The Grapes of Wrath | Historical Context

Troubles for Farmers
The story of the Joads in The Grapes of Wrath begins during the Great Depression but troubles for American farmers had begun years before that. Having enjoyed high crop prices during World War I when supplies of food were short and European markets were disabled, American farmers borrowed heavily from banks to invest in land and equipment. After the war, however, prices for wheat, corn, and other crops plummeted as European...

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