In 1929, the Wall Street crash sparked an outbreak of unemployment, bank closures, homelessness and hunger to American people, ultimately leading to the Great Depression. The crash forced failing companies to lay off workers and nearly 13 to 15 million Americans became unemployed. It was one of the worst economic crisis that was worsened by drought and dust storms that ravaged the land. The only means of survival for the hungry was through Bread Lines and Soup Kitchens. The Great Depression lasted from 1929-39 and was the longest-lasting economic downturn in the history. President Franklin D. Roosevelt helped lessen the effects of the Great Depression, but the economy did not rise until World War II. Here are 7 great facts about the great depression that you may or may not know about.
1. Milton Hershey launched the ‘Great Building Campaign’.
Milton Hershey, founder of the Hershey Chocolate Company launched the ‘Great Building Campaign’ with the intention of employing more people during the Great Depression. During his campaign, he noticed a steam shovel being used in one of his projects that was capable of doing the work of 40 men. The chocolate emperor ordered the shovel to be removed and instructed his foreman to hire 40 men. (1,2)
2. Twin popsicles were born.
Popsicle was invented by a 11 year old boy named Frank Epperson when he accidentally left his drink and a stirrer outside on a cold night. Epperson got the idea on 1905, but he did not file a patent until 1923. During the Great Depression, popsicle companies started making twin pops for a nickel, so families that were short on cash could split the treat for two kids. This was considered a treat that boosted the American spirits. (1,2)
3. Popcorn became popular during the Great Depression.
The crash of Wall Street forced thousands of businesses to fail. But, popcorn was fairly inexpensive (available for 5-10 cents per bag) which was affordable to poor families and making it a successful business. Apart from that, struggling farmers shifted their attention to the production and sales of popcorn. World War II diminished the sugar rations, affecting the production of candy. To compensate for the loss of candy, Americans started eating three times much popcorn than they did before. In 1938, Glen W. Dickson, who was a Midwestern theater owner installed popcorn machines in the lobbies of his theaters, making it a financial success. Other theater owners started to adapt this idea, that helped the theater industry retain business. (1,2)
4. A gangster and notorious bank robber destroyed mortgage papers at the banks he robbed, and freed many from their debts.
Charles Arthur “Pretty Boy” Floyd, an American bank robber was known for his violent bank robberies. Floyd was first arrested at age 18 for stealing $3.50 in coins from a local post office, but his crime spree did not end there. For a long period till 1930, Floyd went on to commit numerous crimes, making him a main target of the police. Even though he was a notorious gangster who murdered several police officers, Floyd was a public figure. He was known to destroy mortgage papers at the banks he robbed, and liberating many citizens from debt. His stroke of bad luck finally caught upto him in 1934, when he was finally cornered by FBI agents in a shootout and shot twice. His last words were, “I’m done for; you’ve hit me twice”. It is believed that around 20,000-40,000 people attended Charles Floyd’s funeral at Akins Cemetery. A biography on his life was published in 1992: Pretty Boy: The Life and Times of Charles Arthur Floyd, by Michael Wallis. (1,2)
5. John D. Rockefeller gave nickels to children wherever he went during the Great Depression.
John D. Rockefeller, one of the world’s richest men, was a careful and studious businessman who refrained himself from taking unnecessary risks. At the age of 20, Rockefeller worked as a commission merchant in hay, meats, grains and other goods and by the end of the first year, his company grossed around $450,000. By early 1860s, Rockefeller saw an opportunity in the oil business and invested in a Cleveland, Ohio, refinery. Within two years, his investment became one of the biggest in the area. Throughout his life, Rockefeller was known for his charitable donations. He was known to give dimes to children wherever he went, and during the Great Depression, he started giving out nickels so that they could enjoy a treat, helping keep a lot of children’s spirits up. Apart from that, during World War II, he helped to establish the United Service Organizations (USO). Rockefeller passed away on May 23, 1937, in Ormond Beach, Florida, but his legacy still lives on. He’s considered one of the most successful business men in America who helped shape the U.S to its current position. (1,2)
6. Al Capone gave relief and comfort to starving people during the Great Depression by starting a free soup kitchen.
One of the first soup kitchens during the Great Depression was started by the famous American gangster Al Capone. The kitchen consisted of only a few employees, but it fulfilled its purpose of feeding the many in need. Al Capone’s soup kitchen was the only source of food for many homeless and unemployed Americans at the time, which not only provided free food, but was a brief resting place for those who were struggling. Al Capone may have made a fortune from running his criminal enterprise, but he had a bit of Robin Hood in him and shared part of his wealth he made from bootlegging. (source)
7. Canadians started hitching horses to cars.
Canadians who were not capable of affording gasoline, decided to remove the engine and windows off the car and hitching horses to pull them. This method was termed as Bennett buggy in Canada, and in the United States it was called Hoover carts. The cheap vehicles purchased by Canadians during 1920’s, later became hard to maintain, making the Bennett buggy a common sight during the Great Depression. (source)
Sources: HISTORY, American-Historama
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