cut the pay role. Employees of
many years were fired or took massive pay cuts. The employers only kept a select few
workers that they had to have.
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If one did not make the employer’s expectation, they were fired.
Monte Cristo had a list, a little roll call.
And one by one he took them each for a ride
Saying One and Two and Three and so on
Till the names were all crossed off
And he had cleabsed the world of a giving number
Of betrayers who had personally wronged him.
He was judge, jury, and executioner
(Sandburg 445)
Finding a replacement was not difficult since everyone; men, women, children, and even
grandparents, were looking for work.
I’m not asking for social equality,
…………
All I want is a job with a decent wage,
To exist now and provide for old age.
So kindhearted employers, my case is up to you,
Give me something to do.
(Proudberg 9-16)
With few job openings and so many people looking for them, job security was a big
threat. Because of this threat, employees started to form labor unions.
Thursday, October 24, 1929 was a very important date of the Great Depression.
This date is commonly known as “Black Thursday” or some time called “Black Monday”
This is the day that the stock market crashed.
On Thursday, Oct 24, 1929, the bottom began to fall out. Prices dropped
precipitously…By the end of the day the market had lost four billion dollars…By the end
of the year the stock values had dropped by fifteen billion dollars.
(Underwood)
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The crash affected everyone; rich, pore, middle class, and yes even banks. Everyone had
money in the stock market and everyone lost his or her money. The unstable economy
aided the crash in some ways. Because if the business had maybe put the money that they
had invested in the Stock market to some good use like paying the workers a little raise or
something. This
Would have made it possible for the middleman to maybe save some money and not have
to try his luck at the stock market. Some of the families had lost all there savings to the
crash and the ones that didn’t lose there money in the stock market crash could not get it
from the bank if they wanted because the bank had lost there money to the stock market.
Families coped with unemployment in different ways. Some families had a little
money saved and would use it to pay the house note. In the meantime, they would try to
find odd jobs in order to pay the next bill.
The reason why I’m appealing to you
I’ve got a wife, four children and a mother, too.
…………
And they are depending on me for financially
(Proudberg 25-28)
They would get food from soup lines to save any money they could. Families that kept
their jobs, took massive pay cuts; therefore struggling, but still managing to put little food
on the table and a roof over their heads.
They carry lessons and warnings
They do what they must
They are beyond argument.
(Sandburg 562)
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A few families were left in terrible situations. They had no job and savings left because
the banks had closed. These people were forced to move out of their homes and live on
the streets.
To Proud to beg, to honest to steal
…
Employers please listen to my appeal
Night and day I’m walking the streets,
Noting to eat and nowhere to sleep,
….
Give me something to do.
(Proudbeg 1-8)
Some families made due with their loss of everything, while others freaked out over their
losses. Fathers of some families were so devastated over the loss of all their possessions;
they took their own life so that they would not have to deal with the agony of being
broke.
Friends, many days I feel I can die
I feel like committing suicide
Some kindhearted employers, my case in up to you,
Give me something to do.
(Proudbeg 29 – 32)
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Families did all kinds of things to handle the problems of the Great Depression. Some
families split up and went their own ways to try to find jobs, or whatever work they
could. In some cases the kids were split up from their parents.
What shall he tell that son?
“Life is hard; be steel; be a rock.”
And this might stand him for the storms
…
And guide him amid sudden betrayals
And tighten him for slack moments,
(Sandburg 448)
In fact most families did not split up; they stayed right where they were and fought
through the hard times. Some children joined the National Youth Administration. This
ensured them of some sort of work if there was any work.
I was about fourteen when I joined the NYA. I used to get paid $12.50 every two weeks.
Making footlockers. I gave half to my mother. This was the first time I could buy some
clothes.
(Hawes 104)
Families tried to help each other in their times of need. They would open their houses to
friends and relatives in need. This would help them to pay the rent and also keep them
from living in a “Hoover Ville.” Which was a small town environment with makeshift
homes all made of cardboard and other materials they could find.
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The Great Depression was a real eye opener for both the people of yesterday and the
people of today. During it they had dealt with unemployment and families had to learn to
live on hardly anything. They learned the true meaning of money.
Today it would be difficult for us to imagine not having food or hot water. People get
mad today if the cable television goes out or if the Internet is down for a few hours. The
Great Depression was truly a tragedy but there is nothing we can do about it now. People
then learned a good bit from it. They learned; how to group together, how to save money,
and just what a dollar was worth.
