I tend to think the major hardship the Americans faced was unemployment. The stock market crash that occurred in the last quarter of 1929 brought about an economic crisis that spread for years.
The amount of funds people lost reduced their investment and spending habits. This made industries to reduce their production and as result many people lost employment and those who were qualifying to join the labor market found no jobs available.
Although, during the Great Depression women joined labor force in huge numbers, it was because they took jobs that men could not take like sewing, domestic work, teaching, nursing and secretarial roles. These jobs paid less.
