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Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti, two Italian anarchists, were arrested for a payroll robbery and murder in Massachusetts. Their trial and eventual execution highlighted the era’s intense "Red Scare" and nativism a deep fear of immigrants and radical political ideologies. -
KDKA in Pittsburgh was the first commercial radio station to receive a license. Its first broadcast delivered the results of the Harding-Cox presidential election. It sparked the radio revolution, creating a "mass culture" where people across the country could listen to the same music, news, and sports simultaneously. -
Originally called the "Inter-City Beauty" contest, it was held in Atlantic City to extend the tourist season. Margaret Gorman was the first winner. It reflected the changing roles and public perception of women, emphasizing the new "flapper" aesthetic and the rise of celebrity culture. -
Secretary of the Interior Albert Fall secretly leased federal oil reserves at Teapot Dome, Wyoming, to private oil companies in exchange for bribes. It was the most famous case of political corruption in the 20s, shattering the public’s trust in the federal government and the Harding administration. -
Held in Chamonix, France, this was the first time winter sports were given their own dedicated Olympic stage. It demonstrated the increasing globalization and the post-WWI desire for international cooperation through organized sports. -
F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel explored themes of social class, excess, and the pursuit of the American Dream in Long Island. It is considered the definitive literary portrait of the Jazz Age, capturing both the glamour and the underlying emptiness of the decade's materialism. -
High school teacher John Scopes was tried for teaching evolution in a Tennessee school, which was illegal under state law. This was a massive "cultural civil war" between modern science/urban values and traditional religion/rural values. -
Charles Lindbergh flew the Spirit of St. Louis from New York to Paris, becoming the first person to fly solo across the Atlantic. He became an instant global hero, proving the potential of long-distance aviation and symbolizing American bravery and technological progress. -
Starring Al Jolson, this was the first feature-length motion picture with synchronized dialogue and singing. It marked the end of the "Silent Era" of film and revolutionized the entertainment industry, making movies an even more dominant form of mass media. -
Seven members of Chicago’s North Side Gang were gunned down by men dressed as police, an act widely attributed to Al Capone’s gang. It was the bloody climax of Prohibition-era gang violence, leading to a public outcry that eventually helped end Prohibition. -
On this day, share prices on the New York Stock Exchange completely collapsed as 16 million shares were traded in a single day. This event effectively ended the Roaring Twenties. It wiped out fortunes and served as the primary catalyst for the Great Depression.