What Life Was Like In The Great Depression

September 24, 2024 | Andie Mack

What Life Was Like In The Great Depression


The Great Depression: How Did It Happen?

On October 29, 1929, known as Black Tuesday, stock prices crashed, triggering a financial panic. The resulting Great Depression thrust millions into an economic struggle marked by severe unemployment, dramatic drops in incomes, and widespread shortages of necessities.

Greatdepression-Msnsimp

The Ripple Effect

The stock market crash triggered a wave of bank failures as folks hurried to withdraw their funds in fear of insolvency. With savings and jobs disappearing, consumer spending plummeted. This drop in demand hit businesses hard, resulting in layoffs and a downward economic spiral.

Unemployed men marchingTopical Press Agency, Getty Images

Loss Of Financial Security

Rising debts, economic uncertainty, and job losses made it difficult for people to meet their financial obligations, deepening their economic hardship and resulting in bankruptcy or foreclosure.

Grocery store in the Great DepressionLibrary of Congress, Picryl

Economic Hardship And Struggling To Make Ends Meet

In the Depression, wages and salaries sank to new lows. Businesses failed, meaning they had to lay off workers. Having to reduce their expenses meant most people faced severe challenges covering basic living expenses. 

Bread line forms during Great DepressionWashington Area Spark, Flickr

Job Insecurity In The 1930s

The Great Depression saw unemployment rise to astronomical levels. Millions of people were left without work, contributing to widespread economic suffering. Unemployment rates soared to alarming levels, peaking at around 25% in the United States.

Man Looking For A JobBettmann, Getty Images

Unemployment And Efforts To Find Work

People searched tirelessly for available employment, frequently accepting lower-paying or temporary jobs. A strained job market left many individuals struggling to secure even the most basic employment opportunities. As job opportunities dwindled, maintaining stable housing became a growing concern for many during the Great Depression.

Relief workers during the Great DepressionSunday Truth, Wikimedia Commons

Housing And Living Conditions

Housing and living conditions deteriorated significantly during the Great Depression. Many people faced eviction and displacement, leading to overcrowded and inadequate living spaces in makeshift communities or shantytowns.

Millworker's childrenLibrary of Congress, Rawpixel

Foreclosures, Evictions, And Shantytowns

Many families who had lost their homes due to insolvency could not find alternative housing because of sky-high rent costs. With no other housing available, they relocated to makeshift shelters in Hoovervilles.

Housing in Alabama during the Great DepressionHmalcolm03, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Housing And Living Conditions: What Is A Hooverville?

Hoovervilles were named derisively after President Herbert Hoover, whom many blamed for the economic crisis. These makeshift shantytowns were built by homeless people, using material scraps to construct these communities. As housing conditions worsened, the struggle for necessities like food became even more pressing.

Hooverville On The Seattle TideflatsSeattle Municipal Archives, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Food Shortages And Government Assistance

People struggled to afford adequate food, and there was widespread suffering from malnutrition and health problems. Soup kitchens and food lines provided crucial support, though often inadequate. The Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA) and, later, the Works Progress Administration (WPA) distributed food aid as part of their mandate.

Soup Kitchen during the DepressionNational Archives and Records Administration, Wikimedia Commons

Healthcare And Medical Services Were Limited

Sweeping poverty and unemployment made it difficult to afford medical services, insurance, or essential treatments. Economic strain reduced public and private healthcare resources, further limiting access to care for those in need.

Men laying in a hospitalLibrary of Congress, Picryl

Relying On Charities For HealthCare

Charities provided limited healthcare. Community clinics, free medical camps, and volunteer doctors aimed to offer primary medical care, emergency treatment, and preventive health measures. As the impact of the Great Depression deepened, the strain on public resources also began to affect other critical areas, including education.

People in front of a Doctor's officeLibrary of Congress, Picryl

Schooling At The Beginning Of The Depression

School districts quickly found themselves grappling with debt. As the economic situation deteriorated, schools shut down, teachers faced salary reductions, and schools reduced the range of subjects offered. Any previous plans for expansion and reform were put on hold.

