FDR and the New Deal FDR and the New Deal

FDR promised relief FDR promised relief (direct aid, money, loans) (direct aid, money, loans) recovery (abandoned gold recovery (abandoned gold standard, created jobs, standard, created jobs, Federal Housing Act, Federal Housing Act, AAA), and reform (Fair AAA), and reform (Fair Labor Standards Act, Labor Standards Act, Social Security, TVA) Social Security, TVA)

FDR and the New Deal FDR and the New Deal

Dust Bowl Dust Bowl

dust storms on the Great Plains dust storms on the Great Plains because of severe drought because of severe drought

farmers experienced decline in farmers experienced decline in rainfall, overproduction, and rainfall, overproduction, and foreclosuresforeclosures

350 million tons of top soil was 350 million tons of top soil was carried to the east coast carried to the east coast

in one storm, people in NYC in one storm, people in NYC had to turn on streetlights had to turn on streetlights during the day during the day

the land couldn’t the land couldn’t support human activity support human activity so…so…

Okies fled their farms Okies fled their farms and took Route 66 to and took Route 66 to California to find work California to find work

John Steinbeck’s book John Steinbeck’s book The Grapes of WrathThe Grapes of Wrath details their plight details their plight

Dust Bowl Dust Bowl

divorce rates divorce rates increaseincrease

suicide rates suicide rates increaseincrease

marriage and marriage and birth rates birth rates decreasesdecreases

What was going on in the What was going on in the nationnation

Frances Perkins-Frances Perkins-first woman first woman Cabinet memberCabinet member

Secretary of LaborSecretary of Labor

Influential people Influential people

His wife, Eleanor Roosevelt, His wife, Eleanor Roosevelt, acted as FDR’s eyes and ears acted as FDR’s eyes and ears by traveling across the by traveling across the countrycountry

she traveled 50,000 miles she traveled 50,000 miles during his Presidency during his Presidency

(FDR got polio at age 39 and (FDR got polio at age 39 and he was paralyzed from the he was paralyzed from the waist down) waist down)

Influential people Influential people

FDR gathered a FDR gathered a “Brain Trust” as “Brain Trust” as soon as he was soon as he was elected elected

professors, lawyers, professors, lawyers, labor leaders who labor leaders who could advise him on could advise him on what to dowhat to do

Influential people Influential people

March 4, 1933-millions March 4, 1933-millions gather around the radio gather around the radio to hear his inaugural to hear his inaugural addressaddress

FDR met with advisors FDR met with advisors instead of attending his instead of attending his own inaugural ball own inaugural ball where he served cold where he served cold chicken saladchicken salad

F.D.R.F.D.R.

He called a special session He called a special session of Congress from March of Congress from March to June called the to June called the Hundred Days Hundred Days

Fireside chats-Roosevelt’s Fireside chats-Roosevelt’s radio broadcasts from the radio broadcasts from the White House to keep White House to keep Americans informed Americans informed – ““I never saw him, but I I never saw him, but I

knew him” knew him”

F.D.R.F.D.R.

The New Deal The New Deal 1933-Roosevelt’s 1933-Roosevelt’s

series of reform series of reform programs to address programs to address challenges of the challenges of the Great DepressionGreat Depression

government was government was concerned with the concerned with the welfare of the poorwelfare of the poor

New Deal programs New Deal programs

CCC-Civilian CCC-Civilian Conservation CorpsConservation Corps

– provided work to provided work to men ages 18-25men ages 18-25

– planted trees, planted trees, reforestation, reforestation, worked in national worked in national parks parks

TVA-Tennessee Valley TVA-Tennessee Valley AuthorityAuthority

– one of the most successful one of the most successful New Deal programs New Deal programs

– built a series of dams to built a series of dams to control flooding, reduced control flooding, reduced erosion, created erosion, created hydroelectric power hydroelectric power

New Deal programs New Deal programs

AAA-Agricultural AAA-Agricultural Adjustment ActAdjustment Act– government gave farmers government gave farmers

money (subsidy) to grow money (subsidy) to grow less cropsless crops

– drove prices up because drove prices up because there was more demand there was more demand

FDIC-Federal Deposit FDIC-Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Insurance Corporation, insures bank deposits up to insures bank deposits up to $100,000 per account $100,000 per account

New Deal programs New Deal programs

The Second New Deal, 1934The Second New Deal, 1934

Social Security-a Social Security-a pension plan for pension plan for retired workersretired workers

– government government protected the protected the welfare of the welfare of the elderly elderly

WPA-Works Progess WPA-Works Progess AdministrationAdministration

– provided 8.5 provided 8.5 million jobsmillion jobs

– building hospitals, building hospitals, roads, bridges, roads, bridges, schools, airportsschools, airports

– List of Az Projects

The Second New Deal, 1934The Second New Deal, 1934

Federal Project Federal Project One One

– part of the WPApart of the WPA

– provided jobs for provided jobs for 40,000 artists, 40,000 artists, photographers, photographers, musicians, and musicians, and actors to “keep actors to “keep art alive”art alive”

The Second New Deal, 1934The Second New Deal, 1934

New Deal critics New Deal critics Senator Huey Long-Share Senator Huey Long-Share

our Wealth Program our Wealth Program – every American would get every American would get

$5000 to buy a home and $5000 to buy a home and $2500 cash$2500 cash

– to do this, he proposed to do this, he proposed heavy taxes on wealthy heavy taxes on wealthy AmericansAmericans

Dr. Francis TownsendDr. Francis Townsend

– he thought the New he thought the New Deal went too far Deal went too far

– he wanted a “$200 a he wanted a “$200 a month” program for month” program for the elderly the elderly

some people thought the some people thought the New Deal gave the New Deal gave the President too much powerPresident too much power

New Deal critics New Deal critics

Presidential election of 1936Presidential election of 1936

– FDR got 523 electoral votes, opposition got FDR got 523 electoral votes, opposition got 8 8 (most lopsided election in history)(most lopsided election in history)

FDR tried to pack the FDR tried to pack the Supreme CourtSupreme Court– wanted to add 6 more wanted to add 6 more

justices who were justices who were favorable to New Deal favorable to New Deal legislation legislation

– rejected by Congress rejected by Congress – made the Supreme made the Supreme

Court more favorable Court more favorable to the New Deal to the New Deal

New Deal/F.D.R ControversiesNew Deal/F.D.R Controversies

Effects of the Depression Effects of the Depression

We established We established government safeguards government safeguards against another against another Depression (FDIC, etc.) Depression (FDIC, etc.)

expanded the role of the expanded the role of the federal gov’t and the federal gov’t and the President President

Questions?Questions?