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Public-Enemy-(1931) (redirected from Public-Enemy-(1931)

Page history last edited by Ashley McArthur 15 years, 1 month ago

 

 

Al Capone Arrested for Tax Evasion

     Gangster films like Public Enemy were very popular during the Great Depression. Where once rags to riches films had captivated the audiences, now films about the underground world defying authority were more intriguing to a financially deprived audience (http://www.pccd.hu/hefop51/?num=5&ch=A&code=A.3.1). Generally speaking the films would be exciting to the audience, combining escapism when the gangsters get away with crimes with redefining American ideals and values by ending in death or punishment for those who had taken all they could from life (Lewis, 119). The films were violent, gritty, and often based on real gangsters like Al Capone. Sometimes the gangster films would be taken directly from the news stories that shocked and captivated the public (http://www.novelguide.com/a/discover/egd_01/egd_01_00212.html).

     On October 17, 1931, the year Public Enemy was released, Al Capone, notorious gangster of the 1920s, was arrested and convicted for Income Tax Evasion and violating Prohibition in Chicago (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Capone). He pled guilty, and had planned on bribing the jury, however he was found out and the jury was switched at the last minute. At first Capone was sent to Atlanta U.S. Penitentiary, but when he started getting special privileges, he was transferred to Alcatraz in San Francisco. There he showed disregard for prison order, but realized he couldn’t work the system as he had before. He also made many enemies within the inmates by refusing to participate in prison riots and strikes. (http://www.chicagohs.org/history/capone/cpn3a.html).

-Rebecca Meredith

 

Castellammarese War Ends

 

 

 

Five main Mafia families existed in New York during the 1920's and into the 30's. The Castellammarese War arose in 1929and continued through 1931. There is a great deal of speculation as to why the war began, but some say the main cause of the dispute was over teritory outside of New York City such as Chicago and Detroit and who would be in control of these cities. The war ended on April 14 of 1931 after the murder of Giuseppe "Joe The Boss" Masseria. He was the last man who standed in the way of the younger Sicilian Mafiosi from gaining power over the mafia in New York City and the rest of the United States. Salvatore Maranzano declared himself the new Boss of Bosses (Capo de tutti Capi). Only six months later, that would change:

 

[Maranzano] held a meeting with the other Family leaders in Chicago hosted by Al Capone and founded what he called the Commission. He would be the Supreme Commander of the New York based Commission with the other Families in New York City along with Stefano Magaddino of Buffalo and Al Capone of Chicago. The war was over but Maranzano would not be alive for long. In September of 1931 Maranzano was shot and stabbed to death in his office by four men posing as IRS agents. (http://www.geocities.com/americanmafioso/-castellammaresewar.html)

 

After that death, the families made peace with eachother and went back to their respective teritories as decided by The Commision, the governing body which controls all five New York families and the bosses in Chicago and Bufalo to this day. (http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A0DEED7123BF933A15752C1A960948260)

The New York Times article from Apr. 16, 1931.

out.pdf

 

We can clearly see that there was prominent mafia activity leading up the the production of Public Enemy. Much publicized headlines and news stories regarding the Bosses of New York and the various criminal activities that the mobsters committed clearly permeated the pop culture and public attention during this period. MICHAEL CALCAGNO

 

 

 

Alka-Seltzer is Released

 

 

 

With the Great Depression affecting everyone in American society, there is no wonder that a cure for headaches and upset stomachs was needed.  In 1931, Alka-Seltzer was introduced into the market for relief of heartburn, acid indigestion, upset-stomach, headache, body aches and pains. Comic strip characters are used to advertise the product in serials on buses and subway cars.   Since 1931,the iconic brand with a long history of relief has been associated not only with overindulgent moments, but with a strong heritage in American popular culture! http://www.alkaseltzer.com/75/index.html Alka-Seltzer is a combination of aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid, C9H8O4), sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3), and citric acid (C6H8O7), designed to treat pain and simultaneously neutralize excess stomach acid.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alka-Seltzer  The product was originally used by some consumers as a remedy for hangovers. Alka-Seltzer's effervescent (fizzing) tablets release their active ingredients when dissolved in water. http://www.bookrags.com/research/1930s-commerce-bbbb-02/alka-seltzer-bbbb-02.html  Erin Boyle

 

Dick Tracy (1931)

 

 

The comic strip “Dick Tracy” premieres in the Detroit Mirror newspaper, part of the Chicago Tribune Syndicate on October 4th, 1931, and it was one of the first daily newspapers in circulation (http://www.internationalhero.co.uk/d/diktracy.htm). Originally named “Plainclothes Tracy” was later renamed to “Dick” as the term was also slang for a detective (http://www.answers.com/topic/1931). In this comic strip, Tracy encountered villains with such colorful names as such Flattop Jones, Mumbles, Splitface, and Splitscreen, just to name a few. Many of the villains portrayed in the comics were caricatures of real gangsters (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dick_Tracy). Creator Chester Gould was one of the first to introduce violence in the strips (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dick_Tracy).

 

 

 

Tracy, as described by http://www.internationalhero.co.uk/d/diktracy.htm, was “an unswerving honest man in his mid-thirties, whose life was forever changed by a tragedy which struck the same day he proposed his photographer girlfriend, Tess Trueheart.” More on a physical aspect of the character, he is also described as having “steel-eyed and hawk-nosed, with a chin that could slide through bologna” (http://www.toonopedia.com/tracy.htm).

 

As soon as Dick Tracy premiered in the funny pages, knock-offs were right around the corner, strips such as Red Barry and Secret Agent X-9 knocked off the Tracy theme (http://www.toonopedia.com/tracy.htm). Along with the knock-offs came the parodies. Warner Brother’s cartoon character Daffy Duck had a Tracy-esque persona known as “Duck Twacy” in 1946 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UH6hcVRjJuA). Also along came serial books and many features (earliest from 1937, but the most widely known one is the Disney 1990 Warren Beatty and Madonna feature).

 

 

Todd Green 

 

New Delhi Becomes Capital of India

 

(http://www.trutv.com/graphics/photos/serial_killers/notorious/necrophiles/New-Delhi-India-map200.jpg)

 

   February 10, 1931 The British Raj inaugurates New Delhi as the new capital of India moving it from its previous capital of Calcutta. The British had announced that they had plans on moving the capital city in 1911 but the plan was not fully released until 1931, twenty years later. The previous capital in Calcutta was beingmoved because of increased demand for independence.

Edwin Lutyens was the planner of the city. The city is centered around British buildings of administration power to show their imperial strength. Sir Herbert Baker was the main

architect, who with Edwin Lutyens helped design the city of New Delhi. Sir Alexander Rouse was the chief engineer of the project. 

