The Roaring Twenties and the Great Depression

The decade known as the “Roaring Twenties” was a time of affluence for many middle-class and working-class families.  The economy boomed with new inventions and innovations that allowed for more leisure time. It created a consumer society, then the stock market crash fell that ushered in “The Great Depression.”

Was there anything great about the stock market crash of 1929 and the following years of hardship? Absolutely nothing. Grinding poverty ate away at every aspect of the family’s soul and spirit. Even the affluent faced severe time of belt tightening. Four years after the 1929 stock market collapse, one quarter of the American work force was unemployed. Those fortunate enough to retain or find employment saw their wages cut or work hours decreased to part time.

The average American family lived by the newly coined Depression-era motto: “Use it up, wear it out, make do or do without.” Households embraced a new level of frugalness in their daily life. They kept gardens, patched worn-out clothes, and declined movie theaters as they struggled to keep ownership of their homes or automobiles.

The radio provided a free form of entertainment. By the early 1930s, many middle class families owned a home radio. Comedy programs such as Amos ‘n’ Andy, soap operas, sporting events, and swing music distracted listeners from their everyday struggles. The stress of financial strain took a psychological toll, especially on men who were suddenly unable to provide for their families. The national suicide rate rose to an all-time high in 1933.

It’s estimated that more than two million men and women became traveling hobos. Many of these were teens who felt they had become a burden on their families and left home to search for work. “Riding the rails” or illegally hopping freight trains became a common, yet dangerous way to travel. Those traveling the country in search of work often camped in “Hooversvilles,” shantytowns named after Herbert Hoover, president during the early years of the Depression.

Cities around the world were also hit hard, especially those dependent on heavy industry. Construction was virtually halted. Farming communities and rural areas suffered as crop prices dropped by about 60%. Facing plummeting demand with few alternative sources of jobs, areas dependent on primary industries such as mining and logging suffered the most. A phrase that was often shared among fellow sufferers, “Buddy, can you spare a dime?”