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The Stock Market Crash
Shortly after President Herbert Hoover's election, the stock market crashed on wall street on October 29th,1929, a day that would later be known as "Black Tuesday". The crash began a train of events that exposed America's weakness in their economy. During and years that followed the crash, many investors, as well as average Americans who had previously claimed stocks, lost vast sums of money when the value of stocks plummeted. As a result, banks could not redistribute the Americans' wealth. -
The Dust Bowl
The mid-west makes record breaking history with extreme weather changes. Draught and poor farming techniques caused the dirt to be picked up by the wind and made life almost unbearable in the farm land of Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Kansas, and Colorado. Many families are forced to pick up and mirgrate to the coasts in hope for job opportunites. Their nicknames were the "Okies" and unfortunately were denied work because their wasn't even enough for the natives. -
May 1st, 1931: Empire State Building Opens
When the Empire State Building opened on May 1, 1931, it was the tallest building in the world - standing at 1,250 feet tall.President Herbert Hoover pressed a button in Washington, D.C., and on came the lights in the world's tallest skyscraper. The building held the record for 40 years. -
The Bonus March
The Bonus Army, an assemblage of some 43,000 marchers,17,000 World War I veterans, their families, and affiliated groups, gathered in Washington, D.C. on July 28th, 1932 to demand cash-payment redemption of their service certificates. The marchers waited for their early retirement money, but were denied their wishes. -
Franklin D. Roosevelt wins the Presidential election
Franklin Delano Roosevelt, a democrat from New York, defeats President Herbert Hoover in the election for the presidency, becoming Americas 32nd President. In his first 100 days in office, Roosevelt launches the New Deal including dozens of federal programs to help create employeement in America. -
Emergency Banking Act
Upon entering office, FDR sends banks into a "holiday" and closes them to prevent Americans from trying to take from the banks. Congress passes the Emergency Banking Act, giving FDR broad powers over banks and foreign exchange. Bank holiday ends March 10--banks can reopen when they prove that they are solvent. Within three days, 1000 banks will reopen and national confidence picks up. -
CCC
The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) is established. Designed as a relief and employment program for young men, the CCC is made up of groups of young men who work in national forests, parks, and federal land. FDR envisions the program as a kind of volunteer "army" and ensures that it provides citizens with jobs. Although the pay wasn't great, thousands of Americans took Roosevelt up on the offer. -
AAA
The Agricultural Adjustment Act (AAA) was a United States federal law of the New Deal era which restricted agricultural production by paying farmers subsidies not to plant on part of their land and to kill off excess livestock. Its purpose was to reduce crop surplus and therefore effectively raise the value of crops. -
Huey Long's Assasination
Louisiana politician and a supporter of FDR in the 1932 presidential election, Long split with the President in June 1933 to plan his own presidential bid for 1936 in alliance with the influential Catholic priest Charles Coughlin. Huey Long had previously founded the Share the Wealth Program. As a Democrat, Long was an outspoken left-wing populist. On September 9th, Long was murdered. -
FDR wins his Second election
Defeating Kansas Governor Alfred M. Landon, FDR is elected to his second term as president, winning every state in the Union except Maine and Vermont. The death of Huey Long, a supporter then opposer of Roosevelt, also pushed FDR closer to the victory.