The capital is situated in the area of Delhi. A lot of people get confused on the names of Old Delhi and New Delhi. It's all in the same area. New Delhi is just on the foundation of the newest city that was laid over older cities. In fact New Delhi was constructed over seven other former cities in the Delhi area. The most important is Old Delhi which was the concentration of political power for the Mughal Empire. Shah Jahan, who built the Taj Mahal in Agra, moved the capital from Agra to Delhi in the 17th century. The city had been important for both Muslims and Hindus at different times in history. 

The opening ceremony involved the unveiling of four columns that were brought by the British commonwealth. In attendence was Lord Irwin, who at the time was the Viceroy of India. He would later in the same year negotiate with Mahatma Gandhi the Irwin-Gandhi Pact that stated actions that were to be taken including putting at stop to civil disobedience, the release of prisoners, and to summon in more negotiations between the British government and the Indian National Congress. The princes and chiefs of India were also in attendence. Strict security measures were in place to prevent demonstrations from marring the event. 

New Delhi now has turned into a vibrant city home to the government of India but also has many problems with population and pollution increases, traffic jams, and child labor.

 

 

This is a photo I took while in Delhi last fall showing the street just outside of the hotel I was staying at to the right. The city from my experience is very chaotic. When I first got into Delhi is scared me from the amount of people and the way people drove. Traffic lanes don't really exist and you just kinda drive where you can. But I never did see any car accidents. I came back to Delhi the day before a major holiday and the streets were deserted. It was strange to see such a vibrant city completely empty. You can still see some of the British framework around connaught place and the government buildings but other than that the British influence has melted away to leave just Delhi.

 

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delhi

 

 

INDIA INAUGURATES NEW DELHI CAPITAL

Special Cable to THE NEW YORK TIMES.

New York Times (1857-Current file); Feb 11, 1931; ProQuest Historical Newspapers The New York Times (1851 - 2005)

pg. 9

 

 

INDIA'S NEW CAPITAL SEES BRITISH AIR FLEET

Wireless to THE NEW YORK TIMES.

New York Times (1857-Current file); Feb 15, 1931; ProQuest Historical Newspapers The New York Times (1851 - 2005)

pg. 8

 

Singh, Sarina. India. Lonely Planet. Sep. 2007. Pg. 122-123

 

Liz Wilks

 

 

The "Star-Spangled Banner" Becomes U.S. National Anthem (1931)

 

(the original flag flown at Fort McHenry)

 

On March 3rd in 1931, President Herbert Hoover signed into law legislation making "The Star-Spangled Banner" the nation's official national anthem. It passed the House the previous year and was agreed by the Senate without change. (New York Times; March 4, 1931; ProQuest Historical Newspapers The New York Times (1851-2005) pg. 1) Francis Scott Key composed the poem that became "The Star-Spangeld Banner" on Sept. 14, 1814, after witnessing the massive overnight British bombardment of Fort McHenry in Baltimore Harbor, a key assault during the War of 1812. Key, a lawyer, watched the siege while being detained aboard ship by British sailors, the frigate "Surprise." He penned the words after observing that the flag - with its 15 stars and 15 stripes - had survived the nearly 1,800-bomb assault. (www.francisscottkey.com)

 

 

A Baltimore newspaper publshed the patriotic lyrics, which had circulated as a handbill, a week after the bombardment. Key's words were later set to the tune of "To Anacreon in Heaven," a popular English song. Throughout the 19th century, most of the branches of the U.S. armed forces and others regarded "The Star-Spangled Banner" as the national anthem. But it took until 1916 for President Woodrow Wilson to sign an executive order formally designating the anthem's status. All that remained was for Congress to pass an act confirmed to pass an act confirming Wilson's order and for Hoover to sign it.

 

The tradition of performing the national anthem at sporting events began in World War II at major league baseball games. Whenever the song is performed in public, the U.S. Code, under anthem protocol adopted in 1942, calls for members of the audience to face the American flag if one is displayed, remove their headgear and stand in an attitude of respectful attention. (http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0208/8772.html) - Kristin Kokkeler

 

Nevada Legalizes Gambling (1931)

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/39/95836625_4c8503682f.jpg?v=0Stocker and Morgan's Boulder Club (originally the Northern Club)

March 17th, 1931 could be the birth of Sin City.  Nevada becomes the first state in the US to officially legalize gambling, some 200 years after the Europeans (http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/17112/a_history_of_legalized_gambling.html?cat=61). At this time, lotteries were common-place among some east coast states, but no other state allowed casinos.  Visitors to the Vegas strip today would be shocked at the make up of the strip in the 30's. Duderanches dominated the stip and Mayme Stocker and J.H. Morgan were the first to open a casino in Las Vegas, the Northern Club that later became the Monte Carlo Club before it was shut down.  At this time, the Hoover Dam was being constructed, so Nevada and the Las Vegas area saw a population boom due to the amount of workers assigned to the job (http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/17112/a_history_of_legalized_gambling.html?page=2&cat=61). During the 30's, Las Vegas sill held the "morals" as we know them today, a easy place to get married, an even easier place to make mistakes. Marriage and divorce laws were very lax during this time and, combined with the new gambling laws, this was Nevada's main economic draw.  While the lure of its silver reserves was a draw for some, gambling was and remains the forerunner in Nevada's economy.  However, gambling was not well received through all people.  A university of Nevada regent was quoted as saying; "Gambling has brought no additional wealth to Nevada..." (New York Times (1857-Current file); Mar 20, 1932; ProQuest Historical Newspapers The New York Times (1851 - 2005)pg.24). Pat Rosborough

 

 

Empire State Building Opens (1931)

 

File:Manhattan at Dusk by slonecker.jpg

 

On May 1, 1931, the Empire State building opened for business.  The building instantly became a symbol for New York City and has been featured in over 90 feautre films since its opening, such as King Kong (1933) and An Affair to Remember (1957).  Situated on 5th and 34th Avenues in mid Manhattan, the building was built on the former site of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel.  Excavation began on January 22, 1930 and remarkably was completed in only one year and 45 days.  The final cost for the construction was 

$24 million; an impressive amount considering it was built during the height of the Great Depression.  The construction of the building provided some 

very needed jobs to the construction workers of New York City.  When completed, the building's total height reached a staggering 1,454 ft, with a total of 102 floors making it the tallest masonry structure in the world at the time.  On opening night, President Herbert Hoover had the honor of flipping

the switch to turn the lights on.  The building, after its opening, set a new standard for art deco design and high rise construction.  

It held the title of world's tallest building for nearly forty years, until the 1970's when the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center were built in southern 

Manhattan.  To this day, the Empire State Building is still one of the world's most famous structures and it is still one of the symbols of New York.

