1932 Election & the New Deal

Amidst the Great Depression, the presidential election of 1932 took place. Franklin D. Roosevelt challenged Republican incumbent Hoover as the Democratic candidate in the 1932 Presidential Election. Given what you learned about the situation in America during the Great Depression, how do you imagine the public voted and why? v/s

Democratic Party- FDR 472 electoral votes (88 Democratic Party- FDR 472 electoral votes (88.9%) Republican party- Herbert Hoover 59 electoral votes (11.1%)

FYI…. FDR was swept into office over Hoover, with North Carolina’s voters giving him 497,566 votes to Hoover’s 208,344.

“The country needs…bold, persistent experimentation “The country needs…bold, persistent experimentation. It is common sense to take a method and try it. If it fails, admit it frankly and try another. But above all try something.” ~Franklin Roosevelt, 1932

IV. Franklin D. Roosevelt: Defeated Hoover in the election of 1932 Cousin of Teddy Roosevelt Became ill with polio in 1921 – forced him to use a wheelchair 1st Pres. to use the radio regularly – “Fireside Chats” – explained his plans and programs to the people

IV. Franklin D. Roosevelt: Handled the press well – ex: pictures not taken of him in his wheelchair (did not want to appear weak) Famous quote – “All we have to fear, is fear itself.” The “Brain Trust” was a group of advisors that helped him – attorneys, economists, political scientists, etc.

IV. Franklin D. Roosevelt: His wife, Eleanor Roosevelt, was his most important advisor -FDR said she was his “eyes and ears” outside the White House -she could travel and meet with people he couldn’t because of his disability -transforms what it means to be a “First Lady” -advocates for minorities in WH

IV. Franklin D. Roosevelt: Bank Holiday – 1st action as Pres. -closed every bank in U.S. for 4 days -sent people out to determine which ones were strong and those were re-opened -almost all were re-opened -trying to restore confidence in banks – people began to put their money back in

V. New Deal Programs: The “New Deal” was FDR’s response to the Great Depression Created new agencies to help the people -nicknamed “alphabet soup” because of all the abbreviations that were used From 1933 to early 1935, the dominating goals of FDR were… “reform” “relief” “recovery”

V. New Deal Programs: This phase was called the First New Deal -tried to get the economy moving again and give help to those in need

V. New Deal Programs: First New Deal Programs: Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC): -1933 -insured bank deposits up to $5,000 -prevented people from losing their money when their bank closed -reform

V. New Deal Programs: -built dams, power plants 2) Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA): 1933 -built dams, power plants -provided cheap electricity, recreation, and encouraged businesses to come to the region -employed up to 40,000 workers -relief

V. New Deal Programs: Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC): 1933 -offered outdoor work to unemployed single men -recruited young men (18-25) from the cities -set up camps - planted trees, fought forest fires, built dams, etc. (environmental work) -relief

V. New Deal Programs: Agricultural Adjustment Act (AAA): 1933 -paid farmers not to produce certain crops (cotton, wheat, tobacco, corn, etc.) -trying to eliminate the surplus which would increase prices of goods -relief for farmers

V. New Deal Programs: National Industrial Recovery Act (NIRA): -1933 -controlled business practices -set minimum wage levels (usually .30 to .40 cents an hour depending on job) -shortened workers hours to create new jobs -created the National Recovery Adm. (NRA) to enforce these new codes -relief

V. New Deal Programs: Second New Deal: Works Progress Adm. (WPA): 1935 -employed writers, teachers, librarians, actors, musicians, and artists -also expanded the number of workers in existing organizations (ex: CCC) -created 100,000’s of jobs - relief

V. New Deal Programs: Social Security Act (SSA): 1935 -required a social security tax to be taken out of every workers’ paycheck -gave money to those who were disabled or too old to work -relief

VI. Impact of the New Deal: Increased the power of the Pres. Conservation gains – dams built, trees planted, etc. Created new federal social programs – social security, established modern welfare state Deficit spending – the gov’t spends more money than it brings in from taxes

Legacy The New Deal established the foundation of the modern welfare state while preserving the capitalist system. Legislation passed as part of the New Deal experimented with a new level of governmental activism in an attempt to relieve social and economic suffering of Americans. Federal New Deal programs addressed areas such as business, agriculture, labor, the arts, and even people's daily lives. Despite a mixed legacy with respect to recovery and reform, the political response under Roosevelt proved that the economic crisis did not require Americans to abandon democracy.