Topic 2.1 - The spread of the Depression 1929-32 Flashcards
(77 cards)
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<p>What had car sales dropped to in 1933?</p>
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<p>1 million sales.</p>
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<p>In Toledo, between May 1929 and spring 1932, how many much of the workforce did Willis- Overland , a car manufacturing company, keep on?</p>
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<p>3000/ 25000</p>
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<p>How many cars were on the road by 1929?</p>
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<p>27 million cars!</p>
<p><br></br>What was the average wage by 1929?</p>
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<p>How did this change by 1932?</p>
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<p>What would the average wage have been per day?</p>
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<ul> <li><strong>1929</strong>- <strong>$1716</strong></li> <li><strong>1932</strong>- It <strong>drops</strong> by around<strong> 60%</strong> to <strong>$680</strong></li></ul>
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<ul> <li>The <strong>average wage per day</strong> is <strong>$2.50</strong></li></ul>
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<p>In America- how many old age pensioners were actually given relief?</p>
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<p>36,000!</p>
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<p>In the 1920s- how many banks were there?</p>
<p>How many closed out of this number?</p>
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<p>During the period 1929-1933 how many further banks closed?</p>
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<ul> <li><strong>1920s</strong>- <strong>30,000 banks</strong> in total.</li></ul>
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<ul> <li><strong>5,000</strong> out of <strong>30,000 </strong>banks <strong>closed</strong>.</li></ul>
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<ul> <li><strong>1929-1933</strong>, a <strong>further 10,000 banks close</strong>!</li></ul>
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<p>What was the GNP like in 1933 compared to 1929?</p>
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<p>It was <strong>half</strong> of what is was in 1929!</p>
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<p>What happened to <strong>unemployment </strong>of the labour force in <strong>1929</strong> compared to compared to <strong>1933</strong>?</p>
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<p>Unemployment soared from as much as <strong>3.2%</strong> of the labour force in <strong>1929</strong> compared <strong>25.2%</strong> by<strong> 1933!</strong></p>
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<p>What percentage of the labour force was out of work in 1929?</p>
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<p>3.2%</p>
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<p>What percentage of the labour force was out of work by 1933?</p>
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<p>How many people did this mean were out of work?</p>
<p><br></br>What did the Labour Research Association believe about this figure?</p>
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<ul> <li><strong>25.2%</strong></li></ul>
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<ul> <li>Meant that <strong>12,830,000</strong> people were out of work!</li></ul>
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<ul> <li>They believed it was an <strong>underestimate</strong> and the real figure was closer to<strong> 17 million</strong>!</li></ul>
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<p>What was it estimated that the national wage bill was in 1932 compared to the 1929 figure?</p>
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<p>Estimated that the national wage bill in<strong> 1932</strong> was only<strong> 40%</strong> of the <strong>1929 </strong>figure!</p>
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<p>What was spread throughout the country unevenly?</p>
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<ul> <li>Unemployment!</li> <li>Underemployment!</li></ul>
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<p>How many people in New York alone were unemployed?</p>
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<p><strong>1 million</strong> unemployed!</p>
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<p>In Ohio, what percentage of the city of Cleveland were unemployed?</p>
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<p>50%</p>
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<p>In Toledo, what percentage of people were unemployed?</p>
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<p>80%</p>
<p><br></br>What depression proof industries were there and what did they sheild?</p>
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<p>Industries such as <strong>cigarette manufacture</strong>, sheilding Louisville, Kentucky & Richmond and Virginia.</p>
<p><br></br>What did the magazine, "The Nation" report in April 1931?</p>
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<ul> <li>The number of <strong>black Americans out of work</strong> was<strong> 4-6 times higher </strong>than <strong>white Americans</strong>.</li></ul>
