1930’s Trivia

This famous board game for acquiring property was created, marketed and sold in 1930.

The construction of this dam in Nevada begins in 1930 and is completed by 1936

This famous NYC building is completed in 1931.

This famous gangster is sentenced to 11 years in prison for tax evasion in 1931.

This man won four gold medals at the 1936 summer Olympics.

This “peoples car” begins production in Germany in 1937

This famous pilot disappeared over the Pacific Ocean in 1937

Disney’s first full feature cartoon is released in 1937.

This top grossing movie of all time adjusted for inflation, starring Clark Gable and Vivian Leigh

opens in 1939.

This air ship explodes over New Jersey in 1937

This movie was technologically advanced for its time and had an “animal” as its star

This baseball team won four straight World Series in the 1930’s.

This Warner Bros. Character was created in the 1930’s to compete with Disney’s Mickey Mouse

This radio program convinced thousands that the U.S. was being attacked by aliens on October 30,

1938

III. Great Depression – Popular Culture and Leisure

A. Provides an escape, allowing people to forget their troubles.

B. Automobiles – 1930’s• 1. People would give up

their homes over their cars.

• 2. Cars represented freedom.

• 3. Car show attendance grew.

• 4. Business opportunities (tourism) began to evolve by the mid 1930’s related to family vacations and the car.

Detroit Auto Show

Automobiles 1930’s

Ford Model AChevrolet CoachChevySedan

FordRoadster

Tourism and Roadside Attractions

Largest ball of twine in the U.S.Darwin Minnesota!

World’s largest talking cow in the U.S. chatty belleRoadside attractions

C. Radio’s Golden Age1. The era of mass media is born!

2. Different types of programming evolves – soap operas to the Lone Ranger.

3. Two primary types “pop” and “folk” music.

• Folk Artist – Woody Guthrie.

• “Old Timey” Music• Best known for the

common man’s anthem “This land is your land”

Also the song of the Hobo – Big rock candy Mountain

Radio’s Golden Age

• Other “popular” type music focused more on the escape from reality aspect of the 1930’s.

•

Some, however, still reflected the“depressing” mood of the era.

Radio’s Golden Age

• The marriage of popular music and Presidential theme songs begins with Franklin Delano Roosevelt and the song Happy days are here again!

Other campaigns have used theme songs also!

D. Movies

• 1. Now in color!• 2. Era of the big

Hollywood production – Gone with the Wind and Wizard of Oz.

• 3. Only cost a dime and 60-90 million attended movies in an average week.

Shirley Temple

• The most photographed child star.

• Received an Oscar in 1935.

• Made her film debut at the age of 3 (1931).

• 4. At the height of her popularity 1935-1938 Shirley Temple was the biggest Box-Office attraction in Hollywood.

              

E. Literature• 1. Authors chose to write

about individual struggle and raise social awareness.

• 2. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck was one of the most famous and influential novels of the 1930’s.

The focus was on an Okie family that had been driven from their land.

• The book was made into film in 1940.