1) Economic effects of the Great depression A) Unemployment - no totally reliable figures for unemployment during this period as the government did not keep centralised figures until mid 1930’s. Estimates vary from 12,830,000 to 17 million unemployed. B) Afro - Caribbean's reported in April 1931 that number of Afro - Caribbean's out of work was 4 - 6 times higher than whites - traditional poorly paid jobs done by blacks now being taken by whites. C) Women - less jobs for domestic service because families could not afford servants. Common for married women to lose jobs to provide jobs for unemployed males. By 1935 over 75% American school systems refused to employ women.
2) Life in the Great Depression A) Unemployment - USA was ill equipped to handle unemployment - v. Little provision made such as no federal unemployment benefit - many suffered psychological effects of unemployment - it was still regarded in America that if someone was unemployed it was their fault. - led to rise in suicides. B) Relief - nature of relief and help varied greatly - before 1932 no state had any system of recognised unemployment insurance and only 11 operated any kind of pension scheme. Often to obtain any measure of relief one had to sell all ones possessions, use up all of their savings and become destitute. Stigma of needing help dissuaded many from going for help 10 states stopped applicants for help from being able to vote. Only 25% of those entitled to relief received any C) Hoboes By 1932 it was estimated that there were between 1 and 2 million hoboes. Many of whom had lived in shanty towns on outskirts of settlements. They were given a hard time - in Atlanta, Georgia put into chain gangs.
