Hoovervilles In The 1930's

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The 1930s were a difficult time for Americans due to the the Great Depression. Due to the economic crisis, Americans were left unemployed, hungry, and homeless. Without an income and a tangible place to call home, many families has to resort to living run-down shanty towns. These shanty towns which were dubbed as Hoovervilles, after the president at the time, Herbert Hoover whom received blame for the country’s economic crisis. President Hoover did not make any efforts to better the Depression by offering government assistance to provide relief. The Onion’s article, President Hoover Signs Accord with King of Hobos, makes light of the unfortunate living arrangements many families has to endure in the early 1930s. The article refers to the the shanty towns as a “Hobo Kingdom” when in reality living in poverty was the …show more content…

The article also mentions a pact between the “Hobo Kingdom” and the United States government where the government offers virtually nothing of real value to those living in Hoovervilles, similar to the real situation where government aid was not administered under the Hoover administration. The homeless are also referred to as “dignitaries” to signify they were of importance when in reality they lacked any real status in society. The Onion’s article is evidently using sarcasm to attest to to what it was like to live in Hoovervilles and by doing so, remains historically accurate.

Article 5
President Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected during the Great Depression. Roosevelt promise of a New Deal to help with the economic crisis that had swept the nation allowed him to beat out incumbent, President Hoover. Roosevelt’s New Deal provided economic relief to through programs rendering temporary jobs by those left

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