The Great Depression affected different groups in American society in varying ways. For ordinary families, it brought significant hardship as income dropped by 35% forcing many to delay marriages and change lifestyles to survive. Wealthy businessmen were largely unaffected and continued their lavish lifestyles, while some less fortunate businessmen lost everything and some even resorted to suicide. By 1930, many unemployed Americans took up apple selling as a means to earn money.

1. By MatthewThe Depression

2. Hypothesis:The great depression did not affect everyone in the same way. Whilst many rich businessmen hardly felt any impact, ordinary families struggled to make a living and were forced to change their lifestyles to adapt to the conditions.

3. The Depression changed family life in dramatic waysMany couples delayed marriage

4. Divorce rate dropped sharply

5. Birth rates dropped

6. Dramatic loss of income (dropping 35%)

7. Families pulling together

8. Some families fell apart under the stress

9. A 1940 survey revealed that 1.5 million married women had been abandoned by their husbands. Between 1929 and 1933 more than 100,000 businesses failed across the nation. People were forced to line up outside soup kitchens in order to get their daily meal. 9,000 banks went out of business and 9 million savings accounts were wiped out.People were unable to pay their house payments and money lenders seized them and drove the owners off the land.

10. Ordinary people had to eitherMove into HoovervillesBecome Transients, constantly movingOrPeople with construction skills were able to build small houses out of stone.