Life In Ancient Greece :: essays research papers

‘What it was like to be poor, unemployed and homeless in 1930s USA.’ For an American to go without food for more than a day to us seems unimaginable. The country that so many see as the world leader today, has not always been as strong though. Less than 70 years ago many poor, homeless and unemployed Americans were starving to death. What they went through could be compared to some of the less well off nations today. To begin to understand the plight of the poor, homeless and unemployed American of the depression I will place an average Melbourne family into that situation. To begin with, take away the house. Banks reclaimed a large number of houses of those who could not keep up the repayments. If this is a lucky family they may have a car to sleep in. Usually this car is a battered old Ford or Chevy; the car doesn’t go very well. That doesn’t matter though because they probably can’t afford petrol anyway. The family will then have to beg for food for dinner. If they are too proud to beg they will try to sell apples or other items on the sidewalls, if they still have nothing to eat they will queue for many hours in bread lines organised by the city charities. This family will most likely live from their car or move into one of the Hoovervilles. In this Hooverville they will live like many other families, in a house made from packing cases and corrugated iron. Disease is rife here and few are able to get medical help. There is however no shortage of water. When it rains it comes under the walls and through the roof drenching everything inside. News travels slowly amongst the poor, most people hear what is going on in the world by word of mouth. Or by reading a week old paper that they are using to stop their roof leaking. During the winters it is bitterly cold. Children search through junkyards for old cars, which might have a little bit of oil in them. If they are lucky they will be warm for the night. Men have to work extremely hard. That is if they have a job. Unemployment is high; 12 to 15 million are without jobs. Men walk all day in search of work. If they are lucky they might find some. The pay is bad and the conditions are bad, but they don’t complain.