1. FDR & The New Deal

2. Franklin Delano Roosevelt
Expanded the powers of the federal government more than any president
Dominated the government for an unprecedented amount of time
12 years and two months
One of the most influential world leaders of the 20th century

3. FDR: The man
Personally admired his older cousin Theodore and followed in his foot steps, but unlike his cousin, FDR was a Democrat
Served as a N.Y. legislator and then U.S. assistant secretary of the navy
Paralyzed with polio in was wealthy enough to retire, but determined to continue his political career
Regained full strength in his upper body but never walked again
Most of the public and world leaders were unaware of FDR’s condition as the White House and press agreed to keep it secret
FDR’s true strengths were his warm personality, gifts as a speaker, and ability to work with and inspire others

4. Eleanor Roosevelt
FDR’s wife Eleanor emerged as a leader in her own right
Became the most active first lady in history
Wrote columns, gave speeches, traveled the country
Her relationship with FDR was strained, but he always respected her as she served as his social conscience
Influenced his support for minorities and the less fortunate

5. The New Deal Philosophy
At first FDR had no concrete plans for ending the Depression
In his acceptance speech at the 1932 Democratic national convention, Roosevelt said “I pledge to you, I pledge myself, to a new deal for the American people.”
It soon became clear his New Deal programs were represented by the three R’s:
Relief for the unemployed
Recovery for businesses and the economy
Reform of American economic institutions

6. The First Hundred Days
Immediately after being sworn into office, FDR called Congress into a special hundred-day-long session
During this period, Congress passed into law every single request of President Roosevelt
Enacted more major pieces of legislation than any single Congress in history
Most of these New Deal laws and agencies came to be referred to by their initials
WPA, AAA, CCC, TVA

7. The first hundred days Bank Holiday Repeal of Prohibition
As many banks failed in 1933 (over 5,000) as had failed in all the previous years of the Depression
To restore confidence in investing and saving, the president ordered banks to close for one day on March 6, 1933
Went on the radio to assure the banks would reopen after rates and prices stabilized, and the govt. had enough time to reorganize them
Repeal of Prohibition
FDR kept his campaign promise to repeal Prohibition
The Beer-Wine Revenue Act raised the much needed tax money from the sale of alcohol before the 21st Amendment was finally passed

8. The first hundred days Fireside Chats
March 12, Roosevelt went on the radio to make the first of many fireside chats to the American people
President assured listeners about the bank holiday and would go on to do the same for his other programs and plans
Americans would eagerly tune in weekly to hear the president’s fireside chats

9. Financial Recovery & Reform programs
Emergency Banking Relief Act
Authorize govt. to examine finances of banks that closed during the bank holiday and determine which ones could reopen
Glass-Steagull Act
Increased regulation of the banks; limited how banks could invest customers’ money
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)
Guaranteed individual bank deposits up to a certain amount
Home Owners Loan Corporation (HOLC)
Provided refinancing to small homes to avoid more foreclosures
Farm Credit Administration
Provided low-interest farm loans and mortgages to prevent foreclosures of farms

10. Relief for the unemployed
Some programs created jobs with government stimulus dollars to provide relief and create more demand for goods and services
Which hopefully would create more jobs, more demand, and so on
Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA)
Offered federal grants to state and local governments who were operating soup kitchens/other forms of relief
Public Works Administration
Gave money to state and local governments for building roads, dams, bridges, and various other construction projects that employed thousands

11. Relief for the Unemployed
Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC)
Employed young men to work on projects on federal lands; paid their families small monthly sums
Responsible for the creation of many of the nation’s federal parks and refuges
Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)
Huge experiment in regional development and public planning
Employed thousands of people living in the Tennessee Valley to build dams, operate power plants, control flooding and erosion, and manufacture fertilizer
Provided electricity at rates far lower than any private company

12. Industrial Recovery programs
National Recovery Administration (NRA)
Attempted to guarantee reasonable profits for business and fair wages and hours for labor
NRA helped many major industries set codes for wages, hours of work, levels of production, and prices of finished goods
Law also gave workers the right to organize and bargain collectively
Operated with limited success for two years before being declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in 1935 (Schechter v. U.S.)

13. Farm production control programs
Farmers were offered a program similar to what the NRA did for industry
Agricultural Adjustment Administration (AAA)
Encouraged farmers to reduce production (in order to boost prices)
Paid subsidies to farmers for every acre they plowed under
Also declared unconstitutional in 1935 by the Supreme Court

14. Other programs of the first new deal
Civil Works Administration (CWA)
Added to the PWA to create even more jobs
Hired labors for temporary construction projects sponsored by the federal govt.
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
Created to regulate the stock market; outlawed many of the speculative practices that led to the crash in 1929
Required full audits of and financial disclosure by corporations to protect investors from fraud
Federal Housing Administration (FHA)
Insured bank loans for building new houses and repairing old ones; helped out both homeowners and the construction industry

15. ?
How did Teddy Roosevelt and FDR’s wife Eleanor affect his political career?
What did the Three R’s stand for?
What was the significance of Congress’ actions during FDR’s first hundred days in office?
What were fireside chats?
Explain in your own words why the NRA and AAA were declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court