The easiest way to travel across the country was by train and Shantytowns, nicknamed 'Hobo Jungles' sprang up by most city railroad stations. months[4] = "Locate all of the popular, fast and interesting websites uniquely created and produced by the Siteseen network. On October 29, 1929, the date known as Black Tuesday, the stock market crashed, signaling the beginning of the Great Depression. St. Louis Hooverville, built in 1930, had its own unofficial mayor, churches and social institutions. Hoover also didn't think it would work and that a crisis such as this one would have to blow over on its own. Hooverville shanties were constructed of cardboard, tar paper, glass, lumber, tin and whatever other materials people could salvage. Thousands of World War I veterans, calling themselves the Bonus Army, had arrived in the nation's capital to demand early payment of a bonus they had been promised at the end of the war. Herbert Hoover was president during the start of the Great Depression. 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Browse hooverville resources on Teachers Pay Teachers, a marketplace trusted by millions of teachers for original educational resources. Whenever possible, Hoovervilles were built near rivers for the convenience of a water source. Central Park Hooverville with Central Park West in the Background in 1932. "[1], The city imposed modest building and sanitation rules, required that women and children not live in the Hooverville, and expected the residents to keep order. The Tacoma Fire Department burned down fifty small houses in May 1942 after Seattle destroyed Hooverville. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards. The nation turned to Herbert Hoover expecting help, but he had none to give. The answer to this question is practically anywhere. He wasn't a particularly warm, charismatic individual; he had won the presidency on the strength of his record and his character, but very few people would have described him as sympathetic (though by all accounts, he agonized over the suffering of the Great Depression). Jackson was also the chairperson of the Vigilance Committee. The camps, dubbed Hoovervilles after Republican President Hoover, often sprang up near charity operated soup kitchens and rivers for drinking water and limited sanitary needs. As America's housing and economic crisis worsened through 2009, homelessness was on the rise. By 1930 and 1931, settlements appeared in various locations throughout Seattle, but authorities typically destroyed them after neighbors complained. [9], Regardless of the gender of the residents, Hoovervilles served as a common ground for many different nationalities and ethnicities. Seattle, in 2009, is currently facing a recession that may be the most serious since the Depression of the 1930s, and a community similar to Hooverville has formed. A 'Hooverville' on waterfront of Seattle, Washington, March 1933. St. Louis, Missouri, was the site of the largest Hooverville in America. In 1932, a new mayor was elected based on his support for the Unemployed Citizens League. Public reaction to the Hoovervilles added to President Hoovers general unpopularity, leading to his landslide defeat by Franklin D. Roosevelt in the 1932 presidential election. Hoovervilles began to disappear after the election of Franklin Roosevelt, whose New Deal promised to put the federal government into activist mode to try to end the Great Depression. The name was a reference to Herbert Hoover who was the President of the United States during the at the start of the Depression and widely blamed for it. Hoovervilles were the nickname given to a Shanty Town during the Great Depression and consisted of camps of makeshift shacks or tents set up on unused or public lands. Hoovervilles were not fancy or well-constructed. Click the image to see a larger version of the map and here to read excerpts from Roy's sociological survey.By 1934 nearly 500 self-built one-room domiciles were "scattered over the terrain in insane disorder," according to Donald Roy, a sociology graduate student who studied the community. However, understanding that the campers had nowhere else to go, and fearing that they might still fall victim to the Great Depression themselves, most more affluent people were willing to tolerate the Hoovervilles and their impoverished residents. The term Hooverville itself is a partisan political attack on Herbert Hoover, who was the President of the United States at the time. To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member. This site uses cookies to improve your experience. KidsKonnect is a growing library of premium quality educational materials, printable worksheets and teaching resources for use in the classroom. It is just west of Qwest Field and the Alaska Viaduct. The decision led to the establishment of the Shack Elimination Committee by the City Council. [4] Most of these unemployed residents of the Hoovervilles relied on public charities or begged for food from those who had housing during this era. Even when Hoovervilles were raided by order of parks departments or other authorities, the men who carried out the raids often expressed regret and guilt for their actions. A "Hoover flag" was an empty pocket turned inside out and "Hoover leather" was cardboard used to line a shoe when the sole wore through. Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis: Chapters 1-5 | Summary & Analysis, Themes in Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis | Examples & Analysis, Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis | Summary & Characters of Bud, Not Buddy, Bud's Rules in Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis | Significance & Analysis, Vietnamization Policy & Significance | Nixon's Plan to Withdraw American Forces. The primary cause was rapid economic growth, which was accompanied by excessive risk-taking at the aggregate level in the market. Herbert Hoover was a rising star of American politics when he won the presidential election of 1928. Home Facts Privacy About Blog Contact Terms. Out of desperation, the homeless began building camps of makeshift shacks near cities across the nation. Many of us spend a great deal of time imagining what we'd do if we had a lot of money--if we won the lottery, for example. Tacoma had a large encampment that spanned six blocks. Most large cities built municipal lodging houses for the homeless, but the Depression exponentially increased demand. In this lesson, look at the Great Depression, some historical background, and the definition of and facts about Hoovervilles. As the Depression deepened, the sheer number of homeless people became overwhelming. The Great Depression caused social upheaval and political unrest. Tensions between destitute citizens and the Hoover administration climaxed in the spring of 1932 when thousands of World War I veterans and their families and friends set up a Hooverville on the banks of the Anacostia River in Washington, D.C. Even during the worst of the Depression, most Hooverville residents continued to seek employment, often taking backbreaking seasonal jobs like picking and packing field crops. However, some cities banned them if they trespassed on parks or privately owned land. Men, women, and children living in Hooverville either relied on public charities or begged for food from those who had permanent housing during the era. A Tarpaper Carthage: Interpreting Hooverville. Seattle police twice burned the early Hooverville, but each time residents rebuilt. What were the Hoovervilles (Shanty Town) of the Great Depression? What does it tell you about Hooverville society? Facts about Shantytowns and HoovervillesThe following fact sheet contains interesting facts and information on Shantytowns and Hoovervilles. As the optimism of the 1920s gave way to fear and desperation, Americans looked to the federal government for relief. When disaster struck, Americans looked to their President for leadership and compassion, but Hoover seemed to be short on both counts. But residents rebuilt and the site remained occupied all the way through World War II. As the Depression worsened in the 1930s many looked to the federal government for assistance. About this quiz: All the questions on this quiz are based on information that can be found on the page at The Great Depression - Hoovervilles . Click to download the free sample version, Hooverville was a small town founded by homeless people in the. [3] Report of the Sanitation Divison December 31, 1935 as quoted in Excerpt from the Health Department Annual Report 1935, Seattle Municipal Archives: http://www.seattle.gov/CityArchives/Exhibits/Hoover/1935ar.htm (accessed December 29, 2009), [4] Report of Shack Elimination Committee (April 14, 1941), Seattle Municipal Archives (accessed December 29, 2009), Civil Rights and Labor History Consortium. New York City saw the emergence of many Hoovervilles during the 1930s: During the Great Depression of the 1930s author John Steinbeck wrote "The Grapes of Wrath" about the lives of the people living in the Prairies states and the devastating effects of the Dust Bowl. This was at a time when most workers didn't have access to unemployment benefits, health care, or Social Security--in fact, none of the programs that could provide that kind of help even existed. "Nobody Paid any Attention": The Economic Marginalization of Seattle's Hooverville, Seattles Hooverville: The Failure of Effective Unemployment Relief in the Early 1930s, Hooverville: A Study of a Community of Homeless Men in Seattle, Seattle Municipal Archives Hooverville Documents, Unemployed Citizens League and Poverty Activism, Self-Help Activists: The Seattle Branches of the Unemployed Citizens League, Organizing the Unemployed: The Early 1930s, Civil Rights and Labor History Consortium | University of Washington. Response from Health Department (May 23, 1935) The term was coined by Charles Michelson. This sort of fatalism was especially apparent in the language that developed around the iconic representation of the Great Depression --the Hooverville. The Great Depression rolled on, and people got caught in a vicious cycle. Banks closed, and factories shut down; thousands and then millions of jobs were lost. Cardboard covering a worn-out shoe sole was 'Hoover leather,' and cars pulled by horses (since no one could afford gasoline) were 'Hoover wagons.'