During the Great Depression, which peaked between 1932 and 1933, some 6,000 street vendors walked the streets of New York City in 1930 trying to sell apples for 5 cents each.
Here are some other facts about the Depression:
- President Herbert Hoover’s name became synonymous with the hardships faced by many. Soup was called “Hoover Stew,” and shantytowns made of cardboard and sheets were called “Hoovervilles.”
- Zippers became widely used because buttons became too expensive.
- * Because the circulation of money was so low, the U.S. didn’t mint nickels in 1932 or 1933.
- * The biggest hit song of 1932 was “Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?” by Bing Crosby.
- * Thousands of homeless families camped out on the Great Lawn at Central Park in New York City, which was an empty reservoir during the Great Depression.
- * By 1940, 2.5 million people had fled the Great Plains. Roughly 200,000 moved to California.
Source: Great Depression Facts