Politics and Culture during the Great Depression

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Politics and Cultureduring the Great Depression
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Politics and Movies gt Frank Capra, Meet John Doe,
1941
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Politics and Movies gt The Marx Brothers, Duck
Soup, 1933
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Politics and Radio gt Orson Welles, War of the
Worlds, 1938
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Historical Research and Writing
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Writing gt Rules are helpful but may be broken to
persuade the reader
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Writing gt 50 ads is a too small statistical sample

• Possible solutions
• analyze all ads for one profession from 3 days
  in the beginning, middle, and end of the decade
• look all ads that discussed only one attribute
  (race, appearance, etc.) from 3 days in the
  beginning, middle, and end of the decade
• read ads from various periods to find a pattern
  and then try to verify that pattern by looking
  for more similar ads

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Writing gt Statistics and History
Statistics Illnesses kept slaves from work only
12 days a year Fogel and Engerma, Time on the
Cross This low illness rate tends to support
the impression that slaves were well cared
for. Gutman, Slavery and the Numbers
Game Slaves were permitted to leave work only
infrequently and only for the most severe
illnesses.
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Writing gt Statistical evidence vs. quotes and
examples
The increasing entrance of women into the labor
force dated from the end of World War I. It was
not limited to young women. While the
participation rate of women twenty to twenty-four
years old rose from 37.5 percent in 1920 to 45.6
percent in 1940, that of women of prime marriage
age (twenty-five to forty-four years) rose even
faster, from 21.7 percent to 30.5
percent. Michael Bernstein, Why the Great
Depression Was Great.
The fragile line between the worlds of folk and
popular culture is documented by those in the
radio audience who seem to have regarded radio as
a welcome part of their community. If I am tired
of the voices around me, a listener testified,
I turn on the radio. There I hear a new voice.
it is as if a friend had entered the room. I
feel your music and songs are what pulled me
though this winter, a Chicago listener wrote to
station WLS in June 1935. Lawrence Levine,
The Folklore of Industrial Society.
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Writing gt Provide exact information about your
evidence
As the Depression deepened, the opportunities for
women diminished in general.
An examination of 43 help wanted ads published in
the New York Times between 1929 and 1940 shows
that as the Depression deepened, job
opportunities for women diminished.
An examination of 50 help wanted ads published in
the New York Times between 1929 to 1940 shows
that as the Depression deepened, job
opportunities for women diminished.
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Writing gt Provide a clear thesis
At the time New York was a growing economy and
the question about racism and prejudice did
affect some employers, as well as employees but
for the majority of the two groups, what was
essential was the qualifications the applicant
had, and what they would be able to give to the
company to ensure future success.
At the time New York was a growing economy and
racism and prejudice did affect some employers,
as well as employees. However, an examination of
50 job ads published in the New York Times
between 1929 and 1940 shows that prejudice did
not play a major factor in hiring decisions.
Employers impartially looked for qualifications
indispensable to their companys future success.
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Writing gt Provide specific examples with footnotes
Modeling was a much more effective means for a
young woman to be financially independent than
the more common fields of office or domestic
help, often earning twice what even highly
qualified individuals would have made in their
respective fields.
Modeling was a much more effective means for a
young woman to be financially independent than
the more common fields of office or domestic
help. A model could earn up to 35 a week in 1940
while a housekeeper in 1936 was offered only 35
a month.1 1 Model, attractive, New York Times,
4 January 1940, 7 Cook, general household
work, New York Times, 12 April 1936, 5.
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Writing gt Provide specific statistics from the
database
The fact that sales outnumbered all jobs in this
research shows that the occupational structure in
New York was very lopsided in the sense that if
you had what it took to be a great salesman,
which was a very popular job at the time, there
was room for future progression, however if you
didnt succeed in sales, the opportunities for
your future declined immensely.
The fact that sales jobs constituted over 75 of
all jobs in this research shows that the
occupational structure in New York was lopsided.
If you had what it took to be a great salesmana
very popular job at the timethere was room for
future progression. However, if you did not
succeed in sales, your opportunities declined
immensely.
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Writing gt Style matters

• New York Times should be in italics
• Paragraphs should be indented
• Avoid contractions do not instead of dont
• Format footnotes according to the Chicago style
  
• "CHAUFFEUR, white," New York Times, 5 January
  1930, 5.