Let the nickels and explain.
They are made for the people
Millions everyday study the buffalo on the nickel,
….
Study before the nickel, the dime is spent.
(Sandburg 456)
A lot of the people today have long forgotten the lessons that their parents had taught
them. Today people really do not appreciate the value of a dollar, but they know all about
“plastic,” or commonly known as credit cards. I think a small dose of depression would
do people today some good but not too much, because I think we would have a lot more
people killing themselves and others just because people have fewer moral values today.
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Worked Cited
Hawes, Joseph M. Children Between the Wars. Ed. Joseph M. Hawes.,
N. Ray Hiner. New York: Twayne Publishers, 1997.
Proudbeg, Jim. “Poor Nut Ambitious (too Proud To Beg).” 21 Apr. 2000.
http://www.mudcat.org/!!-song99.cfm?stuff=fall99+9902682.
Sandburg, Carl. The Complete Poems of Carl Sandburg. New York: Harcourt Brace
Jovanovich, 1970.
Underwood, Mark. “Black Thursday.” The New York Times on the web.
1 May. 1996. 4 Apr. 2000
<http://sac.uky.edu/~msunde00/hon202/p4/nyt.html>.
Keywords:
word count carmack great depression great depression known time economic disaster
impact social structure families times harder family life changed families that were well
suffer much those that were already struggling when lost their jobs they also lost ability
support their families children were forced leave home find work without adequate
schooling great depression affected people both physically psychologically
unemployment family struggles they survived unemployment main causes unemployment
combination greatly unequal distribution wealth throughout twenties unequal distribution
wealth gone forever money distributed disparately between rich middle class between
united states europe even between industries agriculture unequal distribution wealth
created unstable economy companies losing money because this unstable economy there
they make some changes first thing that done save money this role employees many years
fired took massive cuts employers only kept select workers have carmack make employer
expectation fired monte cristo list little roll call took them each ride saying three till
names crossed cleabsed world giving number betrayers personally wronged judge jury
executioner sandburg finding replacement difficult since everyone women children even
grandparents looking work asking social equality want with decent wage exist provide
kindhearted employers case give something proudberg with openings many people
looking them security threat because this threat employees started form labor unions
thursday october very important date date commonly known black thursday some time
called black monday stock market crashed thursday bottom began fall prices dropped
precipitously market lost four billion dollars year stock values dropped fifteen billion
dollars underwood carmack crash affected everyone rich pore middle class even banks
everyone stock market unstable economy aided crash some ways because business maybe
invested good like paying workers little raise something would have made possible
middleman maybe save have luck there savings crash ones didn lose there could from
bank wanted bank coped with different ways little saved would house note meantime
would find jobs order next bill reason appealing wife four children mother depending
financially proudberg food from soup lines save could kept their jobs took massive cuts
therefore struggling still managing food table roof over heads carry lessons warnings
what must beyond argument sandburg left terrible situations savings left banks closed
these people forced move homes live streets proud honest steal employers please listen
appeal night walking streets noting nowhere sleep give something proudbeg made loss
everything while others freaked over losses fathers devastated over loss possessions life
deal agony being broke friends many days feel feel like committing suicide kindhearted
case give proudbeg kinds things handle problems split went ways find whatever work
could cases kids split from parents what shall tell life hard steel rock might stand storms
guide amid sudden betrayals tighten slack moments sandburg fact most split stayed right
where fought through hard times joined national youth administration ensured them sort
about fourteen when joined used paid every weeks making footlockers gave half mother
first time clothes hawes tried help each other times need open houses friends relatives
need help rent also keep living hoover ville which small town environment makeshift
homes made cardboard other materials real opener both yesterday today during dealt
learn live hardly anything learned true meaning today difficult imagine having food water
today cable television goes internet down hours truly tragedy nothing about then learned
good learned group together just what dollar worth nickels explain millions everyday
study buffalo nickel study before nickel dime spent long forgotten lessons parents taught
really appreciate value dollar know about plastic commonly known credit cards think
small dose good much think more killing themselves others just fewer moral values
worked cited hawes joseph wars joseph hawes hiner york twayne publishers proudbeg
poor ambitious proud http mudcat song stuff fall carl complete poems carl york harcourt
brace jovanovich underwood mark black york http msunde html
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