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<ul> <li><strong>Poorly paid jobs</strong> traditionally reserved for<strong> black Americans </strong>such as those of a <strong>waiter </strong>and<strong> lift attendant </strong>were now increasingly being <strong>offered </strong>to <strong>white people</strong>.</li></ul>
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<p>What did a study of unemployment in 13 large cities find about unemployment in black Americans compared to white Americans?</p>
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<p><strong>52% </strong>of <strong>black Americans</strong> were <strong>unemployed</strong></p>
<p>COMPARED TO<br></br></p>
<p><strong>31.7%</strong> of <strong>whiteAmericans</strong>!</p>
<p><br></br>What did the Depression do to the migration of black Americans to Northern cities?</p>
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<p>How many left the South during the Depression years?</p>
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<p>Slowed the migration!<br></br></p>
<p>During the Depression years, <strong>300,000 </strong>left the south!</p>
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<p>Who were amongst the poorest of all Americans?</p>
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<p>Native Americans</p>
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<p>What was government policy towards Native Americans based on?</p>
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<p>What did it have as its lynchpin?</p>
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<p>The Dawes Severalty Act of 1887.</p>
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<p>It had the twin notions of <strong>assimilation</strong> and <strong>allotment</strong>.</p>
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<p>Native Americans</p>
<p>What was the policy of allotment?</p>
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<ul> <li>Meant that <strong>old tribal units</strong> were <strong>broken up</strong> and the <strong>reservations</strong> <strong>divided</strong> into <strong>family-sized farms</strong> of <strong>160 acres</strong>!</li></ul>
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<ul> <li><strong>Surplus land</strong> was to be <strong>sold off!</strong></li></ul>
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<p>What had the destruction of Native American culture done?</p>
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<p>Left the people listless and apathetic!</p>
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<p>Allotment had been a failure- particularly for those Native Americans who were not farmers by tradition!</p>
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<p>Native Americans</p>
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<p>What was wrong with much of the land allocated to them?</p>
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<p>It was <strong>unsuitable </strong>for productive farming!</p>
How many of the 138 million acres that were owned by the Native Americans at the time of the Dawes Severalty Act had fallen out of their hands by 1932?
90 million acres!!
In 1926- what did the department of interior inquiry confirm about the Dawes Severalty Act of 1887?
Was anything done about this?
- It had been a disaster for Native Americans and that the policy of allotment in particular should be reversed!
- Nothing had been done to alleviate it! The Great Depression made matters worse in that Native Americans found it more difficult to leave the poverty stricken reservations in search of work!
How were women affected?
- Women- particularly those of working classes did badly!
- Those in unskilled jobs were likely to be laid off before men
- Women in domestic service suffered because families could no longer afford to keep them on!
How were married women affected and what were they often accused of?
- Often needed to work to keep the family solvent - however because they had a job, they were accused of being responsible for male unemployment!
- It was common for them to be dismissed and their work given to the men!
In 1930- what percentage of American school authorities refused to employ married women?
75%
How many states banned married women from being employed?
Over half of the 48 states!
What new ideas were introduced during the Depression that were positive?
What industry avoided the Depression altogether?
- Air conditioning
- Airline travel
- Colour film
- Supermarkets
The aviation industry! (aircraft)
What happened to the production of coal in 1932 and what happened to the workforce?
Production in 1932 was at its lowest since 1904 and the workforce fell by 300,000 !
What type of employment did many of those in work have and what could wages be as low as per day?
Only part-time employed!
Wages- as low as $2.50 per day!
What percentage of textile firms were losing money?
75%
What happened to iron and steel production?
It fell by 59%
What happened to car sales from 1929 to 1933?
1929- 4,455,178 car sales
1933- 1, 103, 557 car sales
What happened to the average number of people employed in the "motor city" of Detroit between 1928&1929?
It fell by 21.5% !
What happened to the number employed by both General Electric and Westinghouse - making electric appliances?
What were the only electrical goods that did not suffer a signifcant decline in demand?
It was more than halved!
Light-bulbs which needed to be replaced!
The construction industry
What happened to the number of newly built residential units between 1929 & 1932?
Fell by 82% !!
