Life during the Great Depression
The Great Depression was one of the greatest tragedies in American history. This event brought devastation to not only the economy, but all of the American people. Life during the Great Depression brought an abundance of grief and devastation to many families and farmers. Their living conditions were rough and devastating, the weather only caused these people to suffer more, and the choices they made would forever impact their lives. Living conditions were very hard and stressful because families had to fight to survive. Fourteen million Americans lost their jobs, which led to the people losing their savings. Many people lost their jobs because the businesses closed due to no money to …show more content…
Dust storms began, and the rain stopped. This only worsened the living conditions. The drought lasted for eight years, and the “Dust Bowl” destroyed many homes. The Dust Bowl caused many people to come sick and disease ridden, and many people died because of the storms. During the summer of 1931, a severe drought hit the Midwest and Southern Plains. This showed to be a massive problem for farmers because all of their crops died. No matter how much they tended to the land, nothing would grow. The drought also caused dust storms, which destroyed many homes. “If you would like to have your heart broken, just come out here…This is the dust storm country. It is the saddest land I have ever seen.” (Pyle, 1936). Fourteen dust storms were reported by the weather bureau in 1932, and then a new update in 1933 showed that thirty-eight storms had hit the Midwest and Southern Plains. To keep the dust out of their homes, people would stuff window frames and doorways with wet rags, but nothing kept the dust out. It managed to get through tiny cracks or any open spaces, and people would wake up covered in dust. Families could barely manage to eat dinner without dust getting in their food. One storm brought a dust cloud that covered 1,500 miles of land. It hit the Western Rocky Mountains east to the Great Lakes, and north from Canada, all the way to Oklahoma. The biggest storm of all hit on April 14th, …show more content…
The first choice they made was with President Hoover. The American people believed he had caused the Great Depression. When he ran for re-election in 1932, many people voted him out of office in which they succeeded. Franklin D. Roosevelt became the new president, and the people hoped he would put them out of their suffering from the Great Depression. Many families also decided to move to California. These people were called “Okies”, and many Californians did not accept them. One fourth of the people from the Midwest left, and then by 1940, two and one half million people migrated to California. The people were hoping for a new chance at life in the state, but since the state did not accept them, the Okies began to worry. Luckily, in 1936, the Farm Security Administration (FSA) built several farm-labor camps for the Okies to make their living conditions better. One of the most significant camps was called “Weedpatch Camp”. People had to pay one dollar each week to live there, and breakfast was a penny a day. The camp also had hot showers and toilets. A man named Leo Hart was a man who visited the children at the camps. He learned that many Californians called them “Dumb Okies’, and he decided he wanted to make a difference for them since their lives were already hard. Leo and his wife helped children build their own school in 1940. This school brought many opportunities
The Great Depression was one of the greatest tragedies in American history. This event brought devastation to not only the economy, but all of the American people. Life during the Great Depression brought an abundance of grief and devastation to many families and farmers. Their living conditions were rough and devastating, the weather only caused these people to suffer more, and the choices they made would forever impact their lives. Living conditions were very hard and stressful because families had to fight to survive. Fourteen million Americans lost their jobs, which led to the people losing their savings. Many people lost their jobs because the businesses closed due to no money to …show more content…
Dust storms began, and the rain stopped. This only worsened the living conditions. The drought lasted for eight years, and the “Dust Bowl” destroyed many homes. The Dust Bowl caused many people to come sick and disease ridden, and many people died because of the storms. During the summer of 1931, a severe drought hit the Midwest and Southern Plains. This showed to be a massive problem for farmers because all of their crops died. No matter how much they tended to the land, nothing would grow. The drought also caused dust storms, which destroyed many homes. “If you would like to have your heart broken, just come out here…This is the dust storm country. It is the saddest land I have ever seen.” (Pyle, 1936). Fourteen dust storms were reported by the weather bureau in 1932, and then a new update in 1933 showed that thirty-eight storms had hit the Midwest and Southern Plains. To keep the dust out of their homes, people would stuff window frames and doorways with wet rags, but nothing kept the dust out. It managed to get through tiny cracks or any open spaces, and people would wake up covered in dust. Families could barely manage to eat dinner without dust getting in their food. One storm brought a dust cloud that covered 1,500 miles of land. It hit the Western Rocky Mountains east to the Great Lakes, and north from Canada, all the way to Oklahoma. The biggest storm of all hit on April 14th, …show more content…
The first choice they made was with President Hoover. The American people believed he had caused the Great Depression. When he ran for re-election in 1932, many people voted him out of office in which they succeeded. Franklin D. Roosevelt became the new president, and the people hoped he would put them out of their suffering from the Great Depression. Many families also decided to move to California. These people were called “Okies”, and many Californians did not accept them. One fourth of the people from the Midwest left, and then by 1940, two and one half million people migrated to California. The people were hoping for a new chance at life in the state, but since the state did not accept them, the Okies began to worry. Luckily, in 1936, the Farm Security Administration (FSA) built several farm-labor camps for the Okies to make their living conditions better. One of the most significant camps was called “Weedpatch Camp”. People had to pay one dollar each week to live there, and breakfast was a penny a day. The camp also had hot showers and toilets. A man named Leo Hart was a man who visited the children at the camps. He learned that many Californians called them “Dumb Okies’, and he decided he wanted to make a difference for them since their lives were already hard. Leo and his wife helped children build their own school in 1940. This school brought many opportunities