Heidi Hyde

Jennifer Macias
April.10, 2014
Writing Assignment #3

An Event That Shaped America
Do you know about the Great Depression? The Great Depression marked history
affecting many worldwide for a decade-long, during the 1930s. On October 1929, a catastrophic
collapse on the stock prices in the New York Stock Exchange can be argued to be the beginning
of the Great Depression in America. The Great Depression led to be a one of the most significant
event that took place during this time, because of the falling of the economy, the destruction of
millions of Americans and the rise of the Roosevelts.
The falling of the economy came fast and very shocking to many. Never has the
American people experience an event that put millions of people unemployed and with decrease
of wages that would not cover all their needs to live and survive. Between 1929 and 1932, the
nation income fell 40 percent, wages fell over 60 percent, and real weekly earnings- despite
deflation and falling consumer prices dropped from twenty five dollars to barely twenty dollars.
Facing slipping demand, companies cut wages or laid off workers.
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This left American
struggling to pay rent, provide food and clothing for their families. The idea of the amount of
people out of jobs and even businesses that ended up closing, finding a job that was hiring was a
slim chance. Closing of business and loss of farms, people had to find work in other states, some

1
Thomas G. Patterson, chapter 7, Major Problems in American history, ed. Colin Gordon, university of
Iowa,(Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston New York ),182


migrated to Californian in hopes of finding work. Some traveled alone and some traveled with
their families completely leaving behind their homes.
In the depths of trying to survive and recover, Americans were dealt with destruction in
every direction. The loss of jobs, or wages, people were starving and losing all hope. The life of
poverty was among the majority. Think about it, one minute you are living a life where food,
clothing, and the general idea of money is taken for granted. Then suddenly food and clothing
and even a home is a struggle to obtain. The life Americans lived was stripped from them, the
great depression was of survival mode of living. African Americans and Mexican Americans
were also affected by the great depression. Non-whites were usually the first ones to lose
employment
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. Both faced struggles right away. African Americans faced illness and starvation
greatly and needed extra income. Some engaged in illegal activities. A large proportion of
Harlem arrests during the depression were for possession of policy slips, prostitution and illegal
distilling, all income producing rather than violent crimes.
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The outcome of the depression for
Mexican Americans was deportation back to Mexico. Many whom were legal US citizens were
rounded up for deportation and forced to return to Mexico.
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Every race and gender was impacted
by the great depression. These life changes events, people had no hope and did not know where
to look to.
For the first time, the American identity was unrecognizable, the loss of hope and
everyone completely drained from the struggles, peoples perception of the government shifted.
Ordinary American responded (and demanded that their government respond) much more

2
Lara Zielin, Depression. Deportation, and Detroit, LSA Magazine, spring 2011 ,53
3
the great depression and the new deal, review of or does it explode : black Harlem in the great depression, by
Cheryl Greenburg

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Zielin


urgently to the economic crisis.
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Their trust in the government and banking system was long
gone. Until there was light at the end of the tunnel, during the 1932 election campaign,
Democratic Franklin D. Roosevelt promised the American people a new deal and bold
persistent experimentation to help pull the Nation out of the Great Depression.
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At this time, all
was gone and depression still remained, but now the idea of Roosevelts promise, uplifted and
restored the hope to many. From here on people would reach out and look to Roosevelt and even
to his wife. A letter written to Roosevelt, for the first time of my life I am asking a favor, and
this one I am needing very badly and I am coming to you for help.
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This letter expressed the
emotions and desperation one was enduring. The letters written to Mrs. Roosevelt and Franklin,
is estimated to 15 billion. In these letters people ask for clothes to be able to help for getting a
job, money for food to provide for their families, basically the Roosevelts were like the guardian
angels for the people, guiding and providing light and help.
The Great Depression is marked in history for the significance of events that unfolded.
The crash of the economy, the destruction of millions Americans and the rise of the Roosevelts,
truly capture the ordeals that took place in this time period. Forever people will compare a
depression to the Great Depression of the 1930s





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Patterson
6
David E. Shi, Holly A. Mayer, chapter 27 For the Record: a documentary history of America , 5 edition, volume 2 ,
New York, WW Norton & Company, 199
7
David E. Shi, Holly A. Mayer, chapter 27 For the Record: a documentary history of America , 5 edition, volume 2 ,
New York, WW Norton & Company, 201



Bibliography

David E. Shi, Holly A. Mayer, chapter 27 For the Record: a documentary history of America, 5 edition,
volume 2, New York, WW Norton & Company, 199
David E. Shi, Holly A. Mayer, chapter 27 For the Record: a documentary history of America, 5 edition,
volume 2, New York, WW Norton & Company, 201
Lara Zielin, Depression. Deportation, and Detroit, LSA Magazine, spring 2011 ,53
Thomas G. Patterson, chapter 7, Major Problems in American history, ed. Colin Gordon, university of
Iowa,(Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston New York ),182
The great depression and the new deal, review of or does it explode : black Harlem in the great
depression, by Cheryl Greenburg