30S America Facts Read About The Great Depression And Much More

No American can ever forget the ’30s.From 1929-1939, the United States witnessed its harshest economic crisis: the Great Depression. A stock market crash in October 1929, also known as ‘Black Thursday’, which led to a complete breakdown of the American economy.The Great Depression began! And subsequently, market prices fell, production dropped, people lost their jobs and homes, industries and farms shut down. The consequences of this monumental economic crisis were felt all across the globe, more so in America. No jobs, no homes, no food resulted in an era of despair and depression in the country. Unfortunately, the economic hardship was followed by Second World War, another devastating event in modern history.However, what triggered the Great Depression? The answers to all these questions and more can be found in this ’30s fact file. For example, did you know Pluto was discovered in 1930 by Clyde Tombaugh, an American astronomer? Or that the Scotch Tape you use to complete your school projects was invented in 1930? A host of interesting things happened in the ’30s. Continue reading to learn more.Looking for trivia about the ’20s? Check out ’20s sports facts and ’20s fashion facts here at Kidadl.Fun Facts About America In the ‘30sFrom the establishment of Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) to the debut of the iconic Mickey Mouse comic strip, a lot of cool developments took place in the ’30s in the country.The construction of the Lakefront Stadium in Cleveland began. This stadium was unique as it was designed to accommodate two sports: baseball and football. The famous Hoover or Boulder Dam’s construction was completed two years before schedule in 1936.Colonel Harland Sanders founded the popular fast-food chain KFC in 1930 in North Corbin, Kentucky. Another important American establishment, Publix, was founded by George W. Jenkins. Many of your favorite products, such as Scotch tape, Twinkies, Snickers, and Halls, were introduced to consumers in the ’30s.To monitor the film industry, the Hays Code, or the Motion Pictures Production Code, was instituted. The guidelines were put in place to monitor how sensitive subjects like religion, violence, and so on were to be treated in films for the duration of the agreed-upon code (40 years).The ’30s were also a time when many iconic pop culture characters were launched in their comic strips. These include ‘Mickey Mouse’, ‘Blondie’, ‘Betty Boop’, and ‘Superman’. Radio became extremely popular in this era.Some of the most famous literary works of the ’30s were F. Scott Fitzgerald’s ‘Tender Is the Night’ and Margaret Mitchell’s ‘Gone with the Wind’. Hollywood also adapted these and other literary works such as ‘King Kong’, ‘The Wizard of Oz’, ‘Anna Karenina’, ‘The Adventures of Robin Hood’, and ‘Gone With the Wind’.Historical Facts About America In The ‘30sThe ’30s were a watershed in the lives of Americans. The historical events of the era range from important inventions to environmental crises. Here is a look back at some of the historical facts about America in the ’30s.The most prominent historical event that shook America and the rest of the world to the core was the advent of the Great Depression. It started with the crash of the Wall Street stock market (New York) in October 1929, resulting in a host of direct economic changes and indirect social, political, and psychological consequences. The situation peaked in the 1932–1933 period, after which the signing of the New Deal brought about reforms meant to reduce the negative effects and bring back balance to the system. The Great Depression brought about a massive transformation in American society. The market, trade, businesses, and banks shut down, causing rampant poverty and homelessness in the country.Agricultural production continued to suffer in the ’30s. Severe droughts have struck many parts of the country, from Nebraska to New Mexico. The severe drought meant no rainfall and the land became dry. In this scenario, violent winds would sweep up the dust, resulting in dust storms. The dust storm caused huge damage to crops and livestock.Termed the Dust Bowl, millions of acres of land got destroyed, and loss of livelihood led farmers to fall into debt and eventually lose their lands. It is believed that the dust storms caused over 2.5 million people to become homeless. The destitute then moved westwards to California to escape the Dust Bowl. Incoming immigrants faced a blockade at the California border.The ’30s also witnessed a tragic air accident referred to as the Hindenburg Disaster. In 1937, the LZ 129 Hindenburg airship, at the time of docking at the Naval Air Station Lakehurst in Manchester Township, New Jersey, burst into flames. In this tragic accident, 36 people on board died. The accident was extensively covered by the media and marked the end of airships.Amelia Earhart, who was going to fly solo across the world, disappeared somewhere in the Pacific Ocean during the year 1937. Not all the aviation news was tragic. In 1933, Wiley Post became the first person to fly solo around the world. In 1938, Howard Hughes, an American business magnate, broke Wiley Post’s world record by completing a solo flight in less than four days.In 1937, the famous Golden Gate Bridge, which connected San Francisco with Marin County, was opened for foot and vehicular traffic. The opening ceremony was held by President Roosevelt. In 1939, Albert Einstein, who escaped Nazi Germany, alerted the President about the creation of an atomic bomb, leading to the development of the Manhattan Project.Facts About Effect Of Great Depression In The ‘30sThe most prominent event that shook America in the ’30s was when the Great Depression began. The stock market crash, the breakdown of international trade, bank failures, disruption in agricultural and industrial production, and a rapid increase in homeless people were all important effects of the Great Depression.The Great Depression is marked as a period of heavy economic loss. Every country fell victim to this devastating economic event, including the United States. The trigger was actually the economic habits of the previous decade. In the 20s, the country operated with the logic of living now and paying later. This exuberant mindset led to the Wall Street stock market crash, in New York in 1929. No one escaped the stock market crash. The Great Depression led to a massive loss in the value of industrial stocks, high tariffs on international trade led to a 70% decrease, and the tax top rate