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The Great Depression caused by the Dust Bowl and economic collapse led to widespread devastation and social upheaval in the 1930s. Learn about the impact on farmers, tenant workers, minorities, and families, as well as the cultural and technological shifts during this tumultuous time.
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Sections Two and Three The Great Depression
Land was ravaged for decades by humans Native grasses had sheltered the soil But Sodbusters plowed up the native grasses to grow wheat & corn Sod was so thick & wood was so scarce in the Great Plains that early settlers built their shelters by digging into the sod. Native Grasses & Sod Destroyed
After decades of destroying the sod when the winds finally came all topsoil was removed Imagine seeing a wall of black dust up to a 1000 ft high Dust storms like these plagued the Great Plains between 1932-1939 Together with the Gt. Depression 1000s of farmers were wiped out Drought & Dust Storms
During 1920s – ’30s farm prices were falling Falling prices kept farmers from paying their mortgages Many lost their farms to foreclosure Penny Auctions took place in which friends bought the farm for a penny and then returned it to their friends Farmers in Distress
Okies were farmers who lost everything and abandoned their fields in search of new opportunities • Many came to CA where they worked for almost nothing • Not welcome by most, harassed by law enforcement, sometimes turned away at the border. The Okies
As fed’l gov paid subsidies to landowners not to grow products so prices would rise So landowners evicted tenant farmers off the land Subsidies given to landowners were then used to buy new technology which further reduced the need for farm hands or tenant farmers AA tenant farmers were hit disproportionately hard Tenant Farmers Hit Hard
Faced discrimination 12,000 rounded up and deported to Mexico between 1931-1934 Even Mex-Americans faced discrimination Many asked to be repatriated to Mexico In Texas, 60% of all people of Mex descent returned to Mex by Jan 31 Mexican-Americans
By 1933 ¼ of all people were unemployed AA lost their jobs first, followed by other minorities, then full time employees were asked to share their jobs with others People lost their homes, possessions Hoovervilles – temporary shelters Bread lines, soup kitchens Loss of hope In the City
Men lost status and self-esteem due to inability to support the family • Women economized to keep families from starving & often took up home crafts • Women faced discrimination in professional jobs but kept the traditional female occupations such as clerical jobs • Hoboes – in search of jobs across the country & ashamed to return home many deserted their families In the Family
Psychological and spiritual depression as well as economic People avoided socializing because ashamed of torn clothes Young people put off getting married Married couples put off having children Undernourishment Lack of hope & faith led to deep despair Left invisible scar Growing up in the ’30s
Cars were status symbols Car shows continued to draw 1000s Tourism increased during the ’30s Auto industry continued to grow Car Craze Continues
The appliance revolution begun in the ’20s continued thru the ’30s. Made possible by gov programs that brought electricity to all regions Household chores became easier Electricity Transforms the Home
Double feature matinee Talkies Easy escape Ornate theatres Color film Gone With the Wind allowed people to escape 60-90 m people went to moves during average week in the ’30s Escape through Entertainment
Radio was a piece of furniture which served as the visual focus & entertainment center in the home 10 m radios in 1929; 30 m by 1939 Mass media featured soap operas, quiz shows, children’s programming such as Superman, Lone Ranger Evenings featured comedy and variety shows or dramatic presentations Golden Age of Radio
Literature such as the Grapes of Wrath – John Steinbeck • Art - American Gothic – Grant Wood • Documentary photography • All these artistic forms sought to portray the Gr Depression as it really was. Literature & the Arts
Urban & rural impact • Dust bowl • Hoboes & their symbols (p. 475) • No federal system of direct relief • Resentment against employed women • Children – Hoover tourists, malnutrition, schools closed • Approx 25,000 trespassers killed ADD – ML Section 2
Social & Psychological impact • Suicides • Mental Asylums • People couldn’t afford medical care • Delayed marriage • Stigma of poverty Add ML
