Social change as a result of the Great Depression

Question 1

What was unemployment like after the Wall Street Crash?

Answer 1

After 1929, 25% of workforce unemployed (15 mil)

Question 2

Give an example of an industry in a city that was affected by the Great Depression

Answer 2

Car manufacturers e.g in Detroit

Coal industry badly affected

Question 3

Why was the % of unemployment so high?

Answer 3

Overproduction (people couldn’t afford to buy much) - less workers were needed (only essentials e.g food) as there was a low demand for goods

Question 4

How were banks affected by the Great Depression? (compare before and after 1929)

Answer 4

1920s - out of 30 000 banks, only 5000 closed

1929-1933 - 10,000 banks closed

Question 5

How did the Great Depression affect the GDP?

Answer 5

1920: $73 billion
1929: $104 billion
1933: $54 billion

Question 6

How did the Great Depression affect car sales?

Answer 6

1929: 4 million

By 1933: 1.5 million (not bought on credit as it wasn’t trusted)

Question 7

How many cars were on the road by 1929?

Answer 7

27 million

Question 8

How did the Great Depression affect Willis-Overland (car manufacturing company)?

Answer 8

3000 out of 25 000 employees were left (had to get rid of workers because they couldn’t afford to pay them - products in low demand)

Question 9

How had the average wage (per year) changed during the Great Depression?

Answer 9

1929: $1760
1932: $680 ($2.50 per day)

Question 10

How did the Great Depression affect suicide rates? Who were more likely to commit suicide during these times - men or women?

Answer 10

1920s: 4% per 10 000 people
1932: 17% per 10 000
Many were men - couldn’t get jobs to provide for their families + felt useless

Question 11

How did the Great Depression affect marriage rates?

Answer 11

1 million to 900 000 (couldn’t afford)

Question 12

How were black Americans affected by the Great Depression?

Answer 12

• Many lost their jobs
• White Americans would be given jobs instead (inequality)
• Black Americans 1/4 more likely to be unemployed than white Americans

Question 13

How were the elderly and their pensions affected by the Great Depression?

Answer 13

Only 36 000 of the elderly got relief from the state (pension)

Question 14

What was the effect of the Great Depression on women?

Answer 14

• By 1931, 3.8 mil single parents (mainly women)
• No unemployment benefits
• Illegal in some places for married women to have a job (men were thought to take this role - women thought to stay home)

Question 15

What was a ‘Hooverville’?

Answer 15

A shanty town that was a group of houses made of any resources they could find e.g plastic, cardboard, iron etc.

Question 16

In which type of cities were hoovervilles found?

Answer 16

E.g New York and Washington

Question 17

Were there more men or women that lived in shanty towns?

Answer 17

More men.

7 out of 600 in a shanty town were women