Ok let's have a look at the world of 1933 where Bryan Burrough starts relating the beginning of America's Great Crime Wave.

1933 was the worst year of the depression with unemployment peaking at 25.2% ( 1 in 4 people unemployed ) .


Breadline

Adolf Hitler became the chancellor of Germany and opened the first concentration camp at Dachau.

10's of thousands travelled the road and rail in America looking for work , and the US banking system which was under great strain was propped up by the US government ( US banking act of 1933 ) to try and stop the panic of people withdrawing their money from the banks.

Bank run

The continuing drought in the midwest made even more of the land into dust bowls.


How Much things cost in 1933

Average cost of new house $5,750.00
Average wages per year $1,550.00
Cost of a gallon of gas 10 cents
Average cost for house rent $18.00 per month
A loaf of bread 7 cents
1 pound of hamburger meat 11 cents
Plymouth 6 Car $445.00
Campbells Vegetable Soup 10 cents

Events of 1933

Adolf Hitler appointed Chancellor of Germany
The Reichstag passes the Enabling Act, making Adolf Hitler dictator of Germany and the Gestapo is established
The machine gun is demonstrated by Japanese Scientist firing 1,000 shot per minute


Repeal of prohibition in United States allowing 3.2% beer and wine sales
Strong winds strip the topsoil from the drought affected farms in midwest creating Dust Bowls
Work Starts on The Golden Gate Bridge
President Franklin D. Roosevelt announces the creation of 4 million public works jobs
The Emergency Banking Act is passed to save the run on small banks causing them to go into bankruptcy
Alcatraz becomes a federal penitentiary.
British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain returns from Germany and announced to the world "Peace In Our Time"
President Roosevelt gives his first " fireside chat " radio broadcast
Unemployment in Britain reaches 2.7 million nearly 25% of the workforce





Popular Culture
The original 1933 King Kong Movie is shown
The Loch Ness Monster is sighted for the first time in modern times
The First ever drive in Theatre is established in New Jersey
The Chocolate chip cookie is invented
The Board Game Monopoly is invented




What and who they saw at the movies in 1933

http://www.altfg.com/best-of-the-best/1933.htm
1933


FILMS
Queen Christina
Baby Face
The Barbarian
Dinner at 8
Gold Diggers of 1933
I'm No Angel
The Kennel Murder Case
King Kong
Lady for a Day
The Mystery of the Wax Museum




ACTOR
Ramon Novarro (The Barbarian)
Lionel Atwill (The Mystery of the Wax Museum)
Fredric March (The Eagle and the Hawk)
Robert Montgomery (Made on Broadway)
Warren William (Lady for a Day)

ACTRESS
Greta Garbo (Queen Christina)
Constance Bennett (Bed of Roses)
Ruth Chatterton (Lily Turner)
Marion Davies (Peg o' My Heart)
Myrna Loy (The Barbarian)
May Robson (Lady for a Day)
Barbara Stanwyck (Baby Face)
Barbara Stanwyck (The Bitter Tea of General Yen)
Mae West (I'm No Angel)
Loretta Young (Man's Castle)


Clyde Barrow and his Ford V8


Sources:imbc.com, www.eastliverpoolhistoricalsociety.org, www.madisonavenuejournal.com, www.clipartguide.com/_pages/0512-0702-1412-3243.html, http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=htt...fting-sands.com, http://texashideout.tripod.com/Ford.html, princeplanetmovies.blogspot.com, http://www.the-american-interest.com, http://www.thepeoplehistory.com/1933.html

Thanks Karen--what a great amount of background info. for PE...oh to have 10 cent a gallon gasoline again! What a difficult time but in some ways such a simpler time....thanks for the info. about the films/actors/actresses, too. It helps set the scene for our PE discussion! :)

-Donna

Thanks Donna, I don't want to overload everyone on details, but I think a little info as we get ready to discuss the book is a good thing!

Thanks Karen, Simple, short, easy to remember with lots of pictures. :)

:thanks Karen for this fascinating background information.

Its been a great help, especially for those of us who are not from the US and don't have a great deal of knowledge on the subject.

:thanks

Interesting information. Thanks Karen :) Anne r

Thanks for the history lesson, Karen. I'm sure we went over all that in American History in 11th grade, but darn if I retained it all. It's much more interesting to me now, for some reason :shistle .

Rose

I was fortunate to have parents who were kids during the depression and they have always shared their memories of what life was like back then. And my grandparents shared also, my grandmother raised 4 kids on a farm in the dust bowl and always reminded us to be grateful that we had food on our plates and a roof over our heads. I really didn't "get it" then, but I sure do now, especially looking at the times of the Crime Wave and how people responded. BUT that;s a discussion question. lol.

Read what Bryan Burrough has to say to JDR here where he answers our questions! woohoo