Hoovervilles
Definition
Hoovervilles were shanty towns built by homeless people during the Great Depression. They were named after Herbert Hoover, who was President during the onset of the Depression and was widely blamed for it.
Analogy
Imagine if every time your team lost a game at school, people started calling losses "[Your Name]'s Defeat." That's kind of what happened with Hoovervilles - they were named after President Hoover because many people blamed him for their economic hardships.
Related terms
Great Depression: The severe worldwide economic depression that took place mostly during 1930s; it began in United States with major fall in stock prices on October 29, 1929 known as Black Tuesday.
Dust Bowl: A period of severe dust storms causing major ecological and agricultural damage to American prairie lands in 1930s; this worsened living conditions leading to more "Hoovervilles."
Herbert Hoover: The 31st President of the United States (1929–1933). His term was notably marked by the stock market crash of 1929 and the beginnings of the Great Depression.
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