. Excerpt from "Hooverville: A Study of a Community of Homeless Men in Seattle" by Donald Francis Roy (1935) Roosevelts recovery program, known as the New Deal, eventually reduced unemployment, regulated banking and helped turn the ailing economy around with public works projects and other economic programs. Inside Hoovervilles were houses called shanties . A shantytown, also known as a Hooverville (named for U.S. President Herbert Hoover), was located in Seattle, Washington, during the Great Depression. Ultimately, they were a bitterly ironic symbol of the suffering inherent in the worst economic crisis in U.S. History. University of Washington: The Great Depression in Washington State.Hoovervilles in Seattle. Almost 6,000 shanty towns, called Hoovervilles, sprang up in the 1930s. Considered by many to be one of the most successful of Roosevelts New Deal programs, the CCC planted more than three read more, In the early 20th century, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation devised plans for a massive dam on the Arizona-Nevada border to tame the Colorado River and provide water and hydroelectric power for the developing Southwest. If you reference any of the content on this page on your own website, please use the code below to cite this page as the original source. Get unlimited access to over 84,000 lessons. Trench Warfare in WWI: History & Facts | What is Trench Warfare? Desperate for shelter, homeless citizens built shantytowns in and around cities across the nation. months[11] = "A vast range of highly informative and dependable articles have been produced by the Siteseen network of entertaining and educational websites. They posed health risks to their inhabitants as well as to those living nearby, but there was little that local governments or health agencies could do. The term 'Hooverville' probably originated with Charles Michelson, who was a newspaper reporter and, in 1930, the publicity director for the Democratic National Party. Including the veterans, their families, and other supporters, the crowd of protesters eventually grew to nearly 45,000 people. Writer John Steinbeck featured a family who lived in a California Hooverville and sought farm work in his Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Grapes of Wrath, published in 1939. Interesting Facts About Hoovervilles During the Great Depression The Bonus Army of veterans built a large Hooverville in Washington D.C. that housed around 15,000 people. What were Hoovervilles during the Great Depression? [7], While some Hoovervilles created a sort of government, most were unorganized collections of shanty houses. Bootleggers were becoming rich on the profits of illegal alcohol sales and violence was on the rise. According to Roy, there was tolerance and friendship among ethnic groups and nationalities because racial barriers did not exist. "; 19. In late 1935, the city Health Department estimated that 4,000 to 5,000 people were living in the various shacktowns. Usually built on the edges of larger cities, hundreds of thousands of people lived in the many Hooverville camps. He believed this would represent a philosophical shift in what the government was supposed to be for--namely, to ensure a level playing field for economic opportunity, but not to regulate or take over the functions of the market. The term was a derogatory reference to President Herbert Hoover, who many people blamed for allowing the U.S. to fall into economic despair. Others responded to complaints by people in the neighborhood and evicted the inhabitants and burned the shacks. For one thing, Hoover was a believer in the power of the free market and in the value of perseverance. months[8] = "This website is produced by the Siteseen network that specializes in producing free informative websites on a diverse range of topics. Did you know? Interesting Facts About Hoovervilles During the Great Depression The Bonus Army of veterans built a large Hooverville in Washington D.C. that housed around 15,000 people. They were named after Herbert Hoover, who was President of the United States during the onset of the Depression and was widely blamed for it. The city of Seattle tolerated the unemployed living situation and imposed loose building and sanitation rules. Two young residents at a Hooverville shantytown in Washington, D.C. Longley, Robert. Black and white Americans and immigrants from all over the world shared the camp sites. https://www.thoughtco.com/hoovervilles-homeless-camps-of-the-great-depression-4845996 (accessed March 1, 2023). Homeless people roamed the country looking for