The Great Depression

The Great Depression was the longest economic downturn in the western world.  The Depression began after the stock market crash of October 1929.  In the early 1920’s, stock prices were the highest they have ever been.  Within 9 years their value quadrupled.  By 1929, stocks had taken a turn for the worse.  They began to decline.  As the demand for goods declined, people began to feel poor because of how much they had lost in the stock market.  Stocks were worthless and and no one would buy them. The most most disturbing thing that happened would have to be the troubles in the banking system.  Banks were not able to collect loans.  People lost their trust in their banking systems and began to withdraw their savings, resulting to many banks failing.

http://www.pbs.org/fmc/timeline/estockmktcrash.htm

President Herbert Hoover was thought to be the president that was most qualified to stop The Great Depression.  He had grown up in poverty, and faced many hardships as a child.  Hoover worked his way through college by working in a coal mine.  Doing so well, he became an engineer in the coal mine.  Before he was 40 years old, he had already made a million dollars.  He felt as if he had made enough money to last for his family and himself, so he devoted the rest of his work life to government service and private charity’s.  Although many thought he would end poverty in the USA, this did not happen.  While he held presidency, the stock market continued to crash.  Banks closed, and homeless people had no where to go and no one to help them.  Hoover believed that government shouldn’t tell people what to do, and they should not look for handouts from the government.  Therefore, instead of helping end this great crisis, things remained the same.

After losing my job, along with my house, I was desperate for somewhere to stay.  Hearing some of my friends talk, I learned about a place called a Hooverville.  Many homeless people came together and built these buildings.  We took whatever we could find to make our homes.  Sometimes it would cardboard, glass, or tin.  People would even dig holes into the ground and cover the top to keep out bad weather.  I was not used to staying in poor conditions like this.  Adjusting from my home to a run down shelter was hard for me.  The place I stayed in barely had a roof, and it had dirt flooring.  However, I am thankful that I have somewhat of a rood over my head.  Hopefully, I can get back to work soon and find somewhere nicer to stay.

As a man who has worked his whole life, the Great Depression hit me hard.  After losing my job, I could no longer provide for my family like I had been able to before.  I watched my wife and kids starve and beg for food for days.  As a husband and father, they looked to me for support and help.  I was devastated that there was nothing I could do to give them what they needed anymore.  The only thing I did do was beg for jobs.  I walked the streets everyday searching for work, and I picked up little jobs wherever I could.  I became discouraged because I could hardly even do that.  I’m ashamed that I have done this, but a week ago I left my family behind.  I became a hobo.  Myself, and several other men, were apart of a unique society.  We jumped trains in search for work, and we also developed a hidden language.  We left each other notes to let one another know whether or not places were good or bad.  I often think about my family, but I believe they may be better off without me.