Celebrate the Century - 1910s
Federal Reserve System 1913
The Federal Reserve System was created on December 23, 1913, to regulate banks
and attempt to stabilize the nation's monetary and financial system.
President Woodrow Wilson
President Woodrow Wilson was awarded the 1919 Nobel Peace Prize for his
promotion of the League Nations, the precursor to the United Nations.
Armory Show 1913
The 1913 Armory Show introduced avant-garde art to this country. The highly
controversial exhibition included Marcel Duchamp’s Nude Descending a
Staircase, No. 2 that now hangs at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
George Washington Carver
Botanist George Washington Carver improved the economy of the South by
demonstrating the commercial possibilities of peanuts and sweet potatoes. His
"Movable School" educated impoverished farmers.
Grand Canyon National Park 1919
The National Park Service was established by Congress in 1916. The Grand Canyon
was officially designated a national park two and a half years later.
Construction Toys
Construction toys encourage children to build, create, and think about how
things work. Erector@ sets introduced in 1913, the Tinkertoy@ in 1914, and
Lincoln Logs@ in 1916.
Child Labor Reform
Lewis W. Hine’s photographs of children working in mines, mills, and factories
led Congress to try to regulate child labor, but the Supreme Court declared
early laws unconstitutional.
Jack Dempsey Wins Title 1919
Known as the Manassa Mauler because he was from Manassa, Colorado, Jack DempseyTM
won the world heavyweight boxing championship in 1919 and held it for seven
years.
Panama Canal Opens 1914
The Panama Canal connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, saving a ship
traveling between New York and San Francisco almost 8,000 miles.
Telephone Spans the Nation
The first transcontinental telephone line was completed in 1914. On January 25,
1915, the first call was made by Alexander Graham Bell in New York to Thomas A.
Watson in San Francisco.
Jim Thorpe, Star at Stockholm
The first Native American sports hero, Jim ThorpeTM was hailed as the
greatest athlete in the world after he won the pentathlon and decathlon in 1912
at Stockholm.
Charlie ChaplinTM Little Tramp
Charlie ChaplinTM first assumed his famous costume for the Little
Tramp in 1914. The clothes, mustache, cane, and walk came to identify one of the
most familiar icons in the history of film.
First Crossword Puzzle 1913
Newspaperman Arthur Wynne created the first crossword puzzle. It appeared in the
New York World on Sunday, December 21, 1913. Clue 2-3: What bargain hunters
enjoy.
U.S. Boy and Girl Scouting Begins
The Boy Scouts of America was formed in 1910, and the Girl Scouts of the U.S.A.
(at first known as Girl Guides) in 1912. Both groups introduce youth to a
variety of outdoor activities and promote self-reliance and resourcefulness.
U.S. Enters World War I
Two million American soldiers fought in Europe during World War I and more than
116,500 lost their lives. Back home, more than one million women joined the
workforce.
