USA HISTORY

Detailed explanation-1: -Women were also getting married at much lower rates than before the Great Depression, so many single women needed to find a way to fend for themselves. Because the government refused to provide aid for those in need, private organizations and charities began to open up soup kitchens, particularly in major U.S. cities.

Detailed explanation-2: -During the Great Depression preceding the passage of the Social Security Act, “soup kitchens” provided the only meals some unemployed Americans had. This particular soup kitchen was sponsored by the Chicago gangster Al Capone.

Detailed explanation-3: -The history of soup kitchens in America can be traced back to the year 1929 with the effects of a growing depression. When soup kitchens first appeared, they were run by churches or private charities and served mostly soup and bread. Soup was economical because water could be added to serve more people.

Detailed explanation-4: -It began after the stock market crash of October 1929, which sent Wall Street into a panic and wiped out millions of investors. Over the next several years, consumer spending and investment dropped, causing steep declines in industrial output and employment as failing companies laid off workers.

Detailed explanation-5: -Some people chose to hunt for their food. Some people harvested their own bees to make honey. Other people went to soup kitchens, which are places where people can go and get a free meal. Since many people needed a free meal during the Depression, they often had to wait for hours in long ‘soup lines’ to be served.