Classroom during the Great DepressionLibrary of Congress, Picryl

Education And Schooling At Decade’s End

Despite the Depression halting many of the educational advancements of the 1920s, it also spurred change and reform. Schools gained more control over their spending with reduced budgets, leading to curriculum reforms, standardized textbooks and testing, and the merging and collaboration of school districts to cut costs. By the decade's end, the education system had become more modern, professional, and equitable.

A classroom during the Great DepressionLibrary of Congress, Picryl

A Drastically Different Childhood

During the Great Depression, children stopped attending school and worked to help their families. Those children working to support their families often faced hazardous conditions—everyone who could work sought work. Children bore the brunt of poverty, with many parents sending them to beg for food at restaurants and stores to avoid the stigma of begging themselves.

Group of children during the Great DepressionLibrary of Congress, Picryl

Life At Home During The Great Depression

As childhood experiences shifted dramatically during the Great Depression, the roles and expectations for women in the home also underwent significant changes. Many households had to adjust to diminished resources, resulting in shifts in family roles and daily routines as they struggled to cope with the financial challenges.

Life at home during the Great DepressionLibrary of Congress, Picryl

The Self-Sufficient Household

"Use it up, wear it out, make do, or do without" was a mantra during the Great Depression. It encouraged extreme frugality by emphasizing repairing and reusing items rather than replacing them or purchasing new ones. Many families cultivated small gardens to achieve greater self-sufficiency.

Family of six in tent after supperLibrary of Congress, Picryl

Families And Communities Adapting Together

Potlucks, frequently organized by churches, became a well-liked and economical way to share meals and socialize. Some towns and cities converted vacant land into community gardens, allowing residents to cultivate food.

A group of men working on a piece of woodLibrary of Congress, Picryl

Domestic and Social Responsibilities Before 1929

The evolving demands of daily life during the Great Depression significantly reshaped the roles and responsibilities within the home and community. Before 1929, women typically focused on managing the household, caring for children, and supporting their husbands. They were primarily responsible for domestic duties such as cooking, cleaning, and maintaining the home.

Women Talking OutdoorsLibrary of Congress, Picryl

Women In The Workforce Before The Depression

Society's attitudes toward family roles led to married women experiencing the Depression more acutely than others. Although single women had progressively entered the workforce since the early 20th century, many believed married women worked out of choice rather than necessity—but that choice went out the window in 1929.

Women Walking Down A SidewalkLibrary of Congress, Picryl

Depression-Era Employment For Women

Women worked during the Depression out of necessity to support their families and make ends meet. Employers were less inclined to hire married women and more prone to terminating those already on the payroll. Some criticized married women for taking jobs while many men were unemployed.

Home and family of oil field roustaboutLibrary of Congress, Rawpixel

The Typical Job For A 1930s Woman

Women commonly filled roles that society believed were unsuitable for men. They found employment as teachers, nurses, secretaries, and telephone operators but often received lower wages than their male colleagues.

Waitress During The Great DepressionKeystone View, Wikimedia Commons

Women's Roles And Domestic Responsibilities

Despite their outside work, women continued to manage the household, often under stressful conditions. As women's roles evolved in response to the economic pressures of the Great Depression, people sought new ways to find solace and entertainment amidst the changing circumstances.

Women during Great DepressionLibrary of Congress, Picryl

Depression Era Entertainment: From Glamour To Grit

During the Great Depression, entertainment provided a vital escape from the pervasive hardships of life, offering people much-needed relief and a sense of normalcy. Before the Depression, movie theatres were a popular pastime. But after the stock market crash, the cost became prohibitive for many, leading to the closure of over one-third of cinemas in America between 1929 and 1934.

Movie Theater during the Great DepressionLibrary of Congress, Picryl

The Transformation Of Entertainment

Families increasingly turned to board and card games for affordable entertainment, as movie-going was now a rare luxury. These pastimes became popular social activities, providing diversion and a sense of togetherness during challenging times.

Entertainment During the Great Depression EraLibrary of Congress, Picryl

The Radio Revolution

Radio entertainment emerged as a crucial and affordable source of entertainment, offering various programs, from serial dramas to comedy shows. Radios became central to home life, providing families a much-needed escape and connection to the outside world.

