Life During the Great Depression

Brother Can You Spare a Dime Myo Myo Listen to the song and make a list of things that you learned about the life of the singer before and after the Great Depression.

"Brother, Can You Spare a Dime," lyrics by Yip Harburg, music by Jay Gorney (1931) They used to tell me I was building a dream, and so I followed the mob, When there was earth to plow, or guns to bear, I was always there right on the job. They used to tell me I was building a dream, with peace and glory ahead, Why should I be standing in line, just waiting for bread? Once I built a railroad, I made it run, made it race against time. Once I built a railroad; now it's done. Brother, can you spare a dime? Once I built a tower, up to the sun, brick, and rivet, and lime; Once I built a tower, now it's done. Brother, can you spare a dime? Once in khaki suits, gee we looked swell, Full of that Yankee Doodly Dum, Half a million boots went slogging through Hell, And I was the kid with the drum! Say, don't you remember, they called me Al; it was Al all the time. Why don't you remember, I'm your pal? Buddy, can you spare a dime? Once in khaki suits, gee we looked swell, Full of that Yankee Doodly Dum, Half a million boots went slogging through Hell, And I was the kid with the drum! Say, don't you remember, they called me Al; it was Al all the time. Say, don't you remember, I'm your pal? Buddy, can you spare a dime? DISCUSS YOUR FINDINGS!

Causes of the Great Depression -Overproduction of agriculture products -Bank Failures -Reduction in Purchasing

Overproduction Farmers Overproduce: -The wide spread switch from horse-drawn to mechanized farm equipment allowed farmers to increase their production of crops -Overproduction led to major price reductions, causing farmers to lose money and the inability to pay back farm loans

The Dust Bowl When farmers were unable to pay back their loans, many stopped planting crops In 1932 a drought hit the Great Plains, turning much of the top soil into dust-with the lack of rain and crops, wind blew the dried soil for hundreds of miles

Reduction in Purchasing Few consumers had the money to purchase goods led to lower prices which resulted in the loss of money for farmers and manufacturers

Bank Failures over 8,000 banks failed no insurance protecting deposits. If enough of the banks customers tried to withdraw their money, the bank would eventually run out.

Stock Market Crash  Stock Market lost 90% (40 billion dollars)  Black Tuesday: (October 29, 1929) the day stock prizes fell

Hoovervilles As more workers lost their jobs, they were unable to pay their rent or mortgage and were evicted This new class of homeless began to build shacks on the outskirts of cities called shantytowns, or Hoovervilles.

Hoover Blankets ”We’d Like to Thankyou Mr. Hoover”

 2 million migrants and “hobos”  13 million out of work by 1933

Great Depression Numbers  over 1.5 million mortgages failed

Great Depression Numbers  1933 over 13 million out of work (over 25%)

Closing: Now and Then Compare and contrast the Great Depression and the recent recession. How is the situation we live in today alike, and how is it different? ---Bushvilles (modern day Hoovervilles) 2min