Hoovervilles
What are shantytowns
Shantytowns are poor areas in a city.
What president were Hoovervilles named after?
President Herbert Hoover.
What does WPA stand for?
Works Progress Administration.
What was the goal of the WPA?
To put money in the hands of those who needed it the most, which would funnel money to the economy when spent.
Around what time did the number of unemployed people start to drop?
Late 1930s.
Why were Hoovervilles built near rivers?
So people who lived in them could access water.
What were the names of the rivers by the Hoovervilles in NYC?
Hudson River and the East River.
What did the WPA do to infrastructure to help with jobs?
They built roads and sidewalks, creating job opportunities.
What was the WPA budget at the beginning?
4.8 billion dollars
What percentage range did the peak of unemployment during the Great Depression reach?
20-25%
What was the main thing that led to the great depression?
In what year were most remaining Hoovervilles torn down?
Early 1940's.
What did the Women's and Professional Project, a WPA program, do?
Clothing and bedding for families in need.
What did Doctors and Nurses do?
They helped flood victims
At the beginning of the unemployment graph, what range of percentages were those who were unemployed?
In the low areas of the 5-10% range.
In what year was President Hoover "defeated" by Democrat Franklin Roosevelt?
What fraction of America's workers went out of work?
one quarter (15 million workers)
What percentage of the WPA jobs offered went to those with the lowest resources?
90%
What was the WPA budget after Roosevelt believed the economy had recovered?
1.5 billion dollars.
What year did bank loans start to decrease?
around 1930.
In what year did thousands of World War I veterans set up a Hooverville on the banks of the Anacostia River?
1932
What city had a larger Hooverville: NYC, Washington, or Missouri?
Missouri had the largest Hooverville, located in St. Louis.
In 1941, the percentage of unemployed people dropped by how much?
10%
What two writers did The Federal Writers Project nurture?
Sual Bellow and Richard Wright.
In what years did bank loans reach their lowest point?