Listening to Radio during Great DepressionLibrary of Congress, Picryl

The Struggles Of Poverty

While entertainment provided a much-needed respite during the Great Depression, the stark reality for many was the struggle to meet basic needs. People were categorized as the "deserving or undeserving" poor and faced significant hardships.

Young boy during the Great DepressionLibrary of Congress, Picryl

Distinguishing Those In Need

The "deserving poor" were those judged to be in need due to uncontrollable circumstances, such as job loss or disabilities, and were viewed as morally upright and hardworking. In contrast, the "undeserving poor" were seen as responsible for their situation due to behaviors like financial mismanagement or lack of effort.

Single women protestingBettmann, Getty Images

The Challenges Of Giving And Receiving Assistance

Faced with a lack of federal aid, Americans sought help from private charities, religious organizations, and state-level assistance. However, organizations were not equipped to handle the scale of the crisis.

Queue outside of a Depression Soup KitchenNational Archives, Picryl

Government Relief Programs: New Deal Programs

The government created programs to help the country survive these issues. The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) provided employment opportunities and general relief assistance. Another program, the Works Progress Administration (WPA), had the same mandate.

Unemployment benefits aid during the Great DepressionLibrary of Congress, Picryl

The Psychological Distress

This dark era took a severe toll on people's mental health. At the time, men were the primary breadwinners—responsible for keeping their families afloat. Faced with the hard truth that they couldn't meet these expectations, some made horrifying decisions.

Farmer in despairNational Archives, Wikimedia Commons

The Disturbing Consequences

Some people felt so hopeless that they chose to take their own lives. By 1933, the number of people making this disturbing decision had hit a record high. But this wasn't the only tragedy afflicting families.

A man during Great DepressionLibrary of Congress, Picryl

Faltering Marriages

These hard times also profoundly affected people's marriages. Though relationships faltered, many stayed together because they couldn't afford to part ways. However, though the divorce rate plummeted, something even more nefarious was rising.

Bride and Groom during Great DepressionLibrary of Congress, Picryl

The Poor Man's Divorce

Something called the "poor man's divorce" became a frequent occurrence. This simply meant that men abandoned their families. Their reasons could range anywhere from shame to humiliation to hopelessness. However, it wasn't just the fathers who went off the rails.

A farmer and his family in front of homeLibrary of Congress, Picryl

Teenagers In The Depression

During the Depression, around 2 million people traveled the open road to scrounge up some much-needed dough. Most of them were teenagers. Some thirsted for adventure, while others hoped to escape their impoverished families. However, they had a shocking way of getting around the country.

CCC Workers in Tent After a Day's WorkHistorical, Getty Images

Riding The Rails

“Riding the rails" refers to hopping freight trains to travel, often undertaken by unemployed and homeless individuals seeking work or a new start. With scarce job opportunities, many people, especially young men, rode freight trains to travel across the country for work.

On the Freights - the last year of the Great DepressionU.S. National Archives and Records Administration, Picryl

Riding The Rails: The Dangers

Teenagers also became frequent rail riders, seeking work and an escape from harsh home lives. But while some did this out of necessity, others romanticized riding the rails, thinking of it as a fun pastime. Yet as thrilling as it was, train-hopping was more dangerous than it was fun—falling off the train, getting crushed by rail cars, or even getting assaulted by other derelict passengers were common hazards.

Man Riding A Train To WorkLibrary of Congress, Picryl

The Great Depression's Influence On Finances

The experiences of the Depression shaped the attitudes and behaviors of those who lived through it. Economic hardship led to changes in social norms and expectations, emphasizing frugality and resilience.

Women Shopping In A MarketLibrary of Congress, Picryl

Shifts In Social Norms And Expectations

Social norms shifted as economic hardship led to increased participation of women in the workforce. People challenged pre-existing gender expectations, altering the dynamics of family and work life.

Women during the Great DepressionLibrary of Congress, Picryl

The Historical Lesson

Society learned the importance of financial regulation, social safety nets, and government intervention in economic crises due to the Great Depression. The era highlighted the need for policies to prevent economic instability, support vulnerable populations, and ensure a more resilient financial system. 

The Breadline MonumentNCinDC, Flickr


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