How did the great depression affect families?

Answer 1

some families broke apart under the

strain of poverty and unemployment.

Many men felt ashamed because they had

lost their jobs. Some of them simply left

their families and wandered the country

looking for work.

Women tried to find work, too. But they

were usually paid less than men. Many

people complained that employers should

not hire women. They thought that men

should have the jobs instead. These people

argued that men were the ones who

supported families, so it was more

important for them to have jobs.

Children suffered terribly from poverty

and the break-up of families. Many

children had poor diets and no health care.

Their parents could not afford to buy

healthy food or to pay doctor bills. Many

children suffered from malnutrition and

diet-related illnesses like rickets. Many

children ran away from home, hopping

rides aboard freight trains. It was exciting,

but also dangerous. Many were robbed or

killed by criminals or beaten by railroad

guards.

During the early years of the Great

Depression, the federal government did

not give direct relief-cash or food

directly to poor people. Charities and

some city governments struggled to help.

But they could not provide enough relief

to keep people out of poverty.

Because so many people were out of

work, cities and states collected less tax

money. They had to cut their budgets for

programs like child welfare. Some cities

could not afford to keep their schools open

for a full term. Many school boards

shortened the school year. Other schools

simply closed. Children often went to

work to try to help their families survive.

The Great Depression caused great

suffering. Rates of suicide and mental

illness increased dramatically. Hardship

forced young people to give up dreams of

college.

While the Great Depression caused

much suffering, it sometimes brought out

the best in individuals, families, and

communities. Many people shared

resources with their neighbors or gave

food and clothing to the needy.

Answer 2

Because many men list their jobs, it made the families go poor, and many even lost their homes. The children had to drop out of school to help out at home.

Answer 3

Some families were broken up for the lack of money, and the constant fighting for it.

Answer 4

The great depression made families poor. Th impact on all of them were very hard