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Teapot Dome Scandal
The Teapot Dome scandal has historically been regarded as the worst such scandal in the United States – the "high water mark" of cabinet corruption. It is often used as a benchmark for comparison with subsequent scandals. -
Sacco and Vanzetti arrested for armed robbery and murder
In 1921, two Italian immigrants were tried and convicted of robbery and murder. Six years later, they were executed. The case of Sacco and Vanzetti drew international attention and is still debated today. -
KDKA goes on the air from Pittsburgh
On November 2, 1920, station KDKA made the nation's first commercial broadcast -
1st Miss American Pageant
The 1921 Atlantic City Pageant was designed to encourage visitors to stay in the resort past Labor Day, the traditional end of the season. -
1st Winter Olympics Held
It was the first of many Winter Olympics to come, setting a standard for future competition. -
The Great Gatsby published by F. Scott Fitzgerald
It's the most American of American stories. It embodies the American spirit – the American will to reinvent oneself. But it also reveals the American Dream's destructive power. -
Scopes Monkey Trial
The Scopes trial turned out to be one of the most sensational cases in 20th century America; it riveted public attention and made millions of Americans aware of the ACLU for the first time. -
Charles Lindberg completes solo flight across the Atlantic
He changed public opinion on the value of air travel, and laid the foundation for the future development of aviation. -
The Jazz Singer debuts (1st movie with sound)
It marked the ascendancy of “talkies” and the end of the silent-film era. -
St. Valentine's Day Massacre
The bloody incident dramatized the intense rivalry for control of the illegal liquor traffic during the Prohibition era in the United States. -
Black Tuesday (Stock Market Crash)
Black Tuesday marked the beginning of the Great Depression, which lasted until the beginning of World War II.