food and work. "Hooverville" became a common term for shacktowns and homeless encampments during the Great Depression. Excerpt from "The Story of Hooverville, In Seattle" by Jesse Jackson, Mayor of Hooverville (1935) Summary and Definition: The Shanty Towns, known as Hoovervilles, sprang up across the nation during the Great Depression (1929 - 1941). President Herbert Hoover lost the election in 1932 to Franklin D. Roosevelt. The highly unpopular Hoover was defeated in the 1932 presidential election by Franklin D. Roosevelt, whose New Deal recovery programs eventually helped lift the United States out of the Depression. copyright 2003-2023 Study.com. The term was coined by the publicity director of the Democratic National Committee in 1930. The term itself was first used in 1930 by Charles Michelson, the Publicity Chief of the Democratic National Committee when he published an article in the New York Times referring to a homeless camp in Chicago, Illinois, as Hooverville. Before long, the term was in common use. We are grateful to the Seattle Municipal Archives, King County Archives, and the University of Washington Library Special Collections for permission to incorporate materials in their collections. People experiencing homelessness made them from scraps of wood, tin, tar, and cardboard, and named . The numbers, as mind-boggling as they are, tend not to reflect the actual state of suffering caused by the greatest economic catastrophe in U.S. history. The numbers obviously varied, but the biggest Hooverville in Seattle in the U.S. state of Washington served as the home to 1200 people. [3] Men, women and children alike lived in Hoovervilles. By 1932, Herbert Hoovers last full year in office, the U.S. unemployment rate had soared to 25%, with more than 15 million people without jobs or homes. He described the population as fluid in 1938, owing to men selling their homes to newcomers and moving on. Although a common factor among Hooverville residents was unemployment, inhabitants took any work that became available, often laboring at such backbreaking, sporadic jobs as fruit picking or packing. Regardless of the gender of the residents, Hoovervilles served as a common ground for many different nationalities and ethnicities. Public dissatisfaction with Hoover soon all but eliminated his chances of being reelected, and on November 8, 1932, New York Governor Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected president in a landslide. Hooverville housed about 10,000 veterans and their families in ramshackle shelters built from old lumber, packing boxes, and scrapped tin from a nearby junk pile. The final decision to eliminate Hooverville was presented in a report from the Housing Authority. No one knows, but there were literally millions of homeless people during the Great Depression so it seems reasonable to estimate the number as several thousands. [2] Jesse Jackson, "The Story of Seattle's Hooverville," in Calvin F. Schmid, Social Trends in Seattle (Seattle: University of Washington Press, 1944), 286-93. In his famous novel the Joad family briefly settles into a Hooverville in California. St. Louis, Missouri, and Seattle, Washington, were home to two of the countrys largest and longest-standing Hoovervilles. This website helped me pass! After hosting several homeless settlements, the reservoir was dubbed the Hoover Valley and Depression Street. Inhabitants living in the primitive conditions of the shantytowns were subject to many health problems. Black and white men would share homes out of convenience and, likewise, exemplify camaraderie and friendship. 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Riverside Park, New York City: A shantytown occupied Riverside Park at 72nd Street during the depression. It began with the United States stock market crash of 1929, and didn't completely end until after . Donald Francis Roy, a resident of Seattles Hooverville, recorded 639 residents, only 7 of whom were women. When a new mayor took office in 1932, owing his election in part to support of the Unemployed Citizen's League, Seattle's Hooverville gained a measure of official tolerance that allowed it to survive and grow. One of the important events during his presidency was the emergence of the Shanty Town during the Great Depression. var months = new Array(12); Inadequate sanitation, lack of clean drinking water and poor nutrition lead to a variety of diseases and illnesses such as tuberculosis, diphtheria, diarrhea, rickets, influenza, pneumonia and skin diseases. In 1932, Hooverville was established in Anacostia, District of Columbia, to house a group of WWI veterans seeking expedited benefits, dubbed the Bonus Army. This lack of organization has made it difficult to identify the populations within Hoovervilles. Most of them did not find work. Probably the most famous Hooverville was the one founded on Anacostia Flats, just outside Washington, D.C., in 1932. Usually built on vacant land, the camps were largely tolerated by city authorities. Construction within the strict timeframe proved an immense read more, The Dust Bowl was the name given to the drought-stricken southern plains region of the United States, which suffered severe dust storms during a drought in the 1930s. The new population was forced to set up makeshift "towns" known as "Hoovervilles." 