The Great Depression Franklin Roosevelt and The New Deal

THE GREAT DEPRESSIONFRANKLIN ROOSEVELT AND THE NEW DEAL

FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT AND THE NEW DEAL

BACKGROUND

YOUTH AND PERSONAL LIFE:

BORN INTO WEALTHY NEW YORK FAMILY

SPOILED; ONLY CHILD, “DOTED ON”

HARVARD EDUCATED – HISTORY AND LAW (ATHLETE)

MARRIED ELEANOR ROOSEVELT (INFLUENTIAL 1ST LADY); 6 KIDS

1921 – AGE 39 – STRICKEN WITH POLIO (CHANGED HIS LIFE)


LONG POLITICAL CAREER

1910 – NY SENATE; 1912 – ASST. SECR. OF U.S. NAVY

1920 – VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE – LOST TO HARDING/COOLIDGE

1928-1932 – SERVED AS GOVERNOR OF NY

1932 – DEFEATS HERBERT HOOVER FOR PRESIDENCY


PRESIDENCY

CHARACTER: ENERGETIC, COMPASSIONATE, CONFIDENT, FEARED NO ONE

BROKE TRADITIONS:

CREATED A “BRAIN TRUST” OF EXPERTS TO ADVISE HIM (BEYOND HIS CABINET)

APPOINTED 1ST WOMAN TO HIS CABINET: FRANCES PERKINS

CALLED CONGRESS INTO EMERGENCY SPECIAL SESSION

ORDERED A NATIONAL BANK HOLIDAY (GOAL: TO INSPECT THE BANKS)

ELECTED PRESIDENT 4 TIMES

USED MEDIA TO FULLEST – “FIRESIDE CHATS”

KNOWING WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT FDR’S CHARCTER, WHAT IS YOUR OPINION ABOUT HIM?

HOW WOULD YOU COMPARE HIM TO OUR PRESIDENT TODAY? DO

DO YOU THINK HE WAS A GOOD PRESIDENT? WHY OR WHY NOT?


PERSONAL ATTITUDE TOWARD DEPRESSION AND THE ROLE OF

GOVERNMENT

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO HELP – DIRECTLY IF NEED BE

IGNORED TRADITIONAL CONSERVATIVE APPROACH OF:

MAINTAINING A BALANCED BUDGET

CUTTING TAXES AND WAITING FOR RECOVERY


ADOPTS THEORY OF ECONOMIST JOHN MAYNARD KEYNES WHO

SUGGESTED:

INCREASING GOVERNMENT SPENDING; DEFICIT SPEND IF NECESSARY

CUTTING TAXES

CREATING GOVERNMENT JOB PROGRAMS

IF WORKERS HAVE $, THEY WILL SPEND IT, PRIMING THE ECONOMIC

PUMP


• AFTER WATCHING THE VIDEO (CLICK ON THE SLIDE SHOW BUTTON LOCATED ON THE MENU BAR BELOW TO WATCH THE VIDEO) ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS.

• WHAT’S FDR'S PHILOSOPHY TOWARD & ATTEMPTS AT SOLVING THE PROBLEMS OF THE GREAT DEPRESSION?

• HOW DID THE FIRST LADY, ELEANOR ROOSEVELT, INFLUENCED FDR’S DECISIONS AND ISSUES? WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT FDR’S WORK IN THE WHITE HOUSE AS PRESIDENT IN RELATION TO THE FIRST LADY’S ROLE?

THE NEW DEAL

FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT AND THE NEW DEAL ACTION AND POLICIES: NEW DEAL PROGRAM (3 PART PUBLIC ASSISTANCE)

RELIEF ($, FOOD, SHELTER; TEMPORARY CHARITY)

EX. CCC, FERA, WPA

RECOVERY (PROGRAMS AIMED AT INDUSTRIAL AND AGRICULTURAL RECOVERY, JOBS)

EX. AAA, NRIA, PWA

REFORM (LASTING CHANGES; BUILT IN SAFEGUARDS)

EX. FDIC, NLRB, SEC, SOCIAL SECURITY

DESCRIBE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A RELIEF, RECOVERY, AND REFORM PROGRAM IN FDR'S NEW DEAL AND PROVIDE

ONE

EXAMPLE OF EACH INCLUDING WHAT THE PROGRAM PROVIDED.

1933 – 21ST AMENDMENT – REPEALED PROHIBITION


FDR’S CRITICS

SOME SAID HE WAS TOO LIBERAL

CONSERVATIVES CALLED HIM A RADICAL SOCIALIST

GAVE GOVERNMENT TOO MUCH CONTROL OF THE ECONOMY (TVA, JOBS, ETC)

CHARLES COUGHLIN


CHARLES COUGHLIN “RADIO PRIEST”

SUPPORTED FDR AT FIRST AND THEN GREW IMPATIENT WITH NEW DEAL

OFFERED AN ANNUAL LIVING WAGE; WANTED BANKS NATIONALIZED

BLAMED THE JEWS – BAD!

DR. FRANCIS TOWNSEND


DR. FRANCIS TOWNSEND – FOCUSED ON PROGRAM FOR THE ELDERLY

PLAN WOULD GIVE PEOPLE 60 AND OLDER $200 A MONTH; COULD NOT

SAVE

IDEAS LED TO SOCIAL SECURITY


SUPREME COURT SAID HE ABUSED POWER

DECLARED MANY “RECOVERY” PROGRAMS UNCONSTITUTIONAL

CONSERVATIVE GROUP (1930-36); FDR CALLED THEM “THE 9 OLD MEN”

COURT PACKING AFFAIR – FDR’S ATTEMPT TO LIBERALIZE THE COURT

(1937)

FDR LOSES THE BATTLE, BUT WINS THE WAR – RETIREMENTS OCCUR


FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT’S SECOND INAUGURAL ADDRESS (AUDIO AND TEXT), JANUARY 20, 1937.

• BASED ON FDR’S ADDRESS, WHAT DO YOU

THINK THE AMERICAN PEOPLE NEEDED TO HEAR

FROM THE ELECTED PRESIDENT DURING THE

ECONOMIC SITUATION OF THE COUNTRY?

• HOW DOES HIS ADDRESS REMIND US OF WHAT THE NEW DEAL WAS ALL ABOUT?

• WHAT IS HIS SPEECH RELATION TO THE GREAT DEPRESSION?

http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/5105/

http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/5105/


• BASED ON THE GRAPHIC,

• DO YOU THINK FