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Was the New Deal a success or failure?

Aim 1: Sort examples into success and failureAim 2: Begin to judge the overall success of the New Deal

+BackgroundTry to fill in the missing wordsThe pictures are clues.

1937 – Prosperity seemed to be returning. (1) cut the New Deal budget. He cut New Deal jobs and (2).

Another (3) occurred and unemployment rose again.

This led many middle-class Americans to vote for the Republicans and this increased Republican power and made it harder for Roosevelt to push his changes through (4) .

However, he was still (5) with ordinary Americans – he was elected again with a big majority in 1940.

Nonetheless, the (6) wasn’t as united behind the (7) as it had been in 1933.

+Aspect 1: AttitudesHighlight and sort into success and failures

Restored faith in the Government

Government help on this scale had never been done before. It set the tone for future policies.

It divided the USA. Many Americans opposed the New Deal.

It undermined local government because it gave more power to the top [the President and the Federal government].

There were no corruption scandals even though loads of public money being used.

/10

+Aspect 2: Industrial WorkersHighlight and sort into success and failures

Big business was still immensely powerful in the USA

Even strongly anti-union companies began to negotiate with unions

Unions were treated with suspicion by employers

Strengthened unions so they could bargain with big companies for better pay and conditions

Strikes were often broken up with brutal violence from bosses

Companies like Ford employed their own thugs or controlled the police force.

/10

+Aspect 3: Unemployment and the

economy Highlight and sort into success and failures Created millions of jobs

Stabilised banking and reduced the number of business failures

Never solved the underlying economic problems

Improved standard of living and provided valuable resources in some parts of USA through projects like Tennessee Valley Authority

US economy took longer to recover than most European countries

Confidence remained low in America – much less investment than in the 1920s

When the New Deal budget was cut the country went back into recession.

Only the USA’s entry into the war brought an end to unemployment

/10

+Aspect 4: Black Americans Highlight and sort into success and failures

200,000 gained help from alphabet agencies, e.g. CCC and housing projects

Many New Deal agencies discriminated against them – for example not gibing work or receiving poorer conditions and lower wages

Roosevelt failed to pass laws against lynching black Americans.

/10

+Aspect 5: Women Highlight and sort into success and failures

Many of the New Deal agencies were aimed at helping men

Local governments tried to avoid paying out social security payments to women by introducing special conditions.

Some women, including Black women, achieved prominent positions.

Eleanor Roosevelt (the President’s wife) became a significant public voice.

/10

+Aspect 6: Native Americans Highlight and sort into success and failures

They remained a poor and excluded section of society

Acts to help Native Americans buy and improve land and preserve and practice their traditions, laws and culture.

/10

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THINKWhat kinds of scores did you give? ANSWERWhich aspects were most/least successful? How successful was the New Deal overall?(A quick google search for the aims of the New Deal will help you decide on

this)