The Great Depression
Of The 1930's
What Caused the Great Depression?
Before the Great Depression, the U.S. had one of the best economies in the world. President Hoover even said America was on its way to having no poverty. However in 1929, the stock market crashed. This created a snowball effect. The stock market crash led to banks collapsing which then led to people losing everything.
Who Was Affected By The Great Depression?
Almost everyone was affected by The Great Depression, but the middle class was hit the hardest. The middle class found themselves without jobs and security. During this time, the middle class became the lower class because they couldn't get out of poverty.
Farmers were also hit hard. Before The Great Depression farmers were already going through a tough time because people were moving to industrialized cities. Farmers in the Mid West were also going through the Dust Bowl which was one of the longest droughts in U.S. history. Many farmers had to leave (if they could afford it) their farms and go West.
How Was The Great Depression Shown In "To Kill A Mocking Bird"
The Great Depression is the time period in which "To Kill A Mocking Bird" took place. In the first chapter Harper Lee describes Maycomb on page 6 as " ... a tired old town...where there was nothing to buy and no money to buy it with.". Other ways The Great Depression is shown is in the character's personalities and living conditions. People like the Ewells and the Cunningham's rarely had money. Scout talks about Walter Cunningham, "He didn't forget his lunch, he didn't have any. He had none today nor would he have any tomorrow or the next day. He had probably never seen three quarters together at the same time in his life." (Harper Lee, p 26). Just about everybody in the book was affected by The Great Depression.