 

www.essortment.com/all/historyempires_rymo.htm 

James Humphreys 

 

 

The Persistence of Memory

http://www.artquotes.net/masters/salvador-dali/the-persistence-of-memory.jpg

 

    The Persistence of Memory was finished by Salvador Dali (1904-1989) in 1931 when he was 27 years old.  The painting is only 9.5 x 13 inches wide.  As a part of the Surrealist movement it gained plenty of attention and ridicule.  The Surrealist Manifesto was published in 1924.  Surrealist art focuses on reality, dreams, the conscious and the unconscious.  Dali, one of the best known artists referenced with the Surrealist movement, joined in 1929 and  was expelled from the group in 1934 over political beliefs.

    The background of The Persistence of Memory is said to be much like the landscape in Catalonia, Spain, a place where Dali spent many years of his youth.  Like many of Dali’s other paintings, this one contains a self portrait, which can be seen in the mid lower half of the frame as a profile of the artist’s face.  This is the painting in which Dali first introduced his melted watches.  The watches would be repeated in several of his later works.  Dali has said that his inspiration for the melted look of the clocks came from a plate of Camembert cheese that had softened as it sat outside on a hot day.  But some have speculated that this is another one of Dali’s contrived stories used to mislead people.  Dali called his paintings “hand-painted dream photographs”.  This painting has been interpreted as being about dreams and perceptions of reality, which ties in with the Surrealist movement of the time.  People also find meaning about time, birth, death, and sexual desire from The Persistence of Memory.  These are also common themes in Dali’s other work.

    The Museum of Modern Art in New York gave Dali his first major retrospective exhibit, and The Persistence of Memory hangs there today.

http://www.economicexpert.com/a/Salvador:Dali.htm

http://gladstone.uoregon.edu/~atai/surrealism_wq/intro_surrealism.htm

http://www.salvadordalimuseum.org/history/biography.html

http://www.surrealist.com/

Kelcey Friend

 

 

 

"Little Orphan Annie" National Radio Broadcast

http://www.stevestiles.com/anniecover.gif

     Little Orphan Annie started as a comic strip by Harold Gray.  Both the comic and the show were aimed at a young audience, this was one of the first “Juvenile serial dramas” that was specifically targeted at a young audience.   It played in the afternoon six days a week.  The show began broadcast locally in Chicago in 1930 and was picked up by NBC the following year for national broadcast.  The star of the show was a crime-fighting, child heroine, who traveled the globe with her trusted dog Sandy.  The fact that a young girl was the protagonist is what made Annie different in both radio and especially in comics, where other strips were focused on boys.  Shirley Bell-Cole was the actress who played Annie in the series on the East Coast, but the West Coast heard the voice of Floy Hughes from San Francisco.  Another important character to the show was Daddy Warbucks, a war profiteer as his last name suggests.  He helped Annie in her pursuits but was not actually her father since Annie was an Orphan.

     Olvaltine was the main sponsor of the show and has become synonymous with Little Orphan Annie thanks in large part to the announcer’s pitches for the product.  Kids could mail in their proofs of purchase and in return get decoders to help uncover clues about the show.  After Ovaltine ended its sponsorship in 1941 it did not last long.  The show stopped airing in 1942. 

Sources:

http://www.radiohof.org/adventuredrama/littleannie.html

http://www.stevestiles.com/anniecover.gif

http://www.otrcat.com/little-orphan-annie-p-1517.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Orphan_Annie

 

-Erin Champion

 

 

Britain Abandons the Gold Standard

 

In 1931, Britain abandoned the gold standard which helped to initiate the transition of the global economies away from the traditional gold standard that for years had set standardized currency exchanges and regulated global trade and fiscal growth (this totally explains what a gold standard is). While this sounds like a very dry subject, and I am no economist; it is historic that countries would begin to base their currencies on no universal standard but rather through self residual financial outlooks and third part perspective and faith in the respective country's economy. Although the deline of the gold standard began with World War I and the aftermath of inflationary encomics and the ever growing transition towards international aid, treatises, etc.; Britain's decision to aandon the standard helped fuel America's decision to do the same in 1933, and finish the move in the 1970s when Nixon ceased repayment of American currency in gold. Although the gold standard withstood a long period of low inflation and surpassing economic growth it had its limitations when countries didn't want to lose so they'd buy out their won domestic securities- i.e. the socialist economies in France and Belgium. The upside of course to the abandonment of the gold standard, besides a lessening of the imperialistic desire to find more gold deposits, was the limitless possibilities of economic expansion- but is it really a good decision to have a national currency that is founded not on tangible wealth but rather on an idea. Some argue this is the transition that took place in American government- from 'tangible' (crowns, kings, divine authority [yes ironic, its completely intangible]) to an idea. But will this draw global economics to a promise land, or will it succumb to the slippery slope of a macroscopic projection of laissez-faire economics? And does this further the gap between developed and developing nations?

 

 ~Jason Rosselet

 

 

Yangtze River Floods (China)

 The Yangtze River also known as the Chang Jiang River is the third largest River in the world behind the Nile (Africa) and the Amazon (South America). It stretches about 3,964 length in miles and 6,378 length in kilometers (http://www.vaughns-1-pagers.com/geography/longest-rivers.htm). It is the longest river in China. About one-fourth of China’s population makes their home by the river bank and in the neighboring regions. The Yangtze River runs through southern China, one of the most populated areas on Earth. The region’s people, most of whom lived at subsistence level, depended on the river for water for their personal and farming needs. In April, the river-basin area received far-above-average rainfall. When torrential rains came again in July, the stage was set for disaster. The Yangtze flooded over a 500-square-mile area. The rising waters drove 500,000 people from their homes by the beginning of August (http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history.do?action=Article&id=50663). The flood occurred on August 18, 1931. Over 51 million people affected (1/4 of China’s population). 3.7 million people perished from this greatest disaster of the century due to disease, starvation or drowning (http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories/s334b.htm).

 

Much of the disaster may have been averted if flood-control measures had been followed closely. The Yangtze carries large amounts of sediment, which accumulates in certain areas of the river and must be cleared regularly. However, with much of the area’s resources devoted to civil war at the time, the river was neglected (http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history.do?action=Article&id=50663). Jamelia Haughton

 

This is a video of the Yangtze video flood of 1998. It's not the same as the 1931 flood but it shows us and gives us some insight on the circumstances at hand and how the people of China were affected.

