1. Do Now
What should the government have done to help America and Americans during the Great Depression?

2. Roosevelt & the New Deal

3. Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) 1933-1945
1933 Election = FDR (Dem) beats Hoover (Reb)
Americans don’t re-elect Pres. Hoover
Did too little about GD
First 100 days in office (March- June 1933)
New Deal legislation
Expands fed gov’t role in economy
Bank holiday
Banks close for 3 days
fix problems/create stability
Fireside Chats
radio shows for New Deal programs
FDR speaks directly & simply to public
Gains public support

4. New Deal Collection of programs & regulations
Tried to mend problems of GD
Major shift towards gov’t involvement in economy
3 focuses:
Relief: provide Americans with immediate assistance for basic needs of life (food, shelter, money, jobs)
Recovery: helping US economy stabilize
Reform: create programs/regulations to make sure GD couldn’t happen again

5. New Deal Programs- Alphabet Soup
WPA = Works Progress Administration (Employment)
Quickly created jobs, everything from construction to positions in an orchestra
A lot of roads, bridges, buildings created as a result
NRA = National Recovery Administration (Business)
Established codes for fair competition
FHA = Federal Housing Administration (Housing)
Insured loans for homes
FDIC = Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (Business)
Protected bank deposits
Social Security = (Retirement)
Provided pensions for retired people and their spouses, also aided people with disabilities
CCC = Civilian Conservation Corps (Employment)
Provided jobs for single males on conversation projects
AAA = Agricultural Adjustment Administration (Farming)
Aided farmers and regulated production
TVA = Tennessee Valley Authority (Farming)
Developed the recourses ( electricity, flood control etc.) for the Tennessee Valley
Wagner Act = (Labor)
Defined unfair labor practices and established a board to settle disputes between employers and employees

6. Opposition Deficit spending: gov’t spends more money than it makes
Many felt gov’t was too involved in free- market economy
Others felt gov’t wasn’t doing enough
Critics of the New Deal
Huey Long
originally supported FDR but instead wanted gov’t to do more
Social program “Share Our Wealth”
Wanted to become president
Father Coughlin
Priest who originally supported New Deal
Wanted guaranteed annual income & nationalization of banks
Dr. Francis Townsend
wanted even more elderly financial care
Supreme Court rules some programs unconstitutional
Checks and balances

7. WWII ends Great Depression
WWII shifted America
Economy became more productive for war time goods/supplies
Uniforms, planes, ammo, food for soldiers
Jobs were created
Socially/Emotionally people united under a common goal
Revenge for Pearl Harbor
Focus shifted to protecting US rather than trying to figure out how to solve domestic issues
Gov’t focused on war instead on domestic issues
Government power continued to grow

8. Activity
Historians have analyzed whether or not the New Deal Programs were successful.
Read the 2 interpretations of Social Securities' successfulness at helping those in need during the Great Depression.
Summarize the argument each historian is making.
Begin thinking about similarities and differences between the 2 interpretations

9. Class Comparison
Similarities
Differences

10. Crash Course – New Deal