Ways People Survived the Great Depression

Summary

The Great Depression, spanning from 1920 to 1939, was a time of financial devastation, but it also sparked unique and sometimes eerie forms of entertainment. People engaged in endurance challenges like deadly dance marathons, tree sitting, and goldfish swallowing as distractions from hardship. Kids raced homemade cars in the Soapbox Derby, and women found creative ways to stay fashionable despite economic strain. Board games, jigsaw puzzles, and miniature golf became popular pastimes. Despite the struggles, the era fostered ingenuity and resilience, showcasing the lengths people went to survive and find joy in dark times.

Takeaways

• 😀 The Great Depression, lasting from 1920 to 1939, caused widespread financial devastation, but it also led to innovative forms of entertainment and leisure.
• 😀 During the Depression, over 15 million people were unemployed, and one-third of the workforce was affected by financial instability.
• 😀 Dance marathons, lasting for days or even months, became a bizarre but popular form of entertainment, with some participants collapsing or even dying from exhaustion.
• 😀 Endurance challenges, such as tree sitting, pie eating, and goldfish swallowing, captivated audiences and served as both entertainment and income for participants.
• 😀 Roller derbies and bicycle marathons were also popular, with some teams skating over 4,000 miles in 35 days to entertain the public.
• 😀 The Soapbox Derby, starting in Dayton, Ohio, allowed youngsters to race homemade cars down hills, with the event spreading nationwide in the 1930s.
• 😀 Women during the Great Depression creatively repurposed flour sacks as clothing, with manufacturers eventually printing colorful designs on the sacks to help provide attractive material.
• 😀 Reusing and upcycling old garments was common during the Great Depression, with women adjusting family members' old clothes to create new outfits.
• 😀 Recreation during the Depression included board games like Monopoly and bridge, with millions of people participating in these pastimes as a form of escape from economic hardship.
• 😀 Jigsaw puzzles became a nationwide craze, with stores offering them as incentives and making them a central part of social gatherings.
• 😀 Miniature golf became a widespread trend, with over 25,000 courses across the U.S. by the early 1930s, turning it into a popular recreational activity.

Q & A

What was one of the major effects of the Great Depression on the American people?

The Great Depression caused widespread financial devastation, leading to the loss of investments, the draining of savings, and the closure of many banks. Over 15 million Americans were unemployed during this time.

What were dance marathons during the Great Depression?

Dance marathons were endurance competitions where couples danced for hours or even days. Participants could win prize money, free food, and accommodation. However, these marathons were physically exhausting, with many participants collapsing or even dying due to the extreme nature of the events.

How did tree sitting and other endurance manias become popular during the Great Depression?

Endurance manias like tree sitting, egg-eating, and goldfish swallowing became popular because they intrigued people who were curious about how long someone could endure such feats. These stunts became public spectacles and sources of income for participants.

What is the significance of the All-American Soapbox Derby during the Great Depression?

The All-American Soapbox Derby was a youth competition where kids built homemade, non-motorized cars and raced them down hills. It became a national event after Myron Scott promoted it, with the first race taking place in 1934 and continuing annually, except during World War II.

How did women in the 1930s manage to stay fashionable despite the economic hardships?

Women in the 1930s creatively made their own clothes from affordable materials like flower bags. Some manufacturers even produced printed flower bags with washable labels to help women create stylish outfits. Upcycling old garments was also common during this time.

What types of games gained immense popularity during the Great Depression?

Board games like Monopoly and card games like bridge saw a massive increase in popularity. Bridge lessons alone saw over 500,000 enrollees in 1931, and Monopoly sold over six million copies by 1937. Jigsaw puzzles also captivated people of all ages, becoming a major pastime.

How did miniature golf contribute to the recreational trends during the Great Depression?

Miniature golf became an extremely popular recreational activity during the Great Depression. By 1930, there were over 25,000 miniature golf courses across the United States, and the sport provided affordable entertainment for many families.

What was the impact of jigsaw puzzles on American society during the Great Depression?

Jigsaw puzzles became widely popular during the Great Depression, with many families engaging in puzzle-solving as an affordable and enjoyable activity. Puzzles were often used as promotional tools in stores, and they became a centerpiece of social gatherings.

What was the purpose behind endurance activities like goldfish swallowing and tree sitting?

Endurance activities like goldfish swallowing and tree sitting were meant to entertain the public and create a spectacle. They were also a means of earning income for participants, as these stunts often drew large crowds who were curious to see how long someone could endure such challenges.

Why did the Great Depression lead to changes in fashion and clothing production?

The economic hardships of the Great Depression led to a shortage of money, causing many people to turn to creative ways of making their own clothes. Women used materials like flower bags to make garments, and clothing was often upcycled or repurposed to keep up with fashion trends.