Impacts of the Depression and New Deal

Not everyone got benefits….

How were rural Americans affected?

• Could produce their own food• Held back or destroyed crops to raise prices• No social services like soup kitchens• Banks re-possessed homes• Many (2.5 million) ended up migrating west or

to cities

The Dust Bowl: Only 21% received federal relief

How were Californians affected?

• Dustbowl Migrants– Okie subculture

• Increased Unemployed (26%)– Pipe City Oakland

• Filippinos and Mexicans deported• Socialism became popular (EPiC)• Charity Evangelism

Aimee Semple McPherson

Okie Migrants

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How were women affected?

• Initially, many programs served men-”breadwinners”

• WPA hired women for sewing and the arts• Preference was given to single women or

widowed• Eleanor Roosevelt –female press corps• Francis Perkins NLRB

FERA Women’s Camp in Maine

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Eleanor Roosevelt & Women’s Press Corps

How were African-Americans affected?

• Mary McLeod Bethune-Roosevelt’s Black Cabinet– Director of Negro Affairs in NYA to promote relief for African-

American youth– Spread ideology of Democrats among Afr. Amer.– Promoted needs and causes of Afr. Amer. Community

• FEPC-Fair Employment Practices• FHA increased Afr. American discrimination• 15% of WPA and 11% of CCC workforce were Afr.

American; National Theatre Project, PWA, etc.• Roosevelt’s hands tied by need for Congress support

1930-AA were 9% of pop.

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How were Native Americans affected?

• John Collier-Bureau of Indian Affairs• Harold Ickes-Secretary of the Interior

• Indian Reorganization Act:conserve and develop Indian lands and resources; to extend to Indians the right to form business and other organizations; to establish a credit system for Indians; to grant certain rights of home rule to Indians; to provide for vocational education for Indians

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Advantages

A chance for Native Americans to have their own businesses. An opportunity for integration. Credit unions and federal funds to help them. A chance to attend public school. More and better jobs.

Disadvantages

Didn’t address longterm unemploymentDiscouraged assimilationImbalance in voting process for IRA.76 tribes rejected the IRA (Including the Navajo tribe.181 tribes approved it.

How was union labor affected?

• NLRB-Francis Perkins• General Strikes• Sit-Down Strikes• Collective bargaining rights

• More and permanent protections

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