During the Great Depression, which began in 1929 and lasted approximately a decade, shantytowns appeared across the U.S. as unemployed people were evicted from their homes. As the Depression worsened in the 1930s, causing severe hardships for millions of Americans, many looked to the federal government for assistance.
<em>Responses may vary but should include some or all of the following information:</em> Shanty towns were a hastily-constructed collection of shelters that many families were forced to turn to during the Depression. Oklahoma City placed a shanty town called Elm Grove under government control in an effort to improve living conditions. Six hundred families could be housed in the camp, and there were some amenities, including electricity, water, schools, and a soup kitchen.
