The+Great+Depression

The Great Depression By Emma ** The Great Depression made a large impact on today. It started in the late 1920’s in New York City and ended in the early 1940’s during World War II. They called the day it started “Black Tuesday.” It started because people were “all spend and no save” in the 1920’s and they spent money that they didn’t have on stocks. But then when the stock market crashed, no one had any money and that is what started The Great Depression.
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People were impacted a lot, many families were split because men and brothers went west in search of work. Everyone in the family had to help out around the house and with jobs. Families who couldn’t afford a house or an apartment sometimes went to live with relatives.
 * Families **

Also, many people had to stand in soup lines and bread lines to get free food. Often the food was in poor condition, it was either hard or old. The people would dip the hard bread into the soup to soften it up. Sometimes people had to even beg for food or share with strangers just to eat. But mostly people had empty stomachs. Sometimes people were drawn to lawlessness and mobbed grocery stores for food. Although it was dangerous and illegal to do so, it fed them and their families.
 * Food **

Most children had to drop out of school because their families could not afford to keep them in school. Not only could the children not afford to go to school but the state usually could not afford to keep the school open. Children that didn’t go to school usually went to look for jobs but all they would get was, “We’re firing not hiring, kid.” About 12 million Americans lost their jobs but the number continued to rise over the years.
 * Schools and jobs **

Also, since no one had any money kids had to wear ratty clothes or hand-me-downs. Most clothes they wore had lots of patches and rips. The clothes were re-used over and over again to save money. They used old newspaper or cardboard to line their shoes. Most clothes were always dirty.
 * Clothes **

Since no one had any money, people had to give up their stores or homes. Some people had to move into shanties (homes made of cardboard or wood). Places that were made up of shanties were called “Hoovervilles.” Some were lucky and only needed to move into smaller more affordable apartments. When people moved they usually had to give up their furniture because they could not bring it along, fit it in their home, or needed to make money so they sold it. They barely had any toys and if they did they were very small. Also, most people had to give up their car because they could not afford to drive it around because gas cost too much.
 * Housing **

Since there were no cars in the streets, children could play in the road without getting hit. But although kids could play in the streets and have fun, they could no longer watch movies at the theater because the movies were no longer affordable.
 * Passing the time **

But although The Great Depression was a hard and scary time, it did not last forever. In 1932, Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) was elected president of the United States of America. FDR started to make right choices. He created jobs like planting trees or making supplies for soldiers who were serving in World War II.
 * The ending of it all **

How did the Great Depression affect America today?
 * My essential question is: **

The Great Depression affected America today because it showed people that saving is better then spending. And that spending to much borrowed money can be a step in the wrong direction and can become a disaster.

Works Cited Freedman, Russell. __Children of the Great Depression__. New York: Clarion Books, 2005. Gedney, Mona K. __Story of the Great Depression__. Hockessin, DE: Mitchell Lane, 2005. __New book of knowledge.__ Danbury, Conn: Scholastic Library Pub., 2004. Schultz, Stanley. __Great Depression a primary source history__. Milwaukee: Gareth Stevens, 2006.