The Story of America in the 1930s

Introduction

• The 1930s marked by the Great Depression
• Aftermath of stock market crash leads to violence and anarchy
• President Hoover's struggle vs. FDR's New Deal
• Dramatic events shape America

Great Depression Overview

• Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade 1929: facade of happiness
• Economic meltdown after stock market crash
• Banks fail and personal savings lost

America’s Struggle

• 1930: Chicago hit hard with unemployment at 450,000
• Shantytowns, "Hoovervilles," emerge
• Hoover's belief in self-reliance and private enterprise

Key Figures and Events

• Henry Ford's failed attempt to boost economy
• 1932 Ford factory protest: violence and deaths
• Wallace Kelly's New York experience during Depression

Bonus Army March 1932

• WWI veterans demand early bonus payment
• Hoover sends army to disperse veterans, resulting in a violent clash

1932 Presidential Election

• FDR chosen by Democrats
• New Deal proposed
• FDR's secret battle with polio
• 1932: FDR wins by landslide

FDR's New Deal Initiatives

• Bank stabilization with a 4-day closure
• New Deal progress: CCC forms, Grand Coulee Dam project
• End of Prohibition in 1933

Crime and Law Enforcement

• Rise in organized crime post-Prohibition
• J. Edgar Hoover's FBI and the fight against gangsters
• Creation of Alcatraz prison

Cultural Shifts and Notable Individuals

• Dust Bowl migration to California
• African-American struggles and the Pullman Porters
• Construction and significance of the Golden Gate Bridge

New Deal Achievements

• Eleanor Roosevelt's advocacy
• National Youth Administration
• Amelia Earhart's disappearance
• Howard Hughes' record flight

Challenges and Recovery

• Roosevelt's Recession of 1937
• Minimum wage and labor laws introduced
• Orson Welles' "War of the Worlds" broadcast

Technological and Cultural Milestones

• Film industry advances with "The Wizard of Oz"

Conclusion

• America survives the Great Depression
• FDR's leadership pivotal in economic recovery
• Legacy of the 1930s: resilience and rebirth of American spirit