The Great Depression Essays - U.S. Route 66, Dust Bowl, Great Plains

The Great Depression Though most Americans are aware of the Great Depression of 1929, which may well be "the most serious problem facing our free enterprise economic system", few know of the many Americans who lost their homes, life savings and jobs. This paper briefly states the causes of the depression and summarizes the vast problems Americans faced during the eleven years of its span. This paper primarily focuses on what life was like for farmers during the time of the Depression, as portrayed in John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath, and tells what the government did to end the Depression. In the 1920's, after World War 1, danger signals were apparent that a great Depression was coming. A major cause of the Depression was that the pay of workers did not increase at all. Because of this, they couldn't afford manufactured goods. While the factories were still manufacturing goods, Americans weren't able to afford them and the factories made no money (Drewry and O'connor 559). Another major cause related to farmers. Farmers weren't doing to well because they were producing more crops and farm products than could be sold at high prices. Therefore, they made a very small profit. This insufficient profit wouldn't allow the farmers to purchase new machinery and because of this they couldn't produce goods quick enough (Drewry and O'connor 559). A new plan was created called the installment plan. This plan was established because many Americans didn't have enough money to buy goods and services that were needed or wanted. The installment plan stated that people could buy products on credit and make monthly payments. The one major problem with this idea was that people soon found out that they couldn't afford to make the monthly payment(Drewry and O'connor 559). In 1929 the stock market crashed. Many Americans purchased stocks because they were certain of the economy. People started selling their stocks at a fast pace; over sixteen million stocks were sold! Numerous stock prices dropped to fraction of their value. Banks lost money from the stock market and from Americans who couldn't pay back loans. Many factories lost money and went out of business because of this great tragedy (Drewry and O'connor By the 1930's, thirteen million workers lost their jobs which is 25 percent of all workers. The blacks and unskilled workers were always the first to be fired. Farmers had no money and weren't capable of paying their mortgages. Americans traveled throughout the country looking for a place to work to support themselves and their family (Drewry and O'connor 560-561). John Steinbeck, born in 1902, grew up during the Depression near the fertile Salinas Valley and wrote many books of fiction based on his background and experiences during that time and area of the country. One of his great works would be the Grapes of Wrath In this book, Steinbeck describes the farmers plight during the Great Depression and drought. When the rains failed to come, the grass began to disappear. As the farmers watched their plants turn brown and the dirt slowly turn to dust they began to fear what was to come. In the water-cut gullies the earth dusted down in dry little streams. As the sharp sun struck day after day, the leaves of the young corn became less stiff and erect; then it was June and the sun shone more fiercely. The brown lines on the corn leaves widened and moved in on the central ribs. The weeds frayed and edged back toward their roots. The air was thin and the sky more pale; and every day the earth paled. (qtd. Steinbeck 2-3). The farmers worst fears were realized when their corn and other crops began to die. The dust became so bad they had to cover their mouths with handkerchiefs so they could breath (Steinbeck 3- When the drought hit the Great Plains and the soil turned to dust, many farmers moved to California because they could no longer farm their land(Drewry and O'Connor 561). The drought began to affect other parts of the country. In 1930, Virginia's belt of fertile land dried up. Ponds, streams, and springs all dried up and the great Mississippi River water level

Planning Out Your Essay Topics

Planning Out Your Essay TopicsYour Binghamton College essay topics need to be carefully thought out. It is essential that you decide on a topic that is suitable for your studies at Binghamton College. Remember, Binghamton College works hard for you and if you know what to expect you will keep your children with them as long as possible and the first thing they want to see when they get to Binghamton College is your work.Binghamton College essay topics range from science to politics. The topics are wide ranging and it can sometimes be difficult to decide what to write about. If you want to make sure that your work is well researched and well thought out you should select topics that are pertinent to your studies. For example, if you are taking biology at Binghamton College, you can choose topics related to evolution, flora and fauna, ecology, anatomy, zoology, health and nutrition.Your Binghamton College essay topics should reflect the overall goal of your studies. If you are pursuing a major in chemistry, you might choose topics like the periodic table, stability of elements, and antibacterial and antifungal properties of some compounds. If you are studying to be a physician, the topics include your education, how to treat diseases, risks, and need to know information. Your subjects might also be related to religion, philosophy, the environment, the human body, psychology, politics, and economics. If you are choosing to become a stockbroker, your subjects might include the structure of the stock company, issues of stock market, and how to become a good business person.As stated before, you should also keep in mind that each college will have a different writing process and the essay topics might not fit into that process. You will need to carefully research each topic to ensure that you know the topic inside and out. You should also read and reread the course materials to ensure that you have a grasp of the topic. To ensure that your Binghamton College essay to pics are well researched and you know the subject matter, you should get hold of someone to help you with this task. They can go over your materials and help you prepare and plan your papers. You will also have an expert helping you that is familiar with your courses.Some examples of such experts are professors, tutor assistants, professors' assistant, former students, and other individuals who are experts in your Binghamton College classes. One of the best sources of information is your college registrar. They will gladly help you out with this as well.If you have more than one student in your class, you should consider using more than one essay topics. This can help you with your progress but can also help ensure that your students always know what to expect from you as they prepare for exams.These are some tips to help you choose your Binghamton College essay topics. You do not have to choose the first topic that you find, but once you choose it, make sure that you stick with it. This will ensure that your work is well researched and it reflects your overall goals and interests.