Great Depression

  • Wall Street Crash

    Wall Street Crash

    The American stock market collapses, signaling the onset of the Great Depression. The Dow Jones Industrial Average peaks in September 1929 at 381.17.
  • Unemployment Low in 1929

    Unemployment Low in 1929

    Unemployment averages 3.2% for the year.
  • Smoot-Hawley Tariff

    Smoot-Hawley Tariff

    Congress passes the Smoot- Hawley Tariff, steeply raising import duties in an attempt to protect American manufactures from foreign competition. The tariff increase has little impact on the American economy.
  • Major Bank Collapse

    Major Bank Collapse

    New York's Bank of the United States collapses in the largest bank failure to date in American history. 200$ million in deposits disappear
  • Radio Priest

    Radio Priest

    Charles Coughlin's weekly broadcast draws an average of 30 to 45 million listeners.
  • Townsend Proposes Pension Plan

    Townsend Proposes Pension Plan

    Dr. Francis sends a letter to the Long Beach Press- Telegram proposing state-funded pensions for the4 elderly to boost consumption and employment.
  • Huey Long

    Huey Long

    Huey Long is assassinated inside the Louisiana Capitol Building. 40th governor of Louisiana
  • Townsend Support Grows

    Townsend Support Grows

    More than 5,000 Townsend clubs nationwide together represent more than 2 million members. An estimated 25 million Americans have signed petitions.
  • Huey Long Support Grows

    Huey Long Support Grows

    Huey Long's share our wealth society has expanded to 27,000 clubs nationwide, with a mailing list of 7.5 million Americans
  • Roosevelt Reelected

    Roosevelt Reelected

    Franklin Roosevelt is elected to a second term as president, winning in a landslide over Republican Alf Landon.
  • Nazi Rally in New York City

    Nazi Rally in New York City

    The German-American Bund stages a huge rally of fascist sympathizers supporting what they call True Americanism.
  • Mobilization Lifts Economy

    Mobilization Lifts Economy

    The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor draws United States into WW2. Mobilization for war finally lifts the American economy permanently out the Great Depression.

Want to make a timeline like this?

Use Timetoast to turn dates, events, milestones, and phases into a clear visual timeline you can build and share. Timetoast is a timeline maker for work, school, research, and stories.