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The San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge

     On February 20, 1931 the state of California received congressional approval for construction of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge. The Bay Bridge as it is now commonly referred to as, is a multi-structure bridge that connects San Francisco to Oakland. The Bay Bridge is divided into two sections, a cantilever section that connects Oakland and Yerba Buena Island. The Second section of the bridge is a suspension section that spans from Yerba Buena Island to San Francisco. The bridge’s official name is The James “Sunny Jim” Rolph Bridge after the republican Mayor of San Francisco (1912-1931) and later Governor or California James Rolph. Rolph was the governor until his passing in 1934; the bridge was named in his honor. Although construction on the bridge did not begin until 1933, ideas for a bridge that connected Oakland and San Francisco date back to the gold rush days of the mid 19th century. Designed by Charles H. Purcell, the bridge was completed in November of 1936 with a toll of 65 cents. However, in order to compete with the ferry system the toll was soon lowered 50 cents, and again dropped to 25 cents as it was figured to be a sufficient cost to re-pay the bond on schedule. Including its approaches and toll plaza the bridge spans 8.4 miles and has a vertical clearance of 220 feet making it the 38th longest span of suspension bridges in the world. Today, the bridge hosts five lanes of traffic in each direction and carries an average of 270,00 motor vehicles a day.   

 

 

Tim Holley

 

Sources:

http://nature.wallpaperme.com/4376-2/Bay+Bridge_+San+Francisco_+California.jpg (Image)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Francisco_–_Oakland_Bay_Bridge

http://bata.mtc.ca.gov/bridges/sf-oak-bay.htm

http://baybridgeinfo.org/history

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Rolph 

 

 

First Dracula Film Released (1931)

 

 

     On Valentines Day of 1931, the first ever Dracula film was released. Dracula was a classic horror film, directed by Tod Browning starring Béla Lugosi. The film was produced by Universal Pictures Co. Inc. and is based on the stage play of the same name by Hamilton Deane and John L. Balderston, which in turn is based on the novel Dracula by Bram Stoker [1].

     Dracula’s premier created a lot of publicity when members of the audience reportedly fainted in shock at the horror onscreen. This actually stirred curiosity for people to go and see the film. The film was a big gamble for a major Hollywood studio to undertake. Originally, it was uncertain if an American audience was prepared for a serious full-length supernatural chiller, especially since Dracula was a horror story with no comic relief or trick ending that downplayed the supernatural [1].

 

     Dracula’s successful, atmospheric 1931 adaptation helped to launch a long series of horror-pictures for Universal’s Studio. Universal's follow-up picture was the equally successful gothic Frankenstein (1931).  Hammer Films generated The Horror of Dracula (1958) (with Christopher Lee as "the Count") after purchasing film rights from Universal [2]. Additionally, Universal Studios became the forefront of early horror cinema, with a canon of films including, The Mummy, The Invisible Man, Bride of Frankenstein, and The Wolf Man [1].

     Today, Dracula is widely regarded as a classic of the era and of its genre. In 2000, it was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" [1].

Below is the trailer from Dracula released in 1931 [3].

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[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dracula_(1931_film)

[2] http://www.filmsite.org/drac.html

[3] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Nfmh178L98

Sylvie Atkins

 

 

 

Frankenstein (1931) 

 

     After the success of Universal’s Dracula in early 1931, the studio hoped they could gain as much success with their next horror film Frankenstein.  Released in November of 1931, the film created the one of the most memorable monsters of all time.  Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein during early 1800’s.  It was an early example of romanticism exhibiting themes of horror, freaks of nature and the sublime.  The film is adversely different then the novel originally written by Shelley.  The differences in the novel and film out weight the similarities.  The film can also take complete credit for the appearance of the monster.  Frankenstein was made based off the play by Peggy Webling. The main idea that was different between the film and Shelley's novel were the people’s reaction to the monster.  In the novel, the monster wants to be human and tries emulating the actions of humans.  In the film, the monster is a monster because he was never accepted as a human.  The studio rejected the idea of  “the people’s tolerance of the creature as a man” because they knew that they would draw a bigger audience with the character as a horrifying, grotesque monster.  They needed the monster to be a villain so they did not allow the audience to feel sympathy for him.

            Frankenstein was directed by James Whale and stars Colin Clive as Dr. Frankenstein and Boris Karloff as The Monster.  Most people in the world are familiar with the plot of the film Frankenstein, but most them do not know where the story originated from or that the monster’s name is not actually ‘Frankenstein’.  With the popularity of the film, the public mistakenly started calling the monster ‘Frankenstein’ which is actually the name of his creator.  This classic horror film is a great example of how the early cinema was able to bring a monster to life.  Alyssa Cain

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Sources

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0021884/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankenstein_(1931_film)

http://www.filmsite.org/fran.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankenstein

 

Mickey Mouse (1928, 1931)

 

 

344px-Mickey_Mouse.svg.png

 

 

     Mickey Mouse was first introduced to the public in 1928, created and voiced by Walt Disney. Today, Mickey Mouse is the most well known cartoon image in the world, as well as the worlds greatest cartoon character. The character of Mickey Mouse was created to replace Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. Oswald was created for Charles Mintz of Universal Studios, and because of an ownership and payment argument, Disney created many new characters of his own. Mickey and Minnie Mouse first appeared on May 15, 1928 in a cartoon short named Plane Crazy. In the short, Mickey emulates Charles Lindbergh and proceeds to build his own aircraft. He invites Minnie to join him, and unbeknownst to her, attempt to kiss her. She flees via parachute from the plane, and in his distraction, Mickey begins to loose control of the plane. A series of comedic events occur in the process, but the short eventually ends in a crash landing. This short marks the historic start of Americas love Mickey Mouse, and sets him off as a mischievous mouse. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mickey_Mouse).

            In a 1931 short, Mickey tries to impress Minnie, who lives next door to him, by imitating a bird when havoc ensues (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0022145/plotsummary). 

 

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Brooke Burris

 

 

Donald Ducks' Dazzling Debut (1934) 

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          One of the most popular of the Disney cartoon characters, Donald Duck, made his debut in the Silly Symphony cartoon "The Wise Little Hen" on June 9, 1934. Donald Duck is five years younger than his Disney pal Mickey Mouse. Donald's most famous trait is his easily provoked and occasionally explosive temper.

          On Wednesday, February 20, 1985, Walt Disney Productions announced the death of Clarence "Ducky" Nash, who was the only voice of Donald Duck in more than 150 cartoons and movies over five decades. Nash died of leukemia at age 80 at the St. Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, California. Mr. Nash was in constant demand to do his Donald voice at personal appearances at hospitals, schools and orphanages, even though he was a retired Disney employee for over 14 years. Clarence Nash supplied Donald Duck’s distinctively angry, nasal voice in films, but it was animator Dick Lundy who created most of Donald’s irascible screen personality.

          During World War II, Donald starred in patriotic film cartoons such as Der Fuehrer’s Face, which won a 1942 Academy Award for best cartoon short subject. Donald Duck was the star of animated films, newspaper comic strips, comic books, and television.

