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Stock Market crash
This event is also referred to as "black friday". This is the day that the most devestating stock market crash took place leaving many people jobless. Families were driven to terrible states in which some families were forced to sell their children to strangers because they couldn't take care of them and for money. -
The Star Spangled Banner becomes our national anthem
Written by Francis Scott Key in 1814, The Star Spangled Banner was chosen to become our National Anthem The poem was later put to the tune of (John Stafford Smith's song) The Anacreontic Song, modified somewhat, and retitled The Star Spangled Banner -
Franklin Delano Roosevelt wins the presidency
It was the 37th quadrennial presidential election. Franklin was competing against Herbert Hoover and won the electoral vote by a landslide, 472 to 59. -
Nebraska's capitol is built
Nebraska's state capitol is finished. Built in five phases over a 10-year period at a cost of about $10 million, the building is considered an architectural masterpiece. -
Prohibition ends
Alcohol becomes legal after over 15 years of Prohibition. Most Americans enthusiastically greet the news of the repeal. -
The world's Fair opens in Chicago
Commemorating an era of technological advancement, the fair celebrated "A Century of Progress," and included items such as the German airship Graf Zeppelin, Cadillac's newest limousine, and futuristic model homes. -
A New Era in Technological Advancement
The first around-the-world telephone conversation spans from New York to San Francisco, Indonesia, Holland, England and back to New York. The call marks a new era in technological advancement. -
Jesse Owens wins four gold medals
African American athlete Jesse Owens wins four gold medals at the Berlin Olympics in front of Adolf Hitler, who has recently begun his campaign for the "dominance" of the Aryan race. -
Hindenburg crashes
The Hindenburg, a German airship carrying passengers planning to attend the coronation festivities of Queen Elizabeth in London, explodes in Lakehurst, N.J., killing 36 people. The media there to cover the flight ends up recording the disaster live with newsreel, radio coverage, and photographs. CBS reporter Herbert Morrison's eyewitness "live" radio report is broadcast the next day. Orson Welles replayed the report for his cast as an example of the tone he wanted for War of the Worlds. -
Amelia Earhart goes missing
Amelia Earhart’s daring round-the-world-flight was cut short when her Lockheed Electra disappeared over the Pacific Ocean. Earhart was declared legally dead on January 5, 1939. The question of why and where her plane went down, however, has never been put to rest. -
Orson Welles airs his famous War of the Worlds broadcast on CBS radio
Orson Welles airs his famous War of the Worlds broadcast on CBS radio, shocking the nation with his realistic sounding broadcast of a fictional alien invasion in Grovers Mill, New Jersey. -
roosevelt elected
39th quadrennial presidential election, held on Tuesday, November 5, 1940. The election was fought in the shadow of World War II in Europe, as the United States was emerging from the Great Depression. Incumbent President Franklin D. Roosevelt, the Democratic candidate, broke with tradition and ran for a third term, which became a major issue.
