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Stock Market Crash
The Wall Street stock market crash of 1929 was the most devastating market crash in the history of the US. The crash led to the beginning of the 12 year Great Depression that followed. Billions of dollars were lost, wiping out thousands of investors. -
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CCC
The Civilian Conservation Corps was a public work relief program that operated from 1932-1941 under FDR. It gave millions of young men jobs on environmental projects during the Great Depression. It was one of the most successful programs in Roosevelt's New Deal program. The CCC planted more than 3 billion trees. -
Roosevelt 1st Election
The United States presidential election of 1932 was the 37th presidential election. The election took place on the backdrop of the Great Depression. Democrat Franklin D. Roosevelt defeated incumbent president, Republican Herbert Hoover. The victory ended the Fourth Party system, which had been dominated by Republicans. -
21st Amendment
The 21st Amendment repealed the 18th Amendment, which had mandated nationwide prohibition of alcohol. Its unique in that it is the only amendment to repeal another amendment. -
Social Security Act
The Social Security Act established a system of old-age benefits for victims of industrial accidents, unemployment insurance, aid for dependent mothers and children, the blind, and the physically handicapped. -
FDR Court Packing Scandsal
On February, 5, 1937, President FDR announced a controversial plan to expand the Supreme Court to as many as 15 judges, to make it more efficient. Critics accused Roosevelt of "packing the courts" and neutralize Justices opposed to his New Deal Programs. -
Germany breaks Munich Pact
The Munich Pact averted the outbreak of war but gave Czechoslovakia away to Germany. The agreement was made in hopes that Hitler would honor it and stop expanding Germany, but that did not happen. When Germany invaded Poland, WW2 began. -
HUAC formed
The House Un-American Activities Committee was an investigative committee of the US House of Representatives. The committee investigated allegations of communist activity during the early years of the cold war. -
Story event: WW2 Germany invades Poland
WW2 began when Nazi Germany invaded Poland's capital in a massive attack. Within weeks of the invasion, German forces defeat the Polish Army. This led France, Poland, Britain to declare war on Germany -
Story Event: Britain, France declare war on Germany
Following the attack on the allied nation of Poland, Britain and France declare war on Germany. This led to Germany invading other countries. -
Battle of Britain
During the summer and fall of 1940, British and German air forces clashed in the skies over the United Kingdom. Britain's decisive victory saved country from an invasion by Germany. -
Story Event: Germany invades Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, France
On May 10, 1940 Germany launched an invasion of Belgium, France, Netherlands, and Luxembourg. Withing a few weeks, all but France had surrendered. On June 22, 1940 France signed its official surrender to Germany. This led to the Axis Powers -
Story event: Axis Powers
Germany, Italy, and Japan signed the Tripartite Pact in Berlin to formalize the alliance of the Axis Powers. The Pact provides for mutual assistance between the countries. This led to the Battle of Midway. -
Attack on Pearl Harbor
The Japanese made a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941. 2,403 sailors, soldiers, and civilians were killed and about 1,000 people were wounded. The day after the attack, President FDR asked congress to declare war on Japan. -
Story event: Battle of Midway
The Allies defeated Japan near the Hawaiian coast in the Battle of Midway. This victory proved to be a turning point in the war for the allies. This led to Italy's surrender. -
Story event: Italy Surrenders
On September 8, 1943 General Dwight Eisenhower publicly announced Italy's surrender to the allies. It had been signed 5 days earlier in Sicily. Italy became the first of the Axis Powers to surrender. This led to the Battle of the Bulge. -
Operation Overlord/D-day
The Battle of Normandy, also known as D-day, resulted in the Allied liberation of Western Europe from Nazi Germany's control. American, British and Canadian forces landed on 5 beaches along a 50-mile stretch of the heavily fortified coast of France's Normandy region. -
Story event: Battle of the Bulge
Germany launched its last major offensive campaign in the Ardennes region of Belgium and Luxembourg. It was the largest battle fought along the Western front during WW2. The German forces were driven back by Allied troops. This led to the Yalta Conference. -
Story event: Yalta Conference
President Roosevelt, Prime Minister Churchill, and Premier Stalin met in Yalta to discuss Germany's terms for unconditional surrender. This led to Germany's surrender. -
FDR dies, Truman president
President Roosevelt died on April 12th, 1945. Vice President Truman became the president. Roosevelt kept Truman unaware of certain things when he was in office, leaving Truman out of the loop. -
Story event: Germany Surrenders
Germany surrendered on May 7, 1945 to the Allies in France, ending WW2 in Europe. This led to Japan's surrender. -
Nuclear Bomb dropped on Hiroshima/Nagasaki
On August 6, 1945, an American B-29 bomber dropped the world's first deployed atomic bomb over the Japanese city of Hiroshima. The explosion wiped out 90 percent of the city and immediately killed 80,000 people. Tens of thousands more later died of radiation exposure. Three days later, Nagasaki was bombed, killing an estimated 40,000 people. -
Story event: Japan surrenders
On September 2, 1945, Japan surrendered to the allies, effectively ending WW2 in its entirety. This followed the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki by the US. -
United Nations Created
The United Nations was a replacement for the ineffective League of Nations. It was signed by 26 countries. The countries agreed to use all available resources to defeat the axis powers. -
Truman Doctrine
