Growing Up in the Great Depression

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Growing Up in the Great Depression The book Growing Up in the Great Depression by Richard Wormser is about the stock market crash of 1929, the causes of the Great Depression, and the impacts that the causes had on the nation. The Great Depression was an economic depression that settled over the country in the 1930’s. The depression affected everyone; the rich and poor, men, women, children, black and white, foreign and native born, workers and farmers. During this time “millions of people lost their jobs, their businesses, their farms, their homes, their savings, and their self-respect” (Wormser, 84). During the Roaring 20’s industry was booming, with more and more goods being mass produced. In the 20’s the country was on a spending spree with the purchase of automobiles increasing from $7.5 million in 1920 to $26.5 million by 1929. The sales of goods were rising rapidly from $4.9 billion to $7.06 billion resulting in an increase of factories. This time period was a decade of fads with everyone having a good time and finding pleasure. Advertising played a huge role in this spending spree and the growing of fads. Advertising told the people that they had a role in the general prosperity and “they (the people) were urged to buy the goods and services the society was producing” (Wormser, 85). This then led to people being profligate spenders, which is a problem in today’s society as well. Advertising led people to think that they needed all of these manufactured goods and services that were being provided in order to have a good time. This also exists today because people do not know when to stop spending. During the 20’s money gave people pleasure and happiness. America’s prosperity came from the stock market and stock prices kept rising. “Many people believed they had found a money machine that could not fail” (Wormser, 85). In 1924 the average price of the
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