Politics and Cultureduring the Great Depression

Politics and Movies > Frank Capra, Meet John Doe, 1941

Politics and Movies > The Marx Brothers, Duck Soup, 1933

Politics and Radio > Orson Welles, “War of the Worlds,” 1938

Historical Research and Writing

Writing > Rules are helpful but may be broken to persuade the reader

Writing > 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

Writing > 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.

Writing > 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.”

Writing > 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.

Writing > 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 company’s future success.

Writing > 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.

Writing > 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 didn’t 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 salesman—a very popular job at the time—there was room for future progression. However, if you did not succeed in sales, your opportunities declined immensely.

Writing > Style matters

• New York Times should be in italics

• Paragraphs should be indented

• Avoid contractions: do not instead of don’t

• Format footnotes according to the Chicago style: "CHAUFFEUR, white," New York Times, 5 January 1930, 5.