 

SOURCES:

 

CLARENCE NASH IS DEAD AT 80; DONALD DUCK'S VOICE IN FILMS. [New York City] 22 Feb. 1985:    

          6. Academic Search Premier. Ebsco. Knight, Eugene. 20 Jan. 2009

          <http://0-search.ebscohost.com.janus.uoregon.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN

          =30395435&loginpage=login.asp&site=ehost-live&scope=site>.

 

"Donald Duck." Disney Archives. Disney, Inc. 20 Jan. 2009    

          <http://disney.go.com/vault/archives/characterstandard/donald/donald.html>.

 

"Donald Duck." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2009. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 20 Jan. 2009

          <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/751823/Donald-Duck>.

 

-Alexandria Vallelunga

 

George Washington Bridge

 

 

George Washington Bridge

     On October 24th, 1931 George Washingon Bridge was dedicated and open for public use.  The bridge was named after the first president of The United States of America, George Washignton.  The bridge stands over the Hudson River and connects Manhattan, New york to Fort Lee in New Jersey.  The George Washington Bridge is a suspension bridge and the fourth largest of its kind in the United States.  The bridge is diiferent because it has two separate levels, an upper and lower level.  The upper level has 8 lanes and the bottom has 6 lanes.  The bridge is 4,760 feet in length and 119 feet in width.  The bridge also has nicknames such as The GW Bridge, GW, GWB, and the George.  In 2007 the bridge was driven on about 150,000,000 different times by cars.  The speed limit on the GW is 45 but during morning rush hour and during 5 o'clock traffic it gets very congested.  When the George Washington opened it was the longest bridge in the world.  When it was originally built it only had one level.

 

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Washington_Bridge

http://www.panynj.gov/COMMUTINGTRAVEL/bridges/html/gwb.html 

Josh Hogan

 

Thomas Edison Dies at 84

 

American inventor Thomas Edison died due to complications with diabetes on October 18 in New Jersey. With his most famous patent being the light bulb, Edison can be attributed to many other inventions including the phonograph, motion pictures and the telegraph – to name a few (http://edison.rutgers.edu/inventions.htm). Throughout his years Edison was said to have truly demonstrated innovation by involving himself in the research, invention, development and commercialization processes (http://edison.rutgers.edu/inventions.htm). As the Franklin Institute put it, “When Edison was born electricity was a fad. By the time he died entire cities were lit by electricity” (http://sln.fi.edu/franklin/inventor/edison.html). By patenting more than 1,000 inventions, Edison earned the nickname the “Wizard of Menlo Park” (http://sln.fi.edu/franklin/inventor/edison.html). As a tribute to Edison, electric lights were dimmed for one minute a few days after his death (http://sln.fi.edu/franklin/inventor/edison.html). In his last year, at age 84, Edison was still filing patents with the government – the last being a Holder for Articles to be Electroplated (http://www.nps.gov/archive/edis/edisonia/patent_list.html). In addition to his many patents in the U.S., Edison received patents from other countries such as France, Germany and the United Kingdom (http://www.nps.gov/archive/edis/edisonia/patent_list.html). - Amy Wicks

 

 

Growing up in Capone’s home turf (1924-1931)

 

 

     Cicero, Illinois, is a suburb of Chicago that was famous during the reign of mobster Al “Scarface” Capone.  Before law enforcement and the federal government dismantled his empire, Al Capone used the town of Cicero as a base of operations, a place where he was immune from the Chicago police yet close enough to Chicago to run his crime syndicate.  From 1924 to 1931, the Capone brothers ruled Cicero through violence, intimidation and political corruption.

 

     Cicero was the frontline in the gang war for control of the production and distribution of alcohol during the Prohibition era.  During the “Beer Wars,” shootings and bombings were common; in one instance, the North Side Gang attempted to kill Capone with a hit that “involved a midday motorcade of several cars filled with gunmen who poured over a thousand rounds into Capone’s Hawthorne Hotel headquarters on the main street of Cicero” (Helmer 54).

 

     During this time my grandfather remembers what it was like for a young child to grow up in Capone’s “home turf.” My grandfather lived with his parents and brothers in a “two flat” (an upstairs downstairs) about a block away from Al Capone’s brother, Ralph “Bottles” Capone.  One of earliest memories is the time was when his parents left him and his older brother Gene alone in the house while they attended a New Years Eve party in 1930. This was a big deal because it was the first time he was allowed to stay up until midnight (he was almost 6 years old).  He and his brother spent the night looking out their window at the festivities below when, all of a sudden, a man leaned out of his car “opened up” with Tommy gun, firing wildly into the air.  My grandfather and his brother quickly hit floor and hid under their beds as the car sped, past firing in celebration.  After that night, my grandfather’s father drove him around Cicero, pointing out the homes where the gangsters lived, all the while trying to explain why these men were bad.  My grandfather also remembers seeing store fronts with their windows “all shot up” and that it was such a common occurrence that wasn’t a “big deal.” 

 

 

Sources:

 

Interviews with Richard Logan, January 19, 2009.

 

Helmer, William J. (1998). Public Enemies: America’s Criminal Past, 1919-1940. New York: Checkmark Books.

 

Al Capone. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_capone

 

~ Lucas Erickson

 

Stalin Takes Advantage of Gulag (1931)

 

 

Beginning in 1930, the amount of prisoners in Russian Gulag labor camps increased under leader Joseph Stalin. The 476 camps were usually located in remote areas, like Siberia. Because of starvation, exhaustion and abuse, it is estimated that over a million murderers, thieves and religious and political prisoners died in the Gulag during Stalin's reign. The prisoners were responsible for digging canals and building Stalin's industrialization projects. The camps remained very active until Stalin's death in 1953, when they were scaled down. Today, they are compared to Nazi labor camps because of the brutality and how many people died under Stalin and his men. Leora Herrick

 

 

http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/archives/gula.html

 

http://www.osa.ceu.hu/gulag/c.htm

[Map showing Gulag locations]

 

 

File:Lake placid 1932 logo.png

 

III Olympic Winter Games, Lake Placid 1932

 

 

The third Winter Olympics took place in Lake Placid, New York. The opening ceremony was on February 4 and the closing ceremony on February 15. New York Governor Franklin Delano Roosevelt (who was elected President later that year) opened the games. [1] 252 athletes (21 women and 231 men) from 17 nations were competing in a total of 14 events. [2]

 

The New York Times hailed Norway to be the favourite in all events and wrote that “Norway’s strength is apparent, and justly so. It is distributed over the entire program, except in the bobsleighing.” [3] But as it turned out, the US ended up as the best overall nation with a total of 12 medals (6-4-2). Norway followed on second with 10 medals (3-4-3), Sweden on third with 3 medals (1-2-0) and Canada as number four with 7 medals (1-1-5). [1]

 

The United States won two gold medals in bobsleighing and one of the team members, Eddie Eagan had previously won a gold medal in light-heavyweight boxing in the 1920 Olympics. He is still the only person who has won a gold medal in both summer and winter Olympics. [2]

 

The biggest star of the Lake Placid is likely to have been figure skater Sonja Henie. She was only 20 years old, but was already participating in her third Olympics (her Olympic debut was in the First Olympic Winter Games in Chamonix in 1924 at age 11). In Lake Placid she won her 2nd of 3 consecutive gold medals in figure skating (her first being in St. Moritz in 1932 and the third in Garmisch-Partenkirchen in 1936). She eventually became so popular that police had to control crowds when she appeared. [4] She also won 10 consecutive world championships from 1927-1936 – a record that still stands. [5]

 

She later moved on to starring in movies when 20th Century Fox chief Darryl Zanuck signed a contract with her. [6] She became a great success – starring in a total of 12 movies.

