the great depression 1930s
name the 6 causes of the depression
1-overproducition and overexpansion
2-canadas dependency on a few primary products
3-canadas dependence on the US
4-high tariffs that choked off international trade
5-too much buying on credit
6-too much credit buying of stocks
was the stock market crash a cause of the depression
no it was a symptom
who were the knights of the road
-hoboes
-men (17-30) who crossed the country looking for work
-jumped on freight train boxcars
what were the jungles (hobo jungles)
-temporary camps beside railroad freight carriers property where hoboes lived while waiting to jump on trains
why did men become hoboes
-in search of work during the depression
-needed food, a better life
-farms weren't producing
-no money at home to support them
what were relief camps
-labour camps set up by government during the depression
-for young single men to work, get food, shelter, medical attention and a small payment (20 cents a day)
-under direction of defence department
-built roads, planted trees, built buildings and airfields
-set up by prime minister bennett
what were relief camps like
-lived in bunkhouses
-bad food
-boring (nothing to do if not working)
-bad facilities (bathrooms, showers)
-low pay (20 cents a day)
-worked 44 hour days
-anger and discontent
who created the relief camps
prime minister bennett
what was the problem with the relief camps
-low pay
-not meaningful work
-anger and discontent among men
name 3 new regional political parties that appeared during depression
-the canadian social credit party in Alberta (william aberhart)
-the union nationale in quebec (maurice duplessis)
-ccf canadian commonwealth federation (james woodsworth)
what were soup lines
-a method of feeding the neediest people
-often the only place someone could get something to eat (usually soup, a drink, maybe a piece of bread)
-run by charities, private companies and the government
-served thousands a day
who were the trekkers
-men from relief camps who were part of the on to ottawa trek
what was the on to ottawa trek june 1935
-a protest by unemployed men living in federal relief camps
-over a thousand left b.c. on boxcars heading for ottawa to demand higher wages and work
-picked up others as they crossed canada
-only made it as far as regina because of riot
who led the on to ottawa trek
arthur evans
what was the regina riot july 1 1935
-as number of protestors increased, federal government got worried
-sent in police in regina
-arrested leaders
-this started a riot
-eneded the on to ottawa trek
who were most disadvantaged in the 1930s (depression)
-rural canadians / farmers
-new canadian immigrants
-chinese in vancouver
-jewish people
-aboriginals
-women
why were rural people more disadvantaged than urban people in 1930s
-recieved less relief from government because could grow their own food
-often couldnt keep their farms because of drought/ infestations / lower trade etc.
why were new canadian immigrants disadvantaged in 1930s
-veiwed badly because took jobs
-many lost their jobs
-1935, many deported
why were chinese in vancouver disadvantaged in 1930'
-prejudice
-head tax first later not allowed to immigrate
-many didnt qualify for relief and starved
why were jewish people disadvantaged in the 1930s
-a lot of antisemitism (prejudice against jewish people)
-hard to get money because no one would employ them
-not allowed to join organizations
why were native canadians disadvantaged in the 1930s
-got alot less relief pay from government
-expected to live off land
-a lot of land was being taken
why were women disadvantaged in the 1930s
-hard to make money because if had job expected to give it up for men (unless domestic work)
-responsible for caring for kids and keeping family going with no money
-reused everything (clothes out of flour sacks)
-kept bees, gardens, really hard work
what are some ways people survived the depreesion years
-ate wild animals (gophers)
-wore clothes made from flour sacks
-reused repurposed everything
-ate what they had (potatoes and skim milk, soup lines)
-took odd jobs
-crossed canada looking for work
-went to relief camps
-stopped using their cars (hooked them up to horses)
-tried to live off the land
what was black tuesday
-oct 29, 1929 the stock market crashed, people lost all their money, companies went bankrupt
why were urban people more advantaged than rural in the 1930s
-received more relief
-access to soup lines
-but not great
-unumployed, no food, no money to buy coal to heat, homelessness