There were many hardships during the Great Depression. As banks failed, people lost money they had in savings and checking accounts. Many people lost all their money and some were able to get some of their money out of the bank before it closed. Unemployment soared. Most families during this time only had one breadwinner--the Father/Husband. Most women did not work so if the man lost his job, the family was without money coming in. As people lost jobs, they stopped spending and businesses lost money as a result. Factories closed because there was little demand for their product. Unemployment increased. Farmers were hit.