The Great Depression the New Deal FDR is

The Great Depression & the New Deal

FDR is Elected • In the 1932 election, Herbert Hoover had little chance winning reelection. • Americans were ready for a change • Franklin Delano Roosevelt ran against Herbert Hoover. • FDR won a landslide victory, defeating Hoover by more than 7 million votes • He pledged a “New Deal” to the American people.

CHART FDR Not Slowed by Polio

The New Deal • FDR got people behind him by his claim “…that the only thing we have to fear, is fear itself!” • FDR’s philosophy – Increase government involvement – Something for everyone – Try anything (experiment with techniques to fix the economy)

100 Days • During his first 100 days in office, FDR and a mostly Democratic congress passed 15 bills into law. • 3 R’s – Relief for the poor – Recovery for the economy – Reform the system • His programs were called Alphabet Soup programs because many of them were initials.

Fireside Chats • Roosevelt would occasionally address the nation by radio in his fireside chats” to explain his programs. FDR: The Story of US

Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) • Established by Congress to regulate the stock market and make it a safer place for investments. • Created to restore confidence the stock market.

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) • Insures savings up to $5000 ($250, 000 today) • All national banks must be members • Restored confidence in banks

Agricultural Adjustment Act (AAA) • Program created to help farmers. • Paid farmers NOT to produce crops • This would increase prices of crops and end overproduction. • Taught farmers better farming practices to avoid soil degradation and lessen the effects of wind on farms.

Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) • Dams built in the Tennessee River Valley. • Controlled rivers, recreation, electricity, • Created jobs • It still exists today • Has increased the standard of living in many rural areas in the U. S.

GRAPH Farms With Electricity, 1930 -1950

Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) • A program for single, unemployed men 18 -25 years old. • Worked on conservation projects. • Men built paths, replanted forests, dug irrigation ditches, and fought fires • Men were paid by the government. • Provided jobs for more than 2 million young men.

TRANSPARENCY Civilian Conservation Corps

Public Works Administration (PWA) • Built bridges, dams, power plants, and government buildings • Build many important projects still in use today and improved the country’s infrastructure.

Critics of FDR • Father Charles Coughlin first supported then began to criticize FDR’s New Deal for not doing enough • Senator Huey Long criticized FDR’s New Deal and proposed a high tax on the wealthy and to redistribute of their income to poor Americans.

National Recovery Act • FDR did not want to allow businesses to not cooperate with New Deal programs • The NRA was passed to develop codes of fair competition to govern businesses. – Tried to control wages – Set Minimum wages for workers & control prices of goods • Deemed unconstitutional – Schechter Poultry Corp vs. US deemed that the NRA violated the separation of powers.

COMPARING VIEWPOINTS The New Deal: Too Much — or Not Enough?

TRANSPARENCY Analyzing Political Cartoons: Critics of the New Deal

TRANSPARENCY Analyzing Political cartoons: The Galloping Snail

The Second New Deal • Beginning in early 1936, Roosevelt launched an aggressive campaign to find solutions to the ongoing problems caused by the Great Depression • This was known as the Second New Deal

Works Progress Administration (WPA) • Built or improved highways, harbors, and promoted soil conservation • Provided programs in the arts for displaced artists • Employed over 8 million people • Paid for by deficit spending – 1932 - $461 million deficit – 1936 - $4. 4 billion deficit

Social Security Act • Created the first U. S. pension system for the elderly and retirees • Unemployment insurance for workers who lost their jobs • Insurance for victims of workrelated accidents • Aid for poverty-stricken mothers and children, the blind, and the disabled.

Wagner Act • Also called the National Labor Relations Act • Recognized the right of employees to join labor unions and gave workers the right to collective bargaining • The Fair Labor Standards Act – Established a minimum wage – Established maximum workweek of 44 hours – Outlawed child labor

Court Packing • Much of FDR’s work was overturned by the Supreme Court when they declared much of it unconstitutional • To avoid more of the New Deal from being struck down by the courts, FDR unveiled a plan to dilute the power of the sitting Justices of the Supreme Court by adding up to six new Justices. • The Court started to vote in FDR’s favor, so the plot became unnecessary, but this weakened his popularity and made it easier for his critics and resulted in the public being less willing to support him.

TRANSPARENCY Analyzing Political Cartoons: The Ingenious Quarterback

QUICK STUDY FDR’s Effect on the Presidency

Long-lasting effects of the New Deal • The New Deal has had long lasting effects. They are: – Beginning of welfare in the U. S. – Increased the size of government – Increased the amount of unions – Black voters slowly switched from Republican (Lincoln) to Democrats – Many of the programs still exist today – Deficit spending started and is now a common occurrence in the Federal government

NOTE TAKING Reading Skill: Connect Ideas

The Story of Us • • • Boom to Bust Episode 9 - Bust New Deal Programs set to music. BBC History File- New Deal Opposing views of FDR’s New Deal and Presidency by Burton and Anita Fulsom.