 

When she died in 1969 she was one of the richest women in the world. [7].

Erik Soerflaten

 

 

 

Sources:

 

[1]. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1932_Winter_Olympics

[2]. http://www.olympic.org/uk/games/past/index_uk.asp?OLGT=2&OLGY=1932#

[3]. WINTER OLYMPICS WILL START TODAY

By ARTHUR J. DAILEY.Special to THE NEW YORK TIMES.

New York Times (1857-Current file); Feb 4, 1932; ProQuest Historical Newspapers The New York Times (1851 - 2005). pg. 26.

[4]. http://www.olympic.org/uk/athletes/profiles/bio_uk.asp?PAR_I_ID=74701

[5]. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/siforwomen/top_100/4/

[6]. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonja_Henie

[7]. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0377012/

 

1931 Hurricane In Belize

 

 

In 1931 a huge category three Hurricane hit Belize City, killing approximately 2,500 people. Although there have been much larger hurricanes recorded in the history of the world, this was the most devastating natural disaster that Belize has ever encountered. In fact, only two tropical storms reached hurricane status in 1931, and this one did more than its fair share of damage. Almost the entire north coast of the country was destroyed as it demolished everything in its path with winds reaching up to 125 miles per hour. Unfortunately for the people of Belize, the day the hurricane hit, September 10th is also a national holiday celebrating a victory over the Spanish in the Battle of St. George’s Caye. Because of the celebration, many people were located in one central location and the effects of the hurricane were more heavily felt. So, the gathering that was supposed to be a celebration turned to devastation for all those who had attended for the holiday. Joseph Sullivan

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1931_Atlantic_hurricane_season

http://consejo.bz/weather/storms.html

http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Belize

 

Knute Rockne dies in plane crash (1931)

On March 31, 1931, Knute Rockne, the celebrated coach of Notre Dame’s football team, boarded a Transcontinental-Western flight departing from Kansas City to Los Angeles, where he was to be a consultant on the film “The Spirit of Notre Dame”. One of the Fokker Trimotor Aircraft’s plywood wings separated from the plane shortly after take-off due to fatigue cracks (the cause of the crash has been disputed, many believe the crash occurred after the plane flew through a storm, although meteorological data does not back up the theory). The plane plummeted to the earth, killing the 8 people aboard. Rockne was 43.

         

                   Rockne on Cover of Time                                                                         Photo of Crash site

Rockne coached the Notre Dame Fighting Irish from 1918 to 1930.  During his 13-year coaching career, Rockne led his team to 6 national championships and an astounding record of 105 victories, 12 losses and 5 ties. Rockne’s implementation of the forward pass helped pave the way for the modern pass-heavy game. His overall winning percentage of .881 still stands as the highest in both college and professional football coaching history. President Herbert Hoover called the death of Rockne "a national loss".  -Danny Martin

http://townhall.com/columnists/column.aspx?UrlTitle=one_hundred_years_of_the_forward_pass&ns=TerenceJeffrey&dt=08/30/2006&page=2

http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761576926/Knute_Rockne.html - 461516062

http://und.cstv.com/trads/rockne.html

http://www.knuterockne.com/biography.htm

 

City Lights (1931)

 

“Despite the fact that new technology had every studio in Hollywood making ‘talkies,’ [Charlie] Chaplin seemingly ignored the trend and made City Lights (1931), featuring his original musical score and sound effects but no dialogue” (The Guide to United States Popular Culture).  The film is about Charlie Chaplin’s broke and homeless tramp character falling in love with a poor, blind flower girl, played by Virginia Cherrill.  She mistakes him for a millionaire, but because he doesn’t want to disappoint her, he continues to act like he is a rich man.  “His difficulties in getting funds to maintain this reputation in her unseeing eyes supply most of the complications.  A ‘running gag’… is built up in a millionaire who, when drunk, is Chaplin’s dearest friend; when sober, has him thrown out of the house” (Times).  The real millionaire gives Chaplin $1,000, but is nonetheless convicted of stealing and is unrightfully jailed.  When the tramp is released from jail, the flower girl has regained her vision and his true self is revealed to her.  “The ending is widely acclaimed as one of cinema’s most touching” (Wikipedia).

    

 

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“Chaplin was exceptionally nervous about the reception of the film just prior to its release in [February] 1931 [because it was mostly a silent]. Silent films were a total anachronism by this time, with Hollywood having completely switched to sound films by the end of 1929 (Wikipedia).  “The opinion was that the film would fail miserably in competition with ‘talkies’ (The Guide to United States Popular Culture).  “Chaplin [did] not reject the sound-device because he [did] not think his voice [would] register.  His objection [was] that cinema is essentially a pantomimic art.  [Chaplin said], ‘Action is more generally understood than words’.  Chaplin worked frantically to make it his greatest, to justify his faith in pantomime (Times).  In the end, “City Lights cost $1.500.000 to produce”, but before it was even released “it had sold to a guaranteed booking of more than $4,000.000” and was “the fourth biggest grosser of the year”.     Perry Fox 

"The New Pictures." Time 9 Feb. 1931. <http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,741027-1,00.html>.

Browne, Ray B., and Pat Browne, eds. The Guide to United States Popular Culture. Bowling Green: Bowling Green State University Popular P, 2001

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_Lights

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0021749/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpeiPbjDlDs&feature=related 

 

 

Spain Becomes A Republic 

 

  (Flag of the "Second Spanish Republic")

 

 (King Alfonso XIII)      (Niceto Alcala-Zamora, 1st President)

 

 

 

     On April 14, 1931, the country of Spain saw the overwhelming revolution of its people.  Cities all around the country had been declaring themselves Republican increasingly until April 14th when the protests peaked.  The Spanish People desperately wanted to be rid of the monarchy, blaming the King for all of the problems in Spain.  According to the Times, Miguel Maura (who became the first Minister of the Interior for the Second Republic), walked into the office of the Minister of Interior and said, "There is no precedence for what I  am going to do, so I shall merely say that I  am taking control of this office."  King Alfonso decided to leave Spain on this day to avoid a bloody revolution.  He snuck out with his family and headed for Britain, but hadn't abdicated officially.  

