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Black Tuesday
Among America's other principles, "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" was the one that rang most true to Americans in 1929. They had gotten past World War I and unemployment was at a low, only 3.2%; the stock market was soaring as people invested their money into Wall Street. Until October 29, 1929 when the stock market crashed. As the people struggled, the idea of the "pursuit of happiness" seemed almost lost. This was a true test of "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." -
Increase in unemployment
Due to the crash of Wall Street, unemployment was rapidly increasing. "Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" pertains to the idea that people have the right to a good life, freedom, and to happiness. As the number of people without jobs was skyrocketing, Americans were struggling, bound to debt, and certainly not feeling any motivation to try to be happy. -
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The Great Depression
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Largest Bank Failure in American History
(3:00) Bank Failures
Between 1920 and 1940, the banks in America were weak and prone to failure because they were mostly independently owned. In 1931, New York's Bank of the United States failed and that has since been America's largest bank failure. People were not at this point feeling like they had much of a life, nor did they feel they had much liberty as they were fighting for stability in the economy, and few felt happiness now. -
Neutrality Act
The Neutrality Acts of the 1930's stated that the United States would remain neutral in response to the conflicts occurring in Asia and Europe. This protects American life, liberty, and encourages the pursuit of happiness. -
Unemployment at 24.1%
The percentage of people without jobs was massive, 24.1%. As things went from bad to worse, the principle "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" was nearly invisible to the Americans. They were making ends meet however they could, if at all. -
Stimson Doctrine
This doctrine stated that America would not recognize territorial changes to Japan and China. This affects life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness in that we as Americans are standing our ground and showing that we are a strong and confident nation. -
A Change in Leadership
With President Hoover's term coming to an end, it was time for a change of power. Things were going from bad to worse and the "pursuit of happiness" was impacted as President Roosevelt was elected. The people were hopeful that this shift would sigify better times ahead. -
Hitler Comes to Power in Germany
Hitler's Rise in Germany America had just gotten out of WWI, and now out in Germany, a place where people were desperate for a change in leadership, the radical Adolf Hitler came to power. What this meant for us in terms of "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" was that we could soon have to face another war that could threaten our lives, liberties, and the pursuit of happiness. -
A New Deal
(0:50) A NEW DEALWithin his first one hundred days as president, Roosevelt introduced a new plan that was to restart the economy and get everything back to where it was. His set of laws included diminishing prohibition and the Emergency Banking Relief Act. This relates to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" in that people were looking to Roosevelt to get their lives back on track and to get them out of debt. -
The Second New Deal
A Second New DealPeople were dissatisfied with Roosevelt's "New Deal" and so in 1935, a second wave of laws and agencies were created to furthur jump-start the American economy. Americans felt a sense of a good life that would come soon, and the "pursuit of happiness" was somewhat felt. -
Dust Bowl
The landlocked states in the miccle of the country on this day experienced a colossal wind storm of dust and debris. "We live with the dust, eat it, sleep with it, watch it strip us of possessions and the hope of possessions. It is becoming Real," wrote Avis Carlson. Yet again, the charming idea of "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" seemed very far away. -
World War II Begins
WWII BeginsThe New Deals had been helping America's people get back to how things had been before, yet in Europe, a war was starting. America did not join at first, the Americans had fought hard for their liberty and did not want to possibly sacrifice it for a war across the ocean. -
The Manhattan Project
The Manhattan Project was a group of scientists designing how to create and release the first atomic bomb on Japan recently after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. This was intended to restore the Americans' faith in life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. -
Atomic Bomb
This was the day that the first ever in the world atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, Japan. The Americans did this to retaliate against the Japanese because they bombed Pearl Harbor. This more than anything made Americans believe in life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness along with a strong sense of Nationalism. -
Baby Boom
After WWII, everyone was happy to be back, and to have everyone back. Couples across the country had lots of children which caused a sharp increase in the American population. This mainly pertains to the "life" and "pursuit of happiness" in the phrase, "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."
