Only the Strong Survive

Charlotte Cropper March 29, 2012 CENG 106 WISE Professor Peterson Collaborative History Presentation Only the Strong Survive

Background of the Great Depression The Great Depression was an economic downfall of the 1930s that left many people homeless and unemployed. The official beginning of the Great Depression was the Stock Market Crash. The reason for the stock market crash was based on the unequal distribution of wealth among the social classes. The key to becoming rich in the 1900s was buying and selling stocks. When the stock market had crashed, the route to bankruptcy was opened. People began panicking and started selling their stocks. Because of the large numbers of stocks being sold, there were not enough buyers.

Background Cont’d • Banks began to close and people started running to their nearest banks trying to make withdrawals. • As prices for stocks rose, wages for workers began to decline due to the deficits in the economy. • Due to the decline of wages for workers, the demand for workers became very limited. • Therefore, the term “Survival of the Fittest” became very popular during this time.

Research Question and Thesis What was the significance of the Great Depression on the lives of Americans? The condition of American’s lives during the Great Depression was greatly effected by class, age, race, and gender.

Why did I Choose this Topic and How is it Related to History? • In High School, I had learned about the Great Depression and its effect on the economy and nation as a whole. However, I never knew how it would have effected the individual classes of people whether they were rich or poor, old or young, black or white, or a man or a woman. I also know that in many instances in history, women are looked down apart and the double standard is evident in history and we can see this in the relation to the Great Depression. Women were discriminated against throughout the workforce and for a long period of time in history women have been fighting to obtain their rights.

Lessons Learned • From this assignment, I’ve learned that many social classes exist in history. One’s social class defines where they may stand in society. I also learned that the unequal distribution of wealth among rich and the poor was something that triggered the Great Depression. • Another thing that I have learned was that the demand for MALE workers was very high and they lived up to being the “breadwinners” of the household. • Another thing I have learned was that children did not have an easy life during the 1930’s and they were forced to work in companies and factories. • I also learned that race had been another aspect that had been affected by the Great Depression.

Advantages of this Process • From this process, constructing my research paper for history will now become easier for me, considering I have an effective research question and thesis statement. • I also have relevant sources to support my examples that will be provided throughout my research paper. • From this assignment, I was able to obtain a better understanding of my topic and its relation to history.

First Specific Examples Related to my Research • One example would be the discrimination between men and women. From an article by Abelson, we see that 25% of women made up the workforce. It was easier for men to be employed and stay employed. Women were not expected to work outside of the home. As quoted in the article, “Home was still seen as the arena for women, and the crisis of the Great Depression merely reinforced the patriarchal vision of traditional family structure.”(Abelson) This meant that men were still considered the “breadwinners” of the household and women were not able to become employed or stay employed because of the constant discrimination being placed upon them.

Second Specific Example Related to my Research • During the Great Depression, children had to go without a lot of things. Even though it was hard to understand the negatives that came with the Great Depression, many of the children during the 1930’s were well informed. “They realized that their families’ troubles had been brought about by the Great Depression, not by the failing on the part of their father and mother.” (Freedman) Many of the children during this time period had to live with the effects of unemployed parents, non-sufficient funds, malnourishment, and inadequate sheltering. • Due to insufficient funds, it was hard for schools to stay open. Therefore, many of the children were not able to be educated. Instead of schools, many of the children worked under horrible conditions in coaling mines and factories, where they could earn small wages to try to make a living.

Third Specific Example Related to my Research • The Great Depression had the largest effect on the African American race. • There were many labor organizations set up during the 1930’s in order to recover from the low unemployment rates. • These labor organizations did not benefit African Americans at all. • “ In the City of St. Louis, we learn that Negro laborers were forced out of employment by the threats of the American Federation of Labor-made by the Business Agent against contractors.”(Thomas) • African Americans were denied jobs in factories and companies because of their lack of experience in these places.

Works Cited • Abelson, Elaine S. “Women Who Have No Men to Work for Them: Gender and Homlessnessin the Great Depression, 1930- 1934.” (2003): 104-127. Feminist Studies. Web. 13 Mar 2012. • Freedman, Russell. Children of the Great Depression. Park Avenue South, New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2005. Print. • Thomas, Jesse O. “Negro Workers and Organized Labor.” (1934): 277. Opportunity, Journal of Negro Life 12. Web. 28 Mar 2012

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Only the Strong Survive