Great Depression, defined as the greatest period of low economic activity and high unemployment in American history.

The Great Depression took place from 1930 to 1939. During this time the prices of stock fell forty percent. Nine thousand banks went out of business and nine million savings accounts were wiped out. Eighty-six thousand businesses failed, and wages were decreased by an average of sixty percent. The unemployment rate went from nine percent all the way to twenty-five percent, which is about 15 million jobless people. As a result, about 250,000 people were homeless in the early years of the Depression. Most of all the Great Depression caused widespread hunger, poverty, and unemployment.

In the following paper I will discuss some key aspects of the social problems during the Great Depression. Specifically I will deal with the social problems in cities and on farms. My thesis will be that people had many social problems during the Great Depression.

"During the Great Depression, everybody was affected in some way. Perhaps the most obviously affected were the blue-collar workers who were either unemployed or in a position where they could be laid off. This included

Anders, Curt. Hearts in Conflict. New York: Carol Publishing Group, 1994.

Brinkley, Douglas. History of the United States. New York: The Penguin Group,

Most of the people who lived in the city had cut back on luxuries, and make old things last longer. The first thing people stopped using was the telephone. People stopped buying furniture, household appliances, jewelry, candy, and other non-essentials. In contrast, gasoline, radios, electric refrigerators, and cigarette sales kept going strong. The Depression made people turn their backs on their families. Many lost their homes. Divorce rates went down. Child labor increased as children were sent out to try and help their families. Younger children were often taken out of school to work, and some older children were sent out to find their own way. "Some Americans had it worse than others. People who lost their jobs could not afford proper medical care or food. One out of every five kids was malnourished. In 1933, starvation claimed 29 people in New York"(Wecter 15).

Angle, Paul. The Civil War Years. New York: Doubleday & Company, Inc.,

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Approximate Word count = 855
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)