Great Depression

  • Wall Street Crash

    Wall Street Crash
    The American stock market collapses, signaling the onset of the Great Depression. The Dow Jones Industrial Average peaks in September 1929 at 381.17.
  • Unemployment Low in 1929

    Unemployment Low in 1929
    Unemployment averages 3.2% for the year.
  • Smoot-Hawley Tariff

    Smoot-Hawley Tariff
    Congress passes the Smoot- Hawley Tariff, steeply raising import duties in an attempt to protect American manufactures from foreign competition. The tariff increase has little impact on the American economy.
  • Major Bank Collapse

    Major Bank Collapse
    New York's Bank of the United States collapses in the largest bank failure to date in American history. 200$ million in deposits disappear
  • Radio Priest

    Radio Priest
    Charles Coughlin's weekly broadcast draws an average of 30 to 45 million listeners.
  • Townsend Proposes Pension Plan

    Townsend Proposes Pension Plan
    Dr. Francis sends a letter to the Long Beach Press- Telegram proposing state-funded pensions for the4 elderly to boost consumption and employment.
  • Huey Long

    Huey Long
    Huey Long is assassinated inside the Louisiana Capitol Building. 40th governor of Louisiana
  • Townsend Support Grows

    Townsend Support Grows
    More than 5,000 Townsend clubs nationwide together represent more than 2 million members. An estimated 25 million Americans have signed petitions.
  • Huey Long Support Grows

    Huey Long Support Grows
    Huey Long's share our wealth society has expanded to 27,000 clubs nationwide, with a mailing list of 7.5 million Americans
  • Roosevelt Reelected

    Roosevelt Reelected
    Franklin Roosevelt is elected to a second term as president, winning in a landslide over Republican Alf Landon.
  • Nazi Rally in New York City

    Nazi Rally in New York City
    The German-American Bund stages a huge rally of fascist sympathizers supporting what they call True Americanism.
  • Mobilization Lifts Economy

    Mobilization Lifts Economy
    The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor draws United States into WW2. Mobilization for war finally lifts the American economy permanently out the Great Depression.