Exploring the Great Depression of 1929 and How People Survived
If a global economic depression hit today, what would your life look like? Let’s look at how Americans survived the Great Depression (1929) and imagine a repeat. From creative meals to makeshift villages, their resilience is inspiring.
The Crash That Changed Everything
Black Thursday (Oct 24, 1929) and Black Tuesday (Oct 29, 1929) saw the U.S. stock market crash, starting the Great Depression. Within 10 weeks, stock prices fell 50%.
The Great Depression: Stock Market Crash vs. Unemployment Surge (1929–1933)
By 1933, unemployment hit 24.9% (13 million jobless).
The effects were widespread: bank failures, job losses, and disrupted daily life.
Bank Runs and Lost Savings
Panic withdrawals led to bank failures. From 1929-1933, 9,000 banks (36%) failed, wiping out $7 billion in savings.
Jobs Disappeared—Who Was Hit Hardest?
By 1932, 30% of the workforce was unemployed. Construction, logging, and manufacturing suffered most. Even professionals saw income drops.
Hoovervilles: Shantytowns of Survival
1931: Unemployed Citizens Erect Hooverville
Jobless and homeless people built Hoovervilles, makeshift villages from scraps. The largest, in St. Louis, housed over 5,000 people with basic amenities.
What Did People Eat During the Great Depression?
Food was scarce, leading to creative solutions:
- Popcorn with Milk
- Mock Apple Pie (Ritz crackers)
- Coffee Soup (bread in coffee)
- Roadkill
- Self-Sufficiency (gardening, hunting)
Even the White House cut back, though Eleanor Roosevelt's frugal meals were unpopular.
How Would Food Change in a Modern Depression?
We might see more urban gardening, bartering, and reliance on cheap staples.
Hygiene: Cleaner Than You’d Think
Cleanliness was prioritized due to disease fears. Marketing focused on hygiene products, and coin laundries emerged.
Finding Joy in Hard Times
Radio became popular for entertainment (comedy, sports, music), and families played board games like Monopoly.
Could It Happen Again?
The Great Depression taught resilience and led to safeguards like the FDIC. However, economic downturns remain a concern.
How would you survive a modern depression? Let's learn from the past.