 

   An official first cabinet and President were announced to the people, naming Alcala-Zamora as the President.  Alcala-Zamora had addressed the people, telling them there would be a Republic and granting amnesty to all.  After the cabinet was assembled, they issued Alfonso an ultimatum, ordering him to officially abdicate his throne or there would be a revolution of the people.  Alfonso gave in.  The Spanish people were afraid that Alfonso may try to come back and reclaim his throne in the future.  At this point in Spain, the flag of the Second Republic could be seen everywhere.  People celebrated in huge throngs in the street, glad to be rid of the King.  One of the last monarchies in Europe had fallen after 15 centuries of rule (there was abrief interruption of the rule of the monarchy before, hence the name "Second Republic").  

 

Source:  

     FRANK L. KLUCKHOHN. Special Cable to THE NEW YORK TIMES. (1931, April 15). KING ALFONSO QUITS, SPAIN A REPUBLIC; ALCALA ZAMORA IS FIRST PRESIDENT... New York Times (1857-Current file),p. 1.  Retrieved January 21, 2009, from ProQuest Historical Newspapers The New York Times (1851 - 2005) database. (Document ID: 102226072).  http://0-proquest.umi.com.janus.uoregon.edu/pqdweb?index=6&did=102226072&SrchMode=2&sid=2&Fmt=10&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=HNP&TS=1232579675&clientId=11238

 

 

    ~Elizabeth Jackson

 

 

 

 

Founding of Jehovah’s Witnesses (1931)

below: (left) Excerpt from the Jehovah's Witnesses doctrine, (right) Outsider's perspective on Jehovah's Witnesses

 

 

In 1931 the International Bible Students Association was reborn into the Jehovah’s Theocratic Organization, also known as Jehovah’s Witnesses. Shortly after the death of  Charles Taze Russell, founder of the Watch Tower Society (the original doctrine of Jehovah Witness beliefs), Franklin Rutherford took over the religious society and shaped the new doctrine of Jehovah’s Witnesses (http://www.webspawner.com/USERS/BIBLESTUENDS/). Rutherford’s reorganization of the society caused turmoil among the group and caused a split between Russell’s followers and the new Rutherford believers. This new group of Rutherford was officially formed in 1931 and would from then would flourish as Jehovah’s Witnesses (http://www.webspawner.com/USERS/BIBLESTUENDS/). Jehovah’s Witnesses completely departed from the Christian faith and religious freedom and for these reasons the former Bible Students view their Jehovah Witness “cousins” as “evil” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Development_of_Jehovah's_Witnesses_doctrine). 

 

“Jehovah’s Witness” is the longest withstanding name of this religious society and along with their title, Jehovah’s witnesses changed their doctrines multiple times- 148 times between 1917 and 1928 to be exact (http://www.rapidnet.com/~jbeard/bdm/Cults/jw.htm).  Under Rutherford’s leadership the original doctrine of Russell was revised completely and left out all of Russell’s original teachings. Rutherford evolved  the once Seventh-Day Adventist influenced society into “door-to-door evangelism and literature distribution” , totaling in over ten billion pieces of literature since 1928 (http://www.rapidnet.com/~jbeard/bdm/Cults/jw.htm).  

 

During the official birth of the Jehovah’s Theocratic Organization in 1931, the refusal of vaccinations was implemented into the society’s new doctrine and the greater public harshly criticized the Jehovah’s Witnesses for this new belief. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Development_of_Jehovah's_Witnesses_doctrine). Among their refusal of vaccinations, Jehovah’s Witnesses also refuse to serve in the military, salute to the national flag, celebrate any holidays (including Christmas and birthdays), or accept blood transfusions  (http://www.rapidnet.com/~jbeard/bdm/Cults/jw.htm).   Currently, this religious society, which was born a mere 78 years, has five million members across the world who all believe in the “worldly dominance of Satan” and fully reject the symbols and teachings of Christianity (http://philtar.ucsmac.uk/encyclopedia/christ/esp/jw.html).  - Maggie Harris

 

 

Just One More Chance by Bing Crosby 

 

 

On November 15, 1931, Bing Crosby released the song Just One More Chance. It released as a musical short film that was twenty minutes long starring Crosby, Arthur Stone, and Patsy O’Leary. (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0022230/)  Just One More Chance is not one of Crosby’s most well-known songs. He sang this song early in his career, which began in 1926 when he was singing with Al Rinker at the Los Angeles Metropolitan Theater for $150 a week. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bing_Crosby)  

                Bing Crosby is most well known for the song White Christmas, which first debuted in 1942 in the film Holiday Inn starring Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire. The song is still played during the Christmas season. It was also featured in the film White Christmas (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Christmas_(film) ). -Kelly Littell

 

Gambling legalized in Nevada

 

 

Nevada legalizes gambling within the state as a business practice. Plagued by an economic decline due to agricultural fallout from the Great Depression,

Nevada sook to revitalize the struggling economy with the legalization of (the previously underground) gambling. Banking on the completion of the amazing Hoover dam,

Las Vegas begins to establish itself as the gaming capital of Nevada (and later the world).

By the 1940’s this capital begins to see mobster controlled properties due to reinforced laws against illegal gambling in California.

Eventually this leads to Las Vegas containing a large number of Mob controlled Casino’s and gaming centers.

 

 

Sources: California State Library, http://www.library.ca.gov/crb/97/03/Chapt2.html

              Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nevada

 

--Daniel Akers

 

George Washington Bridge is Dedicated

 

 

          On October 24th, 1931 the George Washington Bridge was dedicated. GWB is a suspension bridge that stretches across the Hudson river and connects Washington Heights in Manhattan NY to Fort Lee in New Jersey. The speed limit is 45 mph, but since it is always so congested with commuters drivers rarely reach that speed [4]. It is one of the busiest bridges in the world [4] and is the fourth largest suspension bridge in the United States [5]. The bridge has two levels; four lanes in each direction on the upper level and 3 lanes in each direction on the lower level [1]. Since the attacks on September 11th on certain holidays the bridge sports the largest free flying American flag in the world, weighing 450 lbs [1].

