The Dow Jones Industrial Average is currently off 7% from its April high and has broken decisively down through its 50 Day Moving Average — the Federal Reserve and economist have also described this current down trend as a “Soft Patch” but the markets are not so sure.

With the investment banking firm Goldman Sachs (Stock Symbol: GS) calling for oil prices to drop as much as $20 a barrel this spring, the rest of Wall Street is betting oil prices will continue their surge.

Almost every generation, it seems, has its October stock-market crash. We can study these Stock Market Crashes closely, learning about the differences and similarities that exist between them, and how to avoid future financial meltdowns.