What were construction contracts valued at in 1929 and what were 3 years later?
1929- valued at $6.6 billion
1932- $1.3 billion
With fewer in productive work overall- what happened to the growth rate in 1929 - 1932?
What happened to the GNP?
The growth rate went into decline from 6.7 % in 1929 to 14.7% - 1932.
Fall in GNP from $203.6 billion - 1929 to $144.2 billion- 1932.
How many bank closures were there between 1921-1929?
5000
How many bank closures were there between 1929-1933?
10,000
What type of banks closed and why was this?
Small banks that had overextended lending in the time of prosperity and now could not meet their depositors demands for their money!
What would happen when farmers couldn't meet their mortgage repayments?
What would happen to the banks in this process?
- The banks had to evict them and takeover the farms.
- In doing so, the banks lost liquid assets in the form of mortgage repayments and gained bankrupt, often unsaleable farms in exchange.
- As a result- many went bankrupt themselves- often losing their customers savings in the process!
Social effects of the Depression...
Why was the human cost of the Depression so enormous?
The USA was ill-equipped to handle unemployment!
E.g. There was no federal unemployment benefit
Social Effects
What was the work ethic like in America and unemployment among the able-bodied?
Therefore what effects were devestating?
- The work ethic was very strong and unemployment among the able- bodied was generally held to be their own fault!
- Therefore the psychological effects of mass unemployment were devestating!
How did the number of marriages change from 1929- 1932??
1929: 1.23 million marriages
1932: 982,000 marriages
How many marriages were there in 1929?
1.23 million
How many marriages were there in 1932?
982,000 marriages!
What happened to birth rates from 1929 - 1932?
Fall in birth rates from 21.2 per thousand in 1929 to 19.5 per thousand- 1932.
What happened to suicide rates from 1929 to 1932?
Suicide rates increased from 14 per 10,000 (1929) to 17.4 per 10,000 (1932).
Why did the nature of poor relief vary and who was it provided by?
Who did it mostly come from?
Because it was provided variously by states, local authorities or charities.
Most came from charities!
What was insurance like before 1932?
No state had any system of recognised unemployment insurance and only 11 operated any kind of pension scheme, with a total outlay of only $220,000, aiding a mere 1,000 people!
Before 1932- how many states operated a kind of pension scheme?
What was the total outlay?
How many people did it help?
11 states.
Outlay- $220,000
1000 people
The depression was a time when the population was ageing.
In 1925- how many pensioners recieved benefits?
How many pension plans were there?
As a result of this, what did old people have to do?
36,000 pensioners.
500 pension plans.
Meant old people traditionally had to keep working, live on their savings or rely on their children for support.
What was the problem for those who were titled relief?
- Relief bodies were running out of funds!
- Charities naturally suffered a decline in the Depression, at the very time when funds were needed the most!
- States also received less in taxes as unemployment rose. As a result, many had to cut rather than expand their services.
What happened in Arkansas in the winter of the years 1932-1933?
Schools were closed for 10 months in the year, while teachers in Chicago went unpaid.
What percentage of necessary funds could charities supply in 1932?
6%
In the years 1931-1932, what happened to relief appropriations?
Give an example.
When the demand was the greatest- most states cut their relief appropriations.
Michigan, for example, reduced funds from $2 million in 1931 to $832,000 in 1932.
What happened as a result of most states cutting their relief appropriations?
What did Fortune magazine estimate in September 1932? What did this estimate not include?
Many people went hungry or were starving!
- They estimated that as much as 28% of the total population was receiving no income.
- This estimate didn't include the 11 million farm workers- many of who were in acute difficulties!
RURAL POVERTY
- What happened to many farms mortgages and when did this happen?
- What did the auction of a foreclosed farm attract?
- What were ways in which those repossessing property could be thwarted- what was there sometimes and what woulod happen if this was the case?
- Their mortgages were foreclosed.
- Could attract violence.