 

The giant flag on the George Washington Bridge

 

     In October of 1927 they broke ground on construction of the bridge. The architect responsible for the bridge was Cass Gilbert and the engineer in charge was Othmar Ammann [1]. When it opened it had the longest main span in the world, two times longer than any other [3]. The year after its opening, 1932, 5.5 million vehicles crossed the bridge [2]. Although they had originally planned to use granite and concrete to construct the bridge, the Great Depression caused the government to choose steel to build it. The steel frame is now one of its identifying characteristics and was praised for its beauty by French artist Le Corbusier, “The George Washington Bridge over the Hudson is the most beautiful bridge in the world. Made of cables and steel beams, it gleams in the sky like a reversed arch. It is blessed. It is the only seat of grace in the disordered city” [1]

Bridge construction begins.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Washington_Bridge [1]

http://en.structurae.de/structures/data/index.cfm?id=s0000032 [2]

http://www.fortlee.com/htm/history/gwb.htm [3]

http://www.fortleeonline.com/gwb/ [4]

http://www.nyc-architecture.com/TEN/TEN-Bridges.htm [5]

 

By Nichole Johnson

 

Formation of the Chinese Soviet Republic

 

The Temporary Central Government of Republic of Chinese Soviet in Ruijin, Jiangxi Province

 

In 1931, the Communist Mao Zedong and his comrade Zhu De established the independent government called the Chinese Soviet Republic. It was formed in the JiangXi province of Southeast China. The communist republic government was called a "small state within a state" (http://www.bookrags.com/wiki/Chinese_Soviet_Republic). Mao was elected the chairmand of the Communist governement. During the formation of the Chinese Soviet Republic, Mao Zedong gained experience in guerrilla warfare and peasant organization which latter proved invaluable in strengthening the Communist Party of China to ultimately create the People's Republic of China in the 1940's and 1950's. The Chinese Soviet Republic also called the JiangXi Soviet reached its peak in the 1930's with a size of more than 30,000 square kilometers (http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Chinese-Soviet-Republic).

 

Mao Zedong

At the time one-sixth of China was occupied by the Chinese Soviet Republic. France only equals 88.6 per cent of the size that the Jiangxi Republic territory. The area of Germany only equalled 65.9 per cent while Japan (without colonies) is 61 per cent the size of the Chinese Soviet Republic (http://www.marxists.org/archive/kun-bela/assorted/1934/china.htm). Even though the Chinese Soviet Republic was defeated in 1934, it set the precedent for Communism in the future of China.      Jayson Choe

 

 

 

Frankenstein is highest grossing film of 1931

 

Frankenstein is a horror film released in 1931 by universal studios. It was based on the gothic novel by Mary Shelly and was adapted for the screen by Francis Edward Faragoh. Other top grossing films of that year included Palmy Days, City lights, and at number 21 on the list, Public Enemy.  Frankenstein has been recognized on the American Film Istitute’s top 100 films of all time. Frankenstein was arguably of of the first and best horror films of its day, and continues to be a classic.

 

Sources:

 

http://universal.frankensteinfilms.com/

 

 

http://www.afi.com/tvevents/100years/movies.aspx

Sloane Cameron

 

Nevada Legalizes Gambling - March 9, 1931

 

(A gambling establishment in Reno, Nevada- Legalized in 1931. http://www.legendsofamerica.com/photos-oldwest/RenoNevada1910-500.jpg)

 

 

With the effects of the Great Depression still prevalent across the United States, Nevada decided to legalize gambling in 1931 to help combat the economic strain that everyone seemingly was feeling. On March 9th of 1931, the state legislature of Nevada responded to heavy declines in its states mining system by legalizing gambling (history.com). Currently, the state is still well-known for its roots in gambling culture and much of its tax revenues are taken from the gambling business. According to the reviewjournal.com, “The state wanted to replace the reliable tax base lost when the silver business went south, and legislators wanted to benefit from the anticipated tourism boom.” Legalizing gambling in Nevada also came in part to a wake of illegal gambling and political corruption across the state. However, according to The History of Gambling in the United States, “Gaming in Nevada struggled from its inception until after World War II, when the prosperity of post-war America started a boom in the fledgling industry.” With the negative effects of the Great Depression still looming overhead America, Nevada was a pioneer in trying to resolve pessimistic feelings about the future that many Americans still harbored with the stock market crash. Even though legalized gambling failed to make the immediate positive impact that Nevada politicians most probably initially hoped for, it is still a major turning point in rebuilding America’s economy.

 

Bibliography: http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history.do?action=Article&id=4847

 

http://www.library.ca.gov/crb/97/03/Chapt2.html

 

 

http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2006/Mar-19-Sun-2006/business/6305407.html

 

 

                                             - Jack Jensen 

 

A Free Soul (1931)

A Free Soul is a film which tells the story of an alcoholic defense attorney who must defend his daughter's ex-boyfriend on a charge of murdering the mobster she had started a relationship with; a mobster whom her father had previously gotten an acquittal for on a murder charge. A Free Soul stars Norma Shearer, Leslie Howard, Lionel Barrymore and Clark Gable (the first screen appearance together of the future Ashley Wilkes and Rhett Butler).

The movie was adapted by Becky Gardiner and John Meehan (dialogue continuity) from the play by Willard Mack, which was based on the book by Adela Rogers St. Johns. It was directed by Clarence Brown. A Free Soul became famous for a 14-minute uninterrupted take where Barrymore delivers a monologue that is said to be the main reason he won the Academy Award for Best Actor that year. (Norma Shearer was nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role and Clarence Brown for Best Director.) Gable made such an impression in the role of a gangster who pushes Shearer around that he was catapulted from supporting player to leading man, a position he held for the rest of his career. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Free_Soul. Gable was on contract with MGM and produced what he is undoubtedly most famous for, Gone With the Wind in 1939. Although a Free Sould was not particularly influential at the time, it was one of the starting points for Gable as well as the other 12 movies he'd stared in that year.

It is also famous as it was a notable Pre-Code film. Pre-Code films were created before the Motion Picture Production Code or Hays Code - censorship guidelines - took effect on 1 July 1934 in the United States. A previous code of conduct for the film industry, introduced in 1930, was widely ignored and not enforced very enthusiastically. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pre-Code
Lexi Kendall
 
 

Famous Scottsboro Boys Trial 1931

 

 

 

One of the most infamous court cases in history dealing with racism in the judicial system and also one of the most drawn out cases with numerous appeals, convictions, retrials and reversals. The incident occurred on March 25, 1931. Two white females claimed they were gang raped by 12 Negro boys on a train. The trial was filled with all kinds of illegal actions. The defense attorney for the boys did nothing to help their case but to hinder it. He gave no closing argument and tried to make the boys look incompetent. The doctors who examined the girls were not cross examined and the younger of the two girls was not even a main witness because they prosecution felt she was a “weak witness.” Eight of the nine boys that were prosecuted were found guilty and sentenced to death. Later this case would go all the way up to the Supreme Court which would overturn the convictions due to the boys’ 14th amendment rights being trampled on. They were to receive new trials. Through a long history of retrials and continuing appearances to the Supreme Court eventually led to the release of all the boys. Although this trial continues to be an embarrassment in America’s history….

Ashley McArthur

http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/FTrials/scottsboro/SB_acct.html

 

 

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