The Truman Doctrine was an American foreign policy with the purpose of countering Soviet geopolitical expansion during the Cold War. The doctrine became the foundation of American foreign policy. -
22nd Amendment
The 22nd Amendment sets the limit for the number of times a person is eligible for election to the office of POTUS. Congress approved the amendment on March 24, 1947. -
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Berlin Airlift
At the end of WW2, the US, British, and Soviet military forces divided and occupied Germany. Berlin was also divided, with the US, United Kingdom, and France controlling western portions of the city, while Soviet troops controlled the eastern sector. Soviet forces blockaded rail, road and water access to allied controlled areas of Berlin. The United Kingdom and US responded by airlifting food and fuel into Berlin. -
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Korean War
The Korean War was a war between North Korea and South Korea. North Korea had the support of China, South Korea had the support of the US. The war began when North Korea invaded South Korea. The US came to the aid of South Korea. The result was a military stalemate. -
Rosenberg Trials
The trial of Ethel and Julius Rosenberg began on March 6, 1951. They were accused of selling nuclear secrets to the Russians. The Rosenbergs were sentenced to death row on April 6th. -
Brown v Board
Brown v Board of Education was a landmark case in which the court ruled that racial segregation of children in public schools was unconstitutional. This helped fuel the civil rights movement. -
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Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was officially fought between North Vietnam and South Vietnam. North Vietnam was supported by the Soviet Union, China and other communist allies. South Vietnam was supported by the US, South Korea, Australia, and other anti-communist countries. The majority of Americans believe the war was pointless. -
Civil Rights Act of 1957
The Civil Rights Act of 1957 was the first federal civil rights legislation passed by the US congress since the Civil Rights Act of 1875. Its purpose was to show support for racial equality from the federal government. -
Sputnik
Sputnik was the world's first artificial satellite, launched by the Soviet Union. This prompted the US to put more into their space and science programs. -
NASA formed
NASA was formed on July 29, 1958. It was formed after the Soviet Union created Sputnik. It became important in the Space Race. -
Alaska and Hawaii become states
On January 3, 1959 Alaska became a state. On August 21, 1959 Hawaii became a state. -
Greensboro Lunch sit-ins
The Greensboro sit-ins was a civil rights protest that began in 1960. Young African-Americans would sit at segregated seats and take beating to get their point across. -
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Freedom Rides
Freedom Riders were civil rights activists, black and white, who rode buses into the south in 1961 to try to desegregate buses. They were often met by mobs and beaten. This was an important part of the civil rights movement. -
Berlin Wall
On August 13, the Communist government of the German Democratic Republic began to build a barbed wire and concrete wall between East and West Berlin. The purpose was to keep Western "fascists" from entering east Germany and undermining the socialist state. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
During the Cuban Missile Crisis, leaders of the US and the Soviet Union engaged in a tense, 13 day military and political standoff in October 1962 over the installation of nuclear-armed Soviet missiles on Cuba, just 90 miles from US shores. -
March on Washington
250,000 people gathered in front of the Lincoln memorial to protest for African-American civil rights. It included MLK's famous "I have a dream" speech. -
Assassination of JFK
John F. Kennedy, the 35th president of the United States, was assassinated on Friday, November 22, 1963 in Dallas, Texas. Former US Marine and Marxist Lee Harvey Oswald was arrested and charged. -
24th Amendment
The 24th amendment prohibits both Congress from having a poll tax in federal elections. Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi, Texas and Virginia still had a poll tax when the amendment was passed. -
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
The resolution authorized President Johnson to take measures against the communist government of North Vietnam. It was passed after an alleged attack on two US naval destroyers stationed off the coast of Vietnam. This began America's full-scale involvement in the Vietnam War. -
Assassination of Malcom X
Malcom X was assassinated by rival black muslims in Washington Heights. Malcom X was a major advocate for civil rights by "any means necessary". -
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Operation Rolling Thunder
Operation Rolling Thunder was an American bombing campaign during the Vietnam War. It was intended to put military pressure on North Vietnam and reduce their ability to wage war against the US. -
Vietnam Day
The Vietnam Day Committee was a coalition of left-wing political groups, and student groups that opposed the Vietnam War. It was formed in Berkeley, California in the spring of 1965 by Jerry Rubin. They organized several rallies and marches in California throughout the Vietnam War. -
Tet-offnesive
The Tet Offensive was a series of more than 100 coordinated attacks by North Vietnam on South Vietnam. It was designed to have the US scale back its involvement in the Vietnam War. -
Assassination of MLK
MLK jr. was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee on April 4, 1968. King had led the civil rights movement since the mid-1950s. He used impassioned speeches and peaceful protests to lead the movement. -
Woodstock
Woodstock Music festival took place in Upstate New York in August, 1969. Almost half a million people attended. Many artists performed songs expressing their opposition to the Vietnam War. -
Kent State
4 students were killed and 9 were injured on May 4, 1970, when members of the Ohio National Guard opened fire on a crowd gathered to protest the Vietnam War. The tragedy furthered the divide about the conflict in Vietnam.
