Daily life for a lower class family – Kamil P.

When one looks into the past and notices the many signs that heralded the start of the Great Depression the signs were first manifested most obviously in the lives and actions of the lower class families, as they did not have a fortune to spend before hardship struck. They were already struggling and when the Great Depression hit, they were the first to suffer and the hardest hit.

Daily life during the Great Depression was vastly different than any other time period in America. The Great Depression’s unemployment rate rose to 13 million people when the country had only 125 million people. The 13 million were primarily comprised of men who were often the head of their households and the only one working to support the family. By not being able to financially support their families, several young family members were forced to do what they could. Teenage boys would take up jobs in factories, some even had paper routes. Most girls took up sewing and knitting, whether it was for money or for their own families. This generation was often uneducated and did not complete schooling past elementary, if even able to go to school at all. Many people committed suicide during this time period, giving the US its highest suicide rate in its young history. Entertainment was scarce with not much to do without any money. They would tell stories, sing, and sometimes be see movies or listen to radio shows. Luxuries during this time period consisted of listening to the radio for the show, “Little Orphan Annie.” The movie, “Gone with the Wind” was an instant classic. It sold more tickets than any movie even today. It broke the all-time box office records if adjusted for inflation. Families survived on bread and soups for months, and years, during this time period. Butter was considered a luxury as well as sugar. Homes were foreclosed; families were forced to move into small apartments not meant for more than one person, often accommodating five or six people. If they could, they would move in with other relatives who were able to save their homes from the Great Depression. Many people invested all they had in the stock market, hoping to get rich quick, or perhaps even make enough to save their money. This was the lowest the market ever was. Daily life during the Great Depression was very difficult and at most times it was unbearable. Through Presidents Hoover and Roosevelt, our country was able to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.