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1930's Depression

In: Historical Events

Submitted By RDS777
Words 1206
Pages 5
Study sources A,B,C,D,E & F and explain how : ‘The 1930’s was a time of depression, unemployment and poverty for the British people’

1930’s Britain was heavily affected by an economic depression or in other words economic crash. Because of its old industries shutting down causing Britain to loose it’s trade markets to cheaper but higher quality goods by new industrial countries triggered by the wall street crash in the united states in 1929 which reduced the imports which were going towards Britain at the time effecting Britain with its industries to close down and the rate of unemployment to grow, also effecting other countries’ economies worldwide when its most powerful economy collapsed.

Source A (Secondary Source) supports the interpretation because it presents us with a photograph of a book called ‘The Road to Wigan Pier’ written by George Orwell which presents us with a classic unemployment image of an unemployed man in Wigan leaning against the wall with his head down Portraying embarrassment and giving the reader an impression of unemployment and depression, in scruffy dirty clothes and clogs (Wooden Shoes) whiles the kids near him have holed shirts and shoes which also clearly represent poverty. However this photograph is not only presented to us in order to illustrate the author’s book but to portray the ‘Depressed Britain’ in the 1930’s through imagery. Furthermore the cause of this depression was due to the declining of old industries which were mainly based in north side of England, Scotland and Wales. Therefore dramatically increasing the unemployment rate which had dramatic effects towards all locals in the community leading to many to a difficult lifestyle e.g. low on food supply, clothing etc. which then caused many services and shops to close down because they weren’t being used as much as before which also further increased

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