Annotated Timeline

  • Henry Ford perfects mass production

    Henry Ford perfects mass production

    Henry Ford perfected mass production by introducing the moving assembly line for the Model T in 1913, dramatically cutting production time from over 12 hours to about 90 minutes. This system, which used interchangeable parts and specialized, less-skilled labor to perform a single task as the car moved along the line, made the Model T significantly more affordable, costing around $490 by 1914, down from $850 in 1908.
  • The Palmer Raids

    The Palmer Raids

    The Palmer Raids were a series of U.S. government raids in 1919 and 1920, led by Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer, targeting and arresting suspected radicals, anarchists, and communists during the first Red Scare.
  • Prohibition begins

    Prohibition begins

    Prohibition begins refers to the start of the U.S. national ban on alcohol, which was established by the 18th Amendment to the Constitution and took effect on January 17, 1920. This amendment outlawed the manufacture, sale, and transportation of alcoholic beverages nationwide. The National Prohibition Era lasted until 1933, when it was repealed by the 21st Amendment.
  • Women gain the right to vote

    Women gain the right to vote

    In the United States, this right was achieved through the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, which states, "The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex".
  • Sacco and Vanzetti are convicted

    Sacco and Vanzetti are convicted

    Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti were convicted of murder and robbery in 1921, sparking international protests and controversy that led to their executions in 1927. Their conviction was due to evidence including a gun belonging to Sacco, but critics argue the trial was prejudiced against them due to their Italian immigrant and anarchist backgrounds, and that the judge, Webster Thayer, showed bias.
  • Teapot Dome Scandal

    Teapot Dome Scandal

    Oil-rich federal lands in Wyoming (Teapot Dome) and California were designated as naval reserves in the early 1900s to ensure a supply of oil for the U.S. Navy.
  • Scopes trial

    The Scopes Trial, also known as the Monkey Trial, took place from July 10 to July 21, 1925. It began with jury selection on July 10 and concluded with a verdict on July 21, 1925.
  • Charles Lindberg Crosses the Atlantic

    Charles Lindberg Crosses the Atlantic

    Charles Lindbergh became the first person to fly solo and nonstop across the Atlantic Ocean, departing from Roosevelt Field in New York and landing at Le Bourget Aerodrome in Paris 33.5 hours later. His flight aboard the Spirit of St. Louis spanned 3,610 miles and demonstrated the potential of long-distance air travel, which sparked the "Lindbergh boom" in the aviation industry.
  • Kellogg-Briand pact signed

    Kellogg-Briand pact signed

    The Kellogg-Briand Pact was signed on August 27, 1928, in Paris, France. The treaty, also known as the Pact of Paris, renounced war as an instrument of national policy and committed the signatories to settling disputes peacefully. It was a multilateral agreement initiated by U.S. Secretary of State Frank B. Kellogg and French Foreign Minister Aristide Briand.
  • Black Tuesday stock market crash

    Black Tuesday stock market crash

    "Black Tuesday" refers to the catastrophic stock market crash that occurred on October 29, 1929. This event, characterized by widespread panic selling, massive financial losses, and a record volume of shares traded, is widely recognized as the primary trigger for the global Great Depression.
  • Harlem Renaissance begins

    The Harlem Renaissance began around 1918–1920, following the end of World War I. Its start is linked to the increased migration of African Americans to cities like Harlem and the flourishing of a new "Black" consciousness, fueled by artistic and intellectual expression that gave voice to their experiences. The movement's most productive period was the 1920s.