was slashed from 25% to 63%.Middle-class people invested in the stock market by taking loans. When stock prices faced steep declines, consumer debt was at an all-time high. As the American economy collapsed, industries closed down (around 86,000 by 1933), leading to large-scale employment of around 37%.A 40% drop in the average family income was reported during the Great Depression. The breakdown of the banking system, with the shutting of around 9,000 banks, left people destitute. Faced with debt and poverty, people found it difficult to make ends meet.Without the means to buy food, people in the country during the Great Depression relied on bread lines or soup kitchens run by various charities to feed themselves. The homeless started living in shantytowns or Hoovervilles, which were open, unused lands. The living conditions were extremely poor. The shantytowns were to be found adjacent to railway tracks, as rail transport was used by the homeless and jobless to find work in remote locations.The then-elected President of the United States, Republican politician Herbert Hoover, was blamed for the Great Depression. Americans criticized him for not resolving the issues and also for being insensitive to the plight of the public.Some of the initiatives launched by the federal government include the 1931 Keyes-Elliott Acts to fund construction projects that would help create jobs. The effects of the Great Depression caused unrest among the public. Many hunger marches took place, some led by World War I veterans, which were eventually dispersed by the federal government.The next elected President, Franklin D. Roosevelt, was chosen because of his administration’s plans to overcome the consequences of the Great Depression. President Roosevelt launched a host of programs with the intention of stabilizing the economic conditions of the country. Apart from launching the costliest plans, President Roosevelt communicated directly with the masses through a weekly radio podcast called ‘Fireside Chats’.This period of American legislative history was referred to as the New Deal. The New Deal constituted a series of acts and initiatives meant to bring about change and set in motion the process of economic recovery. The New Deal laws constitute social security acts regulating the functioning of the stock market, banks, businesses, and so on. Thus, the peak of the Great Depression was seen between 1932 and 1933, and after that, the effects started to be controlled. However, the effects of the Great Depression stuck around from 1941 until the end of World War II. Many young American men joined the military and defense industries during WWII.It is important to note that a variety of political events took place internationally in the ’30s, but the United States, for the most part, kept itself isolated. This allowed the United States to concentrate on its own recovery, and as a result, it eventually emerged as a world leader.Facts About Global Events In The ‘30sApart from the Great Depression, the globe saw many interesting events in the ’30s. Scientific discoveries and political upheaval were the running themes of the ’30s. Here are some facts about the global events that occurred in the ’30s.In the year 1930, the ninth planet, Pluto, was discovered. Mahatma Gandhi started the Salt March in India against the British, which was a march for civil disobedience. Max Fleischer created the famous ‘Betty Boop’ comic character.In the year 1931, some iconic buildings and monuments completed construction. The Empire State Building in the United States and Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro were completed. Another fact from this year was the finalization of the National Anthem of the United States.In the year 1932, Zippo cigarette lighters were launched on the market. The atom was split for the first time by British scientists John Cockcroft and Ernest Walton.In the year 1933, Adolf Hitler established the first Nazi concentration camp and also became the Chancellor of Germany. In the United States, the prohibition against alcohol came to an end. To provide electric power to rural areas, control flooding, and so on, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) project was initiated. World leaders gathered together at the London Economic Conference to resolve the ongoing economic crisis due to the Great Depression. However, they were unsuccessful in doing so.In the year 1934, the world saw the invention of the delicious cheeseburger. In the Soviet Union, political repression started in the form of the Great Terror. In China, Mao Tse-tung started the Long March retreat.In the year 1935, the new economic theory was pinned down by John Maynard Keynes. The Anti-Jewish Nuremberg Laws were initiated in Germany. The world-famous board game Monopoly was introduced by the Parker Brothers. Penguin, the international publisher, launched the paperback books. The African country of Ethiopia was invaded by the Italian dictator Benito Mussolini.In the year 1936, the Spanish Civil War started. In Berlin, the Nazi Olympics, or Summer Olympics, began. In Britain, the reigning monarch, King Edward VIII, abdicated the throne to marry an American socialite, Wallace W. Simpson. The fictional comic character ‘Phantom’ was also introduced during this year. ‘Gone With The Wind’ was published by Margaret Mitchell. The year also saw the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) introduce the television service.In the year 1937, China was invaded by the Japanese. English author J. R. R. Tolkien published the world-famous children’s fantasy novel, ‘The Hobbit’, or ‘There and Back Again’.In the year 1938, Austria was annexed by Germany. The German carmaker Volkswagen launched its first Beetle, which has become iconic. The comic book superhero ‘Superman’ was introduced to fans. The fairytale ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs’ was adapted into a full-length animated film by Disney.Finally, in the year 1939, the most prominent historical event was the start of World War II. The aviation sector was changed by the invention of the helicopter. The Pan American B-314 was the first commercial flight over the Atlantic. It started from Baltimore, Maryland, to Foynes, Ireland. The country of Chile experienced a powerful earthquake of around 8.3 magnitude on the Richter Scale, with almost 28,000 Chileans losing their lives in this earthquake.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for ’30s America facts, then why not take a look at 1936 facts, or 1935 facts.

No American can ever forget the ’30s.