What name is given to a shantytown built by homeless people during the Great Depression, named after a U.S. president?

• A. Hooverville
• B. Shantytown
• C. Dustbowl City
• D. Relief Camp

Answer: (A)

Hooverville is the name used for the shantytowns that sprang up outside cities during the Great Depression. The term combines Herbert Hoover’s surname with the suffix -ville to reflect the public sentiment that Hoover’s policies failed to prevent the economic collapse. These encampments were makeshift communities built from scraps and cardboard by people who had lost their homes, and the label stuck in newspapers and history to describe that specific response to mass unemployment and poverty. A generic term like shantytown is too broad, and the others refer to different things—dustbowl misnomers or Canadian relief programs—so Hooverville best fits the description.