Final answer:
Option C, stating that large numbers of people began collecting unemployment, was NOT an effect of the Great Depression on average Americans since the unemployment insurance system was not established until after the depression's peak years.
Step-by-step explanation:
During the Great Depression, the average American faced a multitude of hardships. People lost jobs, faced extreme poverty, and suffered from malnutrition. Many families had to adapt by growing their own food, sewing clothing, and repairing items rather than purchasing new ones. While some communities found ways to support each other, the impact of the Depression was extremely severe with the unemployment rate reaching as high as one-quarter of the American workforce by 1933. However, among the choices provided, the statement that large numbers of people began collecting unemployment (Choice C) was NOT an effect of the Great Depression on average Americans, as the concept of unemployment insurance did not exist until the Social Security Act of 1935, after the period described.