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Great Depression
Starting before the 1930's but continuing until the end of the decade, the Great Depression was the worst economic downturn in the history of the industrialized world. It was caused by many issues, one being the stock market crash in 1929, and it caused widespread unemployment and business failures around the world, and especially in America. -
Discovery of Pluto
In 1930, Clyde Tombaugh discovered Pluto, and it was declared the 9th planet in the solar system. Famously, it would later go on to lose its' planet status, though many people still think it is one. -
First Talking, Color Movie is Released
In 1930, Warner Brothers produced the first all-talking, all-color film ever made, called Song of the Flame, and though it is not as well-known now, this is a landmark in film history, and makes films look just a little more like they do today. -
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Dust Bowl
During much of the 1930's, the American and Canadian prairie was dealing with an extreme drought that caused dust storms and food shortages, which forced many people to move out of this part of the country. -
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Fashion Trends
In the early 1930's many of the fashion trends that would define the decade became popular. These included the new desire for a suntan, the use of man-made fibers such as nylon and rayon, and even the use of zippers. -
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Art Movements
A major art movement throughout the 1930's was social realism, especially photography, because of the Great Depression. Many photos were taken of real American citizens dealing with the living conditions in this time, and lots of art was made to reflect the suffering felt by many people in this decade. -
Empire State Building was Completed
In 1931, the world's tallest building (for the next 35 years) was completed--the Empire State Building in Manhattan, New York City. This building remains one of the most iconic in America, and is a symbol for the city. -
Franklin D. Roosevelt is Elected President
In 1932, Franklin D. Roosevelt (often referred to as FDR) would be elected President, and he would remain so until his death in 1945. The only president to be elected for more than two terms, he guided the nation through the Great Depression with his "New Deal," and continued to support the nation through World War II. -
End of Prohibition
Throughout the previous decades, prohibition had caused alcohol consumption to be illegal, but this was, obviously, an unpopular policy. In order to make money during the great depression, the government decided to pass the 21st amendment to repeal the 18th amendment, ending the era of prohibition. -
Swing Music Becomes Popular
Beginning in 1933, swing music becomes popular, and becomes the dominant type of music most Americans and people around the world listened to. It replaces the most mellow jazz that had been popular for decades before. -
First Canned Beer Ever Sold
In 1935, in Richmond, Virginia, the Gottfried Krueger Brewing Company sells the first ever canned beer, leading to the culture we know today around canned beer in America, since it is often much more convenient than, say, a bottle. -
Amelia Earhart Goes Missing
Throughout the 1930's, Amelia Earhart was very popular for her accomplishments in aviation as a woman, which was unheard of before this time. However, on her attempt to fly around the globe, she disappeared in 1937, and to this day, has never been found. -
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Famous Books are Written
In just two years, many famous, now classic, books were written and released, such as J. R. R. Tolkien's The Hobbit, John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath and Of Mice and Men, and Margaret Mitchell's Gone With the Wind. -
Hindenburg Disaster
The German airship, the Hindenburg, explodes in the sky above New Jersey, and the explosion kills 36 people of the 97 aboard. The ship had been filled with hydrogen instead of helium because of export restrictions to Nazi Germany, making it much more flammable. This incident caused a general distrust for airships of this kind. -
Golden Gate Bridge Opens
In 1937, the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco opened to the public, first being used as a footbridge for a week, then being opened to cars shortly after. This bridge is a symbol of San Francisco today, and even California as a whole. -
"Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" is Released
In 1937, the film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was released, and this was a huge milestone in pop culture history--this was the first ever full-length animated film. This cemented Disney as a major company in entertainment, and set a standard for what we expect from animated movies today. -
Chocolate Chip Cookie is Invented
Despite its' widespread popularity now, the chocolate chip cookie was not invented until 1938, by Ruth Graves Wakefield at the Toll House Inn (sound familiar?). -
*Our Town* is Released and Produced
Our Town was released in 1938 and produced the same year, becoming one of the most well-known and critically acclaimed plays of the 1930's. -
Famous Superheroes are Created
In 1938 and 1939, two of the most recognizable superhero characters ever created first appeared--Batman and Superman. -
"The Wizard of Oz" is Released
In 1939, MGM released The Wizard of Oz, which, to this day, remains one of the most well-known films ever to be released in this era. It is known for its' use of technicolor, a beautiful score, and a memorable plot and characters. -
World War II Starts
In the very late 1930's, World War II began officially in Europe (although America would not be involved for another 3 years, and the political issues that led to it had been going on for years before). On September 1, Hitler invaded Poland, and two days later, France and Britain declared war on Germany, starting the war. -
Works Cited (in no particular order)
- https://www.britannica.com/topic/Empire-State-Building
- https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/world-war-ii-history
- https://www.history.com/topics/great-depression
- https://www.whitehouse.gov/about-the-white-house/presidents/franklin-d-roosevelt/
- https://www.britannica.com/story/the-disappearance-of-amelia-earhart
- https://www.britannica.com/topic/Hindenburg
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1930s
- https://www.history.com/news/the-night-prohibition-ended
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