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President William McKinley Assassinated
Elected first in 1896 and later in 1900, President William McKinley was shot twice in the abdomen. His assassin, Leon Czolgosz, was put on trial for murder, sentenced to death, and executed within a month and a half of the assassination. Vice President Roosevelt immediately returned from a camping expedition and took the oath of office upon the pronunciation of McKinley's death. -
"The Jungle" Is First Published
The horrors of the meat packing indutry were kept under cover for years and hidden from the public eye. Upton Sinclair unveiled these secrets with his book "The Jungle". Though his goal was to express harsh working conditions, the exposure of unsanitary conditions was of more concern to the public. "The Jungle" ushered in new laws and acts put in place for the safety of the public. -
Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire
Harsh working conditions were the main focus of many progressive movements. This event could be considered a martyr for the progressive ideals. A sweatshop packed with nearly two hundred men, women, and children barely old enough to work caught fire. Dry cotton in the factory fueled the fire setting the building ablaze and the workers inside. Factory bosses had previously blocked the exits and the overcrowding made it even worse. This event spurred people to move for better working conditions. -
Election Of 1912
Taft, Roosevelt, and Wilson squared up in the metaphorical presidential boxing ring. Roosevelt had popular vote from his previous two terms, Taft had momentum from his 1908 election, and Wilson was the only democrat. Wilson played the underdog in this situation but due to the split of republican votes he got the upperhand. Progressive Woodrow Wilson won the election. -
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Lost Generation
The Lost Generation, also called the World War One generation, was the group of people that came of age during World War One or the Roaring Twenties. These indviduals are credited as being some of the most influential writers and artists of their time. -
Panama Canal Is Officially Opened
Began in 1903, the Panama Canal is finally completed. Initially, trade routes by ship had to go around the tip of South America, limiting the profit made by traders. The Panama Canal allowed ships to cut the trip in half by carving through the thinnest isthmus between Colombia and Panama. -
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Edith Wilson
Coined as the "First de facto woman president," Edith Wilson took charge of the presidency after Woodrow Wilson suffered a stroke. She was in charge until the very end of Wilson's term. -
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Prohibition
The ban on the manufacturing, sale, possession, transportation, and consumption of alcohol. Originally intended to strengthen the workforce and reduce crime, prohibition ended up with even more people drinking than ever before and an increase in organized crime. -
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Art Deco
Art Deco is a style that began in France just before WWI and took off across the world throughout the 20's 30's and 40's. A prime example is the top of the Chrysler Building in New York City. Art Deco often symbolized luxury and wealth. -
Amendment Eighteen
This amendment to the U.S. Constitution banned all recreational activities concerning alcohol in hopes to decrease crime and strengthen the workforce. -
Wall Street Bombing
Since the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire in 1911, the Wall Street Bombing was New York City's worst disaster. A total of 38 people died and another 143 seriously injured. -
Radio Broadcasting Blows Up
With KDKA's broadcast on election night, over a thousand listeners tuned in. -
Alfred Einstein is awarded Nobel Prize for physics
Albert Einstein was a theoretical physicist born in Germany. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for his services to Theoretical Physics, and in specifically for his findings of the law of the photoelectric effect. -
Charles Lindbergh
At the age of only 25, U.S. Air Mail pilot Charles Lindbergh flew the first single person, nonstop flight across the atlantic. He took off from Roosevelt Field on New York's Long Island to Le Bourget Field in Paris, France. The trip spanned almost 3,600 miles over the Atlantic. The flight took thirty three and a half hours, making him the only person to be in New York one day and Paris the next. He made the trip in the Spirit of St. Louis, a plane custom built for him. -
Chrysler Building Construction
The Chrysler Building exemplifies Art Deco in the United States. With its geometric shapes and chrome finish, traits of the machine age and luxury are prevalent all throughout the architecture. -
Fleming Discovers Penicillin
Completely on accident, Scottish biologist, pharmacologist and botanist Alexander Fleming discovers a mold growing on previously cultured specimen of staphylococci. This mold killed and inhibited further growth of the bacteria, leading to the creation of the antibiotic penicillin. -
Herbert Hoover
President Herbert Hoover took office in 1928 with ease. His only obstacle for republican nominee didnt have the reputation or popularity to keep up. His Democratic opponent, Alfred E. Smith, was in agreeance with Hoover on many topics save for porhibition. Hoover ended up winning with 58% of votes. In many opinions, Herbert Hoover is blamed for the Great Depression after taking out hundreds of millions of dollars in a short time for various programs. -
Repealling of Eighteenth Amendment
This marked the removal of the eighteenth amendment from the Constitution.
