-
J.Edgar Hoover Becomes Head of the FBI
J. Edgar Hoover was appointed by Attorney General Harlan Fiske Stone. Hoover was the director of the FBI for almost 50 years. He was able to stay in his position for so long because he had so much information on public figures. It is rumored that when President JFK tried to take him down, Hoover threatened to release photos of JFK cheating on his wife. -
Mein Kampf is Published
Name meaning, "My struggle" Mein Kampf was an autobiographical manifesto written by Adolf Hitler. The book outlines how Hitler became antisemitic, his political ideologies, and his future plans for Germany. -
Stock Market Crash Begins Great Depression
During the 20s, people began living beyond their means thanks to consumer credit. This was called "buying on margin" and led to the stock market crash that caused the Great Depression, as people were buying stocks with money that they did not actually have to spend. -
The Dust Bowl Begins
The Dust Bowl started with a severe drought in the midwest and southern Great Plains, causing major dust storms to begin in 1931. This was due to overfarming and caused economic damage that lasted years after the end of the dust bowl itself. -
Franklin Roosevelt is Elected President (1st Time)
Roosevelt was the first Democrat to gain office in years. He was inaugurated in the middle of the Great Depression and put the United States on the road to recovery. -
Adolf Hitler Become Chancellor of Germany
A series of electoral victories by the Nazi Party pushed President Paul Von Hindenburg to appoint Hitler as the Chancellor of Germany. Hitler's rise to power can be attributed to the help he received from wealthy businessmen, and to how he was clearly willing to use violence to gain power. -
CCC is Created
The Civilian Conservation Corps was a program created to give unemployed and unmarried men jobs, as a relief effort during the Great Depression. The men would do conservation work in parks, forests, and fields. -
WPA is Created
The WPA (Works Progress Administration) was an American New Deal Agency created by President Franklin Roosevelt with the purpose of restoring the economy during the Great Depression. The WPA employed jobseekers to carry out public services like construction. -
J.J. Braddock Wins Heavyweight Boxing Title
J.J. Braddock was the underdog in a fight against the World Heavyweight Champion, Max Baer. Braddock's victory was a surprise to all, as Baer's handlers picked him to fight their champion, believing they would have an easy victory. -
Olympic Games in Berlin
The Olympic Games gave the Nazi government the opportunity to spread propaganda. They used the games to paint Germany in a respectable light. However, Jesse Owens, an African American athlete, dominated the Athletic events, winning more medals than the German competitors. The Berlin Olympic Games are seen as a partial win for the Nazi Party. -
Kristallnacht
Also called the Night of Broken Glass, Kristallnacht was an incident where The Nazi Party burned synagogues, vandalized Jewish homes and businesses, and murdered almost 100 Jewish people. Afterwords, around 30,000 Jewish men were sent to concentration camps. This was the beginning of the true violence from the Nazis. -
Grapes of Wrath is Published
The Grapes of Wrath follows the migration of an Oklahoma family during The Dust Bowl. The book highlights the struggles of migrant workers during the Great Depression and delves into corrupt businesses and how workers were exploited during this time. -
Wizard of Oz Premiers in Movie Theaters
The Wizard of Oz premiered in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. The movie was criticized for not including the music from previous stage adaptations of the book, however, songs that were included became iconic and boosted the film's popularity. Judy Garland's song "Over The Rainbow" even earned Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg an Oscar for Best Song in 1940. -
Germany Invades Poland
The Nazi Party made false claims that the Poland government was prosecuting Germans and conspiring with other countries in Europe to take down Germany. They used these claims to justify their invasion of Poland. Britain and France declared war on Germany as a result of this, officially starting World War Two. -
The Four Freedoms Speech
The Four Freedoms Speech was an address given by Franklin Roosevelt, in which he spoke about his goals and visions for a world where there is freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and freedom from want and fear. The goal of the speech was to explain why the United States should move away from the political isolation that came about after World War One.