The World in 1929 the year the market broke

About 10 million American homes had a radio, close to one home in three. The other two waited for the morning paper to find out what had happened the day before.

Life back then

Shares looked like a sure thing, and buyers could get them with as little as a tenth of the money down. Radio sets and washing machines went the same way, a few dollars a month. Bankers in London and Berlin spent the year arguing about how long Germany should keep paying for the last war. Then came October, and people who had borrowed found out how little of their shares they really owned. The Wall Street Crash emptied savings in New York and pulled American money back out of Europe and South America within months.

The year in 8 events

• ⛪Feb 11 Italy and the Vatican sign the Lateran Treaty. Vatican City becomes its own small state.
• 🕯️Feb 14 Seven men are shot dead in a Chicago garage in the St. Valentine's Day Massacre.
• 🏆May 16 The first Academy Awards are handed out at a hotel dinner in Hollywood. The presentation lasts about 15 minutes.
• 🗳️May 30 Britain votes. Labour wins the most seats and Ramsay MacDonald becomes prime minister again.
• 🛩️Aug 8 The airship Graf Zeppelin sets off to circle the world by way of Germany, Tokyo and Los Angeles. It is back 21 days later.
• ⚖️Oct 18 Five Canadian women win a long court fight. Women in Canada count as persons in law and can hold high office.
• 📉Oct 29 Black Tuesday. Prices collapse on Wall Street and about 16 million shares change hands.
• 📜Dec 31 At midnight in Lahore, the Indian National Congress raises its flag and calls for complete independence for India.

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