Pat Dollard

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I, myself am not old enough to remember the Great Depression, but both my parents were children born during the time. I also had many conversations with my grandparents in regards to the Great Depression. 34 million men, women, and children were entirely without income. That was 28 percent of the American people then. A quarter of a million children were homeless . . . . at least one in five were hungry and without adequate clothing . . . In some regions, especially coal-mining regions, as many as 90 percent of the children were malnourished.

Both of my parents were born in Chicago. My father in 1926 and my mother in 1930. My father had a brother and two sisters. My mother had four brothers and sisters.

Most of what they learned as children, growing up in the depression, was carried through to their adult lives and pressed into not only mine, but every one of my brother and sisters memories.

All of the photos used in this post are NOT of my family. There is only one picture of my father when he was a child. His parents, my grandparents could not afford photographs. Money was very hard to come by and was always spent on necessities. When pictures were taken, they were done by a family that could afford to have them and often given as gifts.

Jobs were almost unheard of and you were lucky to have one. My mothers parents were a little better off then my fathers. My grandfather worked for the dairy and was a milk man. Then managed to open up his own neighborhood grocery store.

My fathers mother used to wash floors for the afluent familys in Chicago at night and during the day, would do laundry, in her home while watching her own children.

My grandfather,(Fathers side) I don’t have much information on. He was a Russian immargant who joined the Navy in 1916 to become a citizen. He was a WWI veteran. He died in 1948 and my father never talked about him, much.

Food was sparce and the way my mother cooked until her death was still most of the same food she had as a child. Depression food was always heavy sauces and a lot of bread and noodles. Anything to fill you up because meat was just to expensive. Soup was a manistay, because when you cooked it, it lasted for a few days. All leftovers were turned into soup of some sort.

Both parents had pets growing up. But were talking true dogs. They never had “Dog Food” like we do today. Dogs were dogs and ate nothing but table scraps and the old bones from soup. My grandfathers horse, used to pull the milk truck, ate better then anyone. He was their bread winner.

Clothing was always made by hand. Clothing was always saved and handed down, including shoes. It was always mended rather then tossed out.

Older family members were not put in old folks homes. They were taken in and taken care of by the family. All children were born at home and not in a hospital. Times were different.

Compare Prices During the Great Depression to Prices Today

The Great Depression was a worldwide economic downturn starting in most places in 1929 and ending at different times in the 1930s or early 1940s for different countries. It was the largest and most important economic depression in modern history, and is used in the 21st century as a benchmark in how far the world’s economy can fall. The Great Depression originated in the United States; historians most often use as a starting date the stock market crash on October 29, 1929, known as Black Tuesday. The end of the depression in the U.S. is associated with the onset of the war economy of World War II, beginning around 1939.

The depression had devastating effects in the developed and developing worlds. International trade was deeply affected, as were personal incomes, tax revenues, prices, and profits. Cities all around the world were hit hard, especially those dependent on heavy industry. Construction was virtually halted in many countries. Farming and rural areas suffered as crop prices fell by 40 to 60 percent. Facing plummeting demand with few alternate sources of jobs, areas dependent on primary sector industries such as farming, mining and logging suffered the most. However, even shortly after the Wall Street Crash of 1929, optimism persisted; John D. Rockefeller said that “These are days when many are discouraged. In the 93 years of my life, depressions have come and gone. Prosperity has always returned and will again.”

The Great Depression ended at different times in different countries; for subsequent history see Home front during World War II. The majority of countries set up relief programs, and most underwent some sort of political upheaval, pushing them to the left or right. In some states, the desperate citizens turned toward nationalist demagogues – the most infamous being Adolf Hitler – setting the stage for World War II in 1939.

What caused it?

1. Stock Market Crash of 1929
Many believe erroneously that the stock market crash that occurred on Black Tuesday, October 29, 1929 is one and the same with the Great Depression. In fact, it was one of the major causes that led to the Great Depression. Two months after the original crash in October, stockholders had lost more than $40 billion dollars. Even though the stock market began to regain some of its losses, by the end of 1930, it just was not enough and America truly entered what is called the Great Depression.

2. Bank Failures
Throughout the 1930s over 9,000 banks failed. Bank deposits were uninsured and thus as banks failed people simply lost their savings. Surviving banks, unsure of the economic situation and concerned for their own survival, stopped being as willing to create new loans. This exasperated the situation leading to less and less expenditures.

3. Reduction in Purchasing Across the Board
With the stock market crash and the fears of further economic woes, individuals from all classes stopped purchasing items. This then led to a reduction in the number of items produced and thus a reduction in the workforce. As people lost their jobs, they were unable to keep up with paying for items they had bought through installment plans and their items were repossessed. More and more inventory began to accumulate. The unemployment rate rose above 25% which meant, of course, even less spending to help alleviate the economic situation.

4. American Economic Policy with Europe
As businesses began failing, the government created the Hawley-Smoot Tariff in 1930 to help protect American companies. This charged a high tax for imports thereby leading to less trade between America and foreign countries along with some economic retaliation.

5. Drought Conditions
While not a direct cause of the Great Depression, the drought that occurred in the Mississippi Valley in 1930 was of such proportions that many could not even pay their taxes or other debts and had to sell their farms for no profit to themselves. This was the topic of John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath.