What Caused The Great Depression

The Great Depression was a time of turmoil, drama, hardships, and trials for most Americans, a time when jobs and homes they thought they could count on suddenly were gone. Getting food, clothing, and a bed became an everyday struggle for many. What caused the Great Depression of the United States and what effects did it have on the lives of the people? The Great Depression is one of the most misunderstood events in American History. The Great Depression, an awful, tragic event, was a time when so many people were out of work, and those who had jobs made so little money, that people who had never been poor before faced hunger, cold, and fear. The Great Depression was also a period when people sought work-and were put to work-in new and
The Great Depression had a substantial and varied impact on the lives of Americans. The depression brought about many experiences. For many it was dreadful, but for others farms fared because they had food and shelter. Hard times were not universal for those living on farms, but certainly wide spread. The years between 1929 and 1933 were trying years for the American people. American farmers were already in an economic depression during the 1920s. Tenant farmers, sharecroppers, and migrant farmers were most severely affected by the depression. There was nothing to farm and no money for wages. They were not able to pay rent or mortgages, produce crops, or find work. Some farmers had their farms repossessed by the bank. Many farmers went into debt to buy machinery and land. Farmers were hit hard by the depression. There was a three-year drought that created the Dust Bowl, plus the grasshoppers came in 1933. Floods and windstorms took many lives and made the depression more devastating. Dust storms also caused devastation. Families began to migrate westward. Poor farmers evicted from their land or fleeing the Dust Bowl were often despised and abused when they arrived in California and other western states. They were commonly labeled "Okies" whether they came from
The depression made people turn their backs on their families. Jobless fathers were ashamed in front of their friends, wife, and family. Family quarrels were more frequent, bitter, and disastrous. Families fell apart and many children left home. As hope faded, birthrates dropped and suicides rose. The divorce rate also dropped. During the Great Depression boys dropped out of school to find work. Girls dropped out to take care of younger children at home while their mothers worked, or they dropped out to get house cleaning jobs. Among the poorest of families children often dropped out of school because they had no clothes to