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The book talks about how there was segregation just about everywhere you looked. In the 1930 's the white people had their own restrooms along with their own water fountains and the lacks had their own school and blacks usually did not go to school. They were too busy working on the farm to go to school. The schools only had one room for all of the grades. The children usually walked to school in those days, because they didn't have school buses. They also had to bring their own lunch to school in lunch pails.
Today children ride school buses to school. It would kill us if we had to walk to school. We are not use to that much exercise. Also today they serve us lunch in the cafeterias. Although it it is not that good at least they try.
They have to work with the limited stuff the school board allows them to buy. Speaking of buses, the blacks would have to sit in the back of the bus and the whites sat in the front. Although, thanks to Rosa Parks, who on day refused to sit in the back of the bus, now blacks can sit wherever they want to sit. Today whites use the same restrooms and water fountains as blacks do. Blacks and whites also attend the same schools. Today schools have different classrooms for every grade.
Also in the 1930 's women did not get to do much of anything, except be a housewife and mother. They did not get to vote on a president or anything for that matter. Women could nt even be on the jury in a trial. The only people that could serve on a jury were white men who owned property, but now almost anyone can serve on a jury. Today women can vote just like men can. Most women work outside of the home and some women make as much, if not more, money than men do at their jobs.
There was a Great Depression in the 1930 's. During this time President Hoover was trying to fight against unemployment. The percentage of unemployed people rose 25 percent during this time. With unemployment continuing to rise, President Hoover urged congress to provide up to 150 billion dollars for public works to create jobs. As unemployment rose, the amount of hungry people rose also.
There would be huge amounts of people in line for food at the soup kitchens that were available in almost every city. Today we still have unemployment and hungry people but it is not as bad as it was during the depression. Today we are a wasteful society. We usually waste a lot fo food. We take never being hungry for granted. Back then the cost of living was a lot lower, for example, a Butterfinger candy bar cost 1 cent for a peice.
Some of the bigger bars cost 3 adn 5 cents apiece. Today, they cost at least a dollar and a half or more. In the 1930 's women wore one-piece bathing suits that were like tank tops with shorts made onto them. Today women wear anything from skimpy two-piece bathing suits to string bikinis. Back then women were more modest than they are today. In 1938 President Roosevelt signed the Fair Labor Standards Act.
This established a minimum wage of 40 cents and hour and a maximum workweek of 44 hours. Today the minimum wage is 5. 75, which is a lot better than 40 cents; however, today the cost of living is a lot more than it was in the 30 's. In the 1930 's people went to the movie theaters to see the movies, but not just anybody could afford to go. Later came drive-in theaters. There are a few of those around today, but most people today see their movies on television or rent them from stores. In the 1930 's children played differently than they do today.
Back then they played outside more. Today kids watch television and play video games instead of playing outside. All and all there have able a lot of changes from the 1930 's to 2003. I am so glad I did not live in those days.
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Research essay sample on Cost Of Living Back Of The Bus