- Local farmers- agree to bid a few cents and then return the farm to the former owner. Somtimes there was intimidation. In the face of this, two state govenors said that payments on farm mortgages could be postponed until circumstances improved.
Poverty in the midst of plenty
- What was the largest tragedy?
- What were farm prices and what did this mean?
- Give an example of what was happpening in Montana.
- Tragedy- people were hungry in one of the richest food- producing countries in the world.
- Farm prices- so low that food could not be profitably harvested.
- Montana- wheat was rotting in the fields.
Poverty in the midst of plenty
What was happening to meat prices?
Sheep?
Women in Chicago?
- Meat prices- not sufficient to warrant transporting animals to market.
- In Oregon- sheep were slaughtered and left to the buzzards (bird) .
- In Chicago- women scoured rubbish dumps for anything edible.
Poverty in the midst of plenty
Chicago- what was the total relief funds per day for the city?
How much was given to an adult and child recipient per week?
$100,000 per day!
$2.40 per adult.
$1.50 per child.
In 1931, how many 1 parent families were there held by a woman?
How many recieved any financial aid?
3.8 million!
19,280 received any aid.
Gangsterism
What was there a significant increase in during this time and what are the Depression years often known as?
Gangsterism and crime!
Seen as an age of outlaw gangs who robbed banks throughout the South and Midwest.
Gangsterism
What were banks particularly blamed for?
What were outlaws often seen as?
- Banks- blamed for foreclosing on farm mortgages or refusing to lend money to see farmers through hard times.
- Oulaws- seen as Robin Hood figures- but little evidence to suggest that any shared their ill-gotten gains with the poor and dispossessed.
The Clyde Barrow Gang
Where did the gang prefer to steal from?
Who did the gang therefore prey on?
- General stores & gas stations, whose proprietors (owner of business/property) =often little better off than the farmers facing dispossession in the communities they served.
- Gang therefore preyed on the very people who may have misguidedly applauded them.
Gangsterism
What did outlaws such as Clyde Barrow and John Dillinger tend to begin their careers as?
Begin their careers as small-time crooks and graduate to more ambitious projects.
Gangsterism
Who was Dillinger?
What was he sentenced to?
What did he and an accomplice do?
What did he do whilst in prison?
- Dillinger- a navy deserter.
- Sentenced to between 10-20 years imprisonment for his first offence, after he pleaded guilty.
- They robbed a grocery store, escaping with $50.
- Used his prison years to learn from other inmates and plan the perfect robberies.
Gangsterism- Dillinger
- After his release from prison in May 1933, how many bank robberies was he responsible for?
- What epithet did he go by?
- At least 24 bank robberies!
- 'Public enemy number 1'
Gangsterism
- Why was 'Pretty Boy Floyd' first incarcerated?
- What about Barrow?
- Why did they choose these places?
- Incarcerated for the theft of $3.50 from a post office.
- Barrow- for a similar attack on a gas station.
- If they wanted to steal large amounts, they had to raid banks. However small stores and gas stations were easier.
Gangsterism
- What did admirers think about the lives of outlaws?
- Was this the case in reality?
- They led glamorous lives!
- Not the case- they led their lives on the run!
- The authorities (notably the FBI) were constantly on their heels.
- There was the perennial threat that someone they knew would be tempted to cash in on a reward.
Gangsterism
At one point, how much did Dillinger have on his head?
$10,000 (an unimaginable sum for people caught in the Depression!)
Gangsterism
Did the outlaws always enjoy the proceeds of their crimes? Give an example.
No!
- One store robbery in which a clerk was killed gave the Clyde Barrow gang $28.
- The outlaws spent this on protection and bribes!
Gangsterism
How did many of the Gangsters end their careers and give examples.
Squalid deaths!
- Pretty Boyd Floyd- shot to death in an apple orchard.
- Bonnie and Clyde- died in a Louisiana ambush in May 1934.
- Dillinger- caught in an FBi trap outside Chicago cinema, July 1934.
(Others faced long stretches in prison. Relatively few escaped justice!)
