The Social Impact of the Great Depression

Contradiction

Cultural output during the Great Depression showcased both harsh realism and escapism.

Harsh realism

A cultural expression reflecting poverty, corruption, and struggle in the 1930s.

Escapism

A cultural expression that offered fantasy, nostalgia, and optimism during hardship.

William Faulkner

An author known for novels like As I Lay Dying and Absalom, Absalom, focusing on Southern life.

John Steinbeck

Author of The Grapes of Wrath, depicting Dust Bowl migration and rural poverty.

Richard Wright

Author of Native Son, addressing themes of race, systemic oppression, and urban poverty.

John Dos Passos

Known for the U.S.A. Trilogy, which blends experimental techniques with narrative.

Margaret Mitchell

Author of Gone with the Wind, presenting a romanticized past in contrast to harsh realism.

Photojournalism

Visual realism gained prominence during the Great Depression, exemplified by publications like Life magazine.

Folk music

A genre that reflected a return to traditional themes during the 1930s.

Jazz & swing music

Popular music styles in the 1930s, characterized by artists like Benny Goodman.

Thornton Wilder

Author of Our Town, which evokes small-town nostalgia.

Aaron Copland

Composer known for works like Billy the Kid, reflecting American folklore.

George Gershwin

Composer of Porgy and Bess, depicting African American life in the South.

Double feature system

An innovation in the film industry that allowed audiences to watch two movies for the price of one.

FDR’s Fireside Chats

Radio addresses by President Franklin D. Roosevelt that directly communicated with the public.

Mixed results of the New Deal

While it helped the economy, it did not end the Great Depression and unemployment remained high.

Decline in birth and marriage rates

Reasons for the decline in family structures during the Great Depression included economic insecurity.

Wage discrimination

Women earned less than men for the same work during the 1930s.

Frances Perkins

The first woman to serve in the U.S. Cabinet as Secretary of Labor.

Indian Reorganization Act (1934)

Legislation that aimed to restore some tribal autonomy to Native Americans.

NIRA (1933)

National Industrial Recovery Act, which promoted collective bargaining for labor unions.

AFL

American Federation of Labor, representing skilled workers.

CIO

Congress of Industrial Organizations, advocating for unskilled workers.

Halfway Revolution

William Leuchtenburg's interpretation of the New Deal as a balance of capitalism and government intervention.

Three Rs of the New Deal

Relief, Recovery, Reform — the main goals of FDR's New Deal initiatives.

Social Security system

Created during the New Deal, it established a safety net for American citizens.

Cultural adaptation under economic crisis

How culture evolved and reflected the circumstances during the Great Depression.