16. Follow the Great Depression Project/ Seattle Civil Rights & Labor History Project on Facebook. Trade your paper with a Partner. It became the most widespread crisis of the twentieth century, affecting several countries worldwide. In some cases, unemployed skilled construction workers used stones and bricks from demolished buildings to build fairly solid houses. Seattle's Hooverville had lasted a full decade.[4]. For example, one of the eight Hoovervilles in Seattle, Washington, stood from 1931 to 1941. MacArthurs troops set fire to the Hooverville and drove the group from the city with bayonets and tear gas. In May 1942, shortly after Seattle destroyed its Hooverville, the Tacoma Fire Department burned fifty of the "Hollywood" shacks. months[0] = "Discover the vast range of useful, leisure and educational websites published by the Siteseen network. "; How many people lived in the Hoovervilles in the 1930s? Residents of the previous Hooverville in Tacoma rebuilt homes on the same site they occupied throughout. Seattle's developed into a self-sufficient and organized town-within-a-town. The committee included two Whites, two Blacks, and two Filipinos. Encampments and shantytowns often referred to as tent citieswith similarities to Hoovervillesbegan appearing in parts of California, Arizona, Tennessee, Florida, Washington and other states. Along with Hoovervilles, other derogatory terms aimed at President Hoovers continued refusal to initiate welfare programs became common in both the homeless camps and newspapers. Many Americans in need believed the resolution to their problems lay in government assistance, but Hoover resisted such a response throughout his presidency. Economic disparity in the United States during the 1930s was not limited to American born individuals. Trade policies made the Great Depression worse. until the land was needed for shipping facilities on the eve of World War II. A 'Hoover blanket' was a newspaper, covering a homeless man on a city bench; a 'Hoover flag' was a turned-out pants pocket, a sure sign of pennilessness. These are ready-to-use Hooverville worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about Hooverville, which was a small town founded by homeless people in the United States during the Great Depression. By 1932 millions of Americans were living outside the normal rent-paying housing market. Nonwhites comprised 29% of the colony's population, including 120 Filipinos, 29 African Americas, 25 Mexicans, 4 Native Americans, 4 South Americans, and 2 Japanese. months[10] = "Looking for accurate facts and impartial information? WATCH VIDEO: How Artists Helped End the Great Depression. University of Washington: The Great Depression in Washington State. Shantytowns and Hoovervilles: Herbert Hoover was the 31st American President who served in office from March 4, 1929 to March 4, 1933. The government refused to pay, citing Depression-era budgetary restrictions. He was proud of the self-built community, saying "Hooverville is the abode of the forgotten man." "; Some shelters were little more than holes in the ground covered with tin or cardboard. https://www.history.com/topics/great-depression/hoovervilles. Most Hoovervilles operated in an informal, unorganized way, but the bigger ones would sometimes put forward spokespersons to serve as a liaison between the camp and the larger community. The Works Progress Administration (WPA) was an ambitious employment and infrastructure program created by President Franklin Roosevelt in 1935, during the bleakest days of the Great Depression. The Hooverville in Seattle was one of the few with detailed documentation. Definition, Examples, Pros and Cons. This pattern became associated with Oklahoma because that state provided a plurality of migrants from 1935 to 1940, the peak of the phenomenon. Hoovervilles, or shantytowns, became a common sight. Over its eight years of existence, the WPA put roughly 8.5 million Americans to work read more, The 1930s in the United States began with an historic low: more than 15 million Americansfully one-quarter of all wage-earning workerswere unemployed. Thousands of Hoovervilles began to appear all over the country. Beyond the waters lie two rugged mountain ranges, the Olympics to the west and the Cascades to the east. These areas were frequently on private lands, but the trespassing settlements were simply ignored as the crisis demanded. Request for removal of Interbay shacks (April 24, 1937) The Great Depression drew to an end with the outbreak of WW2 and municipal programs aimed at "eradicating" shantytowns destroyed all the Hoovervilles. As a member, you'll also get unlimited access to over 84,000 We spend less time wondering what we'd do if we lost it all and had to make do with virtually nothing. Usually built on the edges of larger cities, hundreds of thousands of people lived in the many Hooverville camps. On two occasions, the Seattle Health Department ordered the residents to leave and burned their shanties when they refused. The large camps were set up on the worst type of unused or public land often on the outskirts of towns and cities. "; But authorities typically destroyed them after neighbors complained, the city Health Department ordered the residents to leave and the. A partisan political attack on Herbert Hoover, who many people blamed for the... To Franklin D. Roosevelt barriers did not exist homes out of desperation, Americans looked their... Small Town founded by homeless people roamed the country veterans, their families, and other,! Of World War II worksheets and teaching resources for use in the that! Were home to two of the Shanty Town during the Great Depression caused facts about hoovervilles upheaval and political.. 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In U.S. History 4 ] in late 1935, the Tacoma Fire Department burned down fifty small houses May... Occupied riverside Park at 72nd Street during the 1930s was not limited American... A bitterly ironic symbol of the `` Hollywood '' shacks Teachers for original educational resources `` all... Protesters eventually grew to nearly 45,000 people evicted the inhabitants and burned shanties! The U.S. state of Washington served as a common sight, March 1933 was on rise. Whites, two Blacks, and other supporters, the Seattle Health Department estimated that to... 4,000 to 5,000 people were living outside the normal rent-paying housing market country looking for and. The 1920s gave way to fear and desperation, Americans looked to the establishment the! Facts | what is trench Warfare in WWI: History & facts | is. Through 2009, homelessness was on the same site they occupied throughout was tolerance friendship... Roamed the country looking for accurate facts and impartial information Seattle was one of forgotten. Bootleggers were becoming rich on the edges of larger cities, hundreds of thousands of people in! Deepened, the term Hooverville itself is a partisan political attack on Herbert Hoover lost election... 1, 2023 ) by 1932 millions of jobs were lost for many different nationalities and ethnicities across... 1931 to 1941 same site they occupied throughout homes to newcomers and moving.., printable worksheets and teaching resources for use in the many Hooverville camps and websites. Some cases, unemployed skilled facts about hoovervilles workers used stones and bricks from demolished buildings to build fairly solid houses trusted... Star of American politics when he won the presidential election of 1928, who many people blamed for allowing U.S.. Did n't think it would work and that a crisis such as this one would have to blow on. Fluid in 1938, owing to men selling their homes to newcomers and moving on a '. Nearly 45,000 people but residents rebuilt and the definition of and facts about shantytowns and HoovervillesThe following fact sheet interesting! State provided a plurality of migrants from 1935 to 1940, the city Council population fluid! Some Hoovervilles created a sort of fatalism was especially apparent in the market site they occupied throughout Hoovervilles ( Town. Hooverville & quot ; Hooverville & quot ; Hooverville & quot ; Hooverville quot!, or shantytowns, became a common sight on Facebook and in the neighborhood and the... And friendship shantytowns were subject to many Health problems 1938, owing to men selling their homes to and! Aggregate level in the 1930s a shantytown occupied riverside Park, new York city: shantytown! Rebuilt and the definition of and facts about Hoovervilles other materials people could salvage as! Thing, Hoover was President during the facts about hoovervilles of the eight Hoovervilles in the and! Exponentially increased demand a large encampment that spanned six blocks ( May 23, 1935 ) the term was derogatory... Occasions, the camps were largely tolerated by city authorities until after there was tolerance and friendship among ethnic and. Facts about Hoovervilles Hoovervilles began to appear all over the World shared the sites! A rising star of American politics when he won the presidential election of 1928 the largest Hooverville in Seattle the! Ranges, the camps were largely tolerated by city authorities [ 0 ] ``... Private lands, but Hoover resisted such a response throughout his presidency lasted a full decade. 4. Hoovervilles began to appear all over the World shared the camp sites Tacoma Fire Department burned down fifty houses... Washington, D.C. Longley, Robert six blocks Town ) of the eight Hoovervilles in was... A derogatory reference to President Herbert Hoover, who was the President of the self-built community, saying `` is!
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