The Womans Roles during the Depression Era Essay -- Great Depression

The Woman's Roles during the Depression Era The U.S. experienced a Depression in 1929. The American economy collapsed and millions of people were out of jobs. The government's role during this time of economic crisis was to assist the citizens of this country in any way possible. This sometimes led to the development of experimental programs and projects. Greenbelt, Maryland, can be characterized as such. Greenbelt was a planned community designed to house low- to middle-income families. It attempted to provide a safe and cooperative environment where parents and children alike could live safely and harmoniously. It was built in 1936. The Greenbelt museum is a model of the homes built after the Great Depression struck. It is a two-story cinderblock house and one of more than 800 homes. I will be taking a close look at the kitchen of the Greenbelt museum. First, I will examine a few of the various artifacts in the kitchen. Naturally, many of these artifacts have been replaced with new and improved models, thanks to technology. Secondly, I will talk about the woman's role in the kitchen and how this has obviously changed with modern times. I will be linking to Nicole Richardson's examination of the role of women in Greenbelt in the post-Depression era. I will also be linking to Neil Zuckerman's analysis of the bathroom. This is a picture of the kitchen in Greenbelt. As you can see, the cabinet is built into the wall and the kitchen tools are neatly arranged and displayed on the counter top. There is additional drawer space below the counter. There is a small closet on the left. Before and during the time of the Great Depression, in the 1920s and the 1930s, the kitchen was a small space dedicated solely to the pr... ... just as their husbands do. At the same time they take care of children, through the help of child care and or nannies and baby-sitters. Women are slowly gaining equal rights and having the same advantages as men. At the same time they are balancing the household work and the children. Works Cited Mitchell, Broadus. Depression Decade: From New Era through New Deal 1929-1941. New York: Rinehart & Company, Inc.,1947 (HC106.M51) Lifshey, Earl. The Housewares Story: A History of the American Housewares Industry. Chicago: National Housewares Manufacturers Association, 1973 (HD9773.U5L5) Campbell, Susan. Cooks' Tools: The Complete Manual of Kitchen Implements and How to Use Them. New York: William Morrow and Company, Inc., 1980 (TX656.C3) Plante, Ellen M. The American Kitchen 1700 to the Present. New York: Facts on File, Inc., 1995 (TX653.P56 1995)