The Great Depression

The Great Depression was the longest and most severe economic crisis in the United States that began in 1929 and lasted for about 10 years. It's believed the Depression began with the stock market crash on Wall Street in October 1929. Stock prices continued to fall, and most people lost their jobs and homes. Banks lost everything and were forced to close. By 1933, 11,000 of our 25,000 bank failed. Things continued to get worse with an extreme drop in peoples' item and production demands. This resulted in a drastic drop in unemployment. In 1932 the unemployment rate was 12-15 million people. Just 3 days after the stock market crashed, investors had already managed to lose over $5 billion. Near the end of 1929, stock prices had fallen another $11 billion. Banks that had money in stocks lost everything and big factories were forced to close. Many people were unsure of how to handle the situation, because at the time things were only getting a lot worse with no clear skies for miles and miles in the future. 

Learn About the National Steinbeck Center!

http://www.steinbeck.org/

John Steinbeck

John Steinbeck was born in Salinas, California in 1902. He began going to college at Stanford University, but was never able to graduate. When John was 23 years old, he went to New York looking to become a free-lance writer. These were people that were hired to come into an office for a couple hours, and if you wrote at least 3 good articles, the local newspaper would hire you. Steinbeck didn't succeed though and eventually returned back to California. He started writing and publishing stories. His first novel, Cup of Gold, was written in 1929. Steinbeck really became known among the public when he wrote Tortilla Flat in 1935. This humorous novel eventually won the California Commonwealth Club's Gold Metal. John Steinbeck was famous for writing novels about problems with rural labor, and many believe he found his strongest point was writing novels during the time of the Great Depression, where he was inspired the California Dust Bowl, and the struggle among migrant farmers.