Record unemployment A decade-high of nearly 12 million people were unemployed in the United States in 1933. (more) Timeline of the 1930s Ask the Chatbot a Question More Actions Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/topic/Timeline-of-the-1930s Feedback Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Feedback Type Select a type (Required) Factual Correction Spelling/Grammar Correction Link Correction Additional Information Other Your Feedback Submit Feedback Thank you for your feedback Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

　　External Websites Ask the Chatbot a Question Written by Written by Mindy Johnston Mindy Spitzer Johnston is Managing Editor at Encyclopædia Britannica. Mindy Johnston Fact-checked by Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Last Updated: Oct. 21, 2025 •Article History Table of Contents Table of Contents Ask the Chatbot As the 1930s dawned, the global population surpassed 2 billion, and more than 4 million of the United States’s nearly 123 million residents were unemployed, a number that would triple by 1933. The Great Depression’s widespread hardship forced the U.S. government to assume new responsibilities, creating a set of social safety net programs, aspects of which endure to this day. Globally, economic and political instability gave rise to authoritarian and fascist movements and international aggression....

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