Even if you know nothing about the era, you can probably assess that the “Great Depression” wasn’t a good time. A global economic depression that lasted from 1929 until the late ’30s, unemployment levels reached record highs in the United States, and many families fell into severe poverty.

Though we learned the basics of this dark era in school, there were some details most teachers didn’t so thoroughly explore. The uncomfortable facts surrounding the devastating national impacts of this crisis are forcing us to see The Great Depression in a whole new light.

Hoovervilles 

If a family lost their home during the Depression, they’d move to one of many “Hoovervilles.” These poorly managed shanty towns were named after President Herbert Hoover, who was heavily criticized for his management of the crisis by the public.

Kid’s Health 

About 50% of children didn’t have adequate healthcare during this time. For some, this was because they weren’t getting enough to eat; for others, it was because they were homeless. This was a rough time to grow up.

Preparing Dinner 

The most popular meals during the Great Depression were regular fare, like chili and corned beef, but there were also some strange foods: prune pudding, peanut butter stuffed baked onions, spaghetti with boiled carrots and white sauce, and Mulligan stew flavored with tobacco. Delicious. 

The Big Apple’s Apples 

One depression-era profession was apple selling. Those who were attempting to avoid panhandling tried their hand at this job, especially in New York City. There were about 6,000 apple salespeople in this city alone.

Dandelions and Blackberries

The people of Appalachia were so desperate for food that dandelions and blackberries became major staples of their diet. This wasn’t enough for some children, who were still hungry after their meager meals and gnawed on their hands.