1. THE GREAT DEPRESSION Context To Kill a Mockingbird

2. A period of extreme drought, poverty and hardships during the 1930s.
Even those with jobs were affected because nothing was being produced
Average family income dropped to 50% by 1935
25% of population had no job
GREAT
DEPRESSION
Stock Market Crash caused people to lose billions. Entire banks were wiped out and by 1933 over 60% of population was considered poor
Hundreds of thousands lost homes, farms and possessions
A period of extreme drought, poverty and hardships during the 1930s.
The novel takes place during the mid-1930s at a time when the government was attempting to stop the Great Depression. The President at the time, Franklin Roosevelt, famously said, “the only thing to fear is fear itself” as his government created programs to create jobs, house the homeless and feed the starving.

3. Many found being broke humiliating.
Stock market crash
Didn’t realize the effect it would have
No money to replenish what was borrowed
Many found being broke humiliating.

4. The Roaring 20’s The new concept of “credit” People were buying:
Automobiles
Appliances
Clothes
Fun times reigned
Dancing
Flappers
Drinking

5. Credit system WWI Why was this bad?
People didn’t really have the money they were spending
WWI
The U.S. was a major credit loaner to other nations in need
Many of these nations could not pay us back

6. The Stock Market People bought stocks on margins Stocks fall
If a stock is $100 you can pay $10 now and the rest later when the stock rose
Stocks fall
Now the person has less than $100 and no money to pay back

7. And then….
With people panicking about their money investors tried to sell their stocks
This leads to a huge decline in stocks
Stocks were worthless now
People who bought on “margins” now could not pay
Investors were average people that were now broke

8. PRESIDENT HOOVER Herbert Hoover was president at the start
Philosophy: We’ll make it!
What He Did: Nothing
The poor were looking for help and no ideas on how to correct or help were coming

9. What about the people? Farmers were already feeling the effects
Prices of crops went down
Many farms foreclosed
People could not afford luxuries
Factories shut down
Businesses went out
Banks could not pay out money
People could not pay their taxes
Schools shut down due to lack of funds
Many families became homeless and had to live in shanties

11. Many waited in unemployment lines hoping for a job.

12. People in cities would wait in line for bread to bring to their family.

13. Some families were forced to relocate because they had no money.

14. “Hooverville” Some families were forced to live in shanty towns
A grouping of shacks and tents in vacant lots
They were referred to as “Hooverville” because of President Hoover’s lack of help during the depression.

15. Hooverville

16. THE SOUTH AND THE DUST BOWL

17. A drought in the South lead to dust storms that destroyed crops.
“The Dust Bowl”

18. The South Was Buried Crops turned to dust = No food to be sent out
Homes buried
Fields blown away
South in state of emergency
Dust Bowl the #1 weather crisis of the 20th century

20. Two Families During the Depression

21. A Farm Foreclosure

22. Some families tried to make money by selling useful crafts like baskets.

23. In Connection To:
To Kill a Mockingbird

24. Racism and Social Classes
Background Information
Although slavery was abolished in the 1890s racism and discrimination were alive and well during the time of the novel.
The novel is based on many historical facts that help to drive the story, (and allow the readers to explore a sad time in American history) including:
Racism and Social Classes
1) Jim Crow Laws (1890s – 1960s)
2) Scottsboro Trials (1931)
3) Social Inequality (Forever)

25. 1. Jim Crow Laws
After the American Civil War most states in the South passed anti-African American legislation. These became known as Jim Crow laws.
These laws included segregation in…
Schools - Hospitals
Theaters - Water fountains
Restaurants
Hotels
Public transportation
Some states forbid inter-racial marriages

26. These laws were instituted in 1896 and were not abolished till the late 1950’s (even then still not completely).

27. 2. The Scottsboro Trials
9 young African-American men (13-20) accused of raping 2 white girls in 1931.
Immediately sentenced to death
Trials went on for nearly 15 years before all the men were dismissed

28. The trials caused a huge uproar amongst the black community.

29. 3. Social Hierarchy in connection TKM
Social Inequality
Wealthy
White Town/Country People
“White Trash”
Black People
The Finches
White folks of Maycomb &
Maycomb County
The Ewell Family
Tom Robinson
Even the law was one-sided: Juries were always all-white and all-male. The word of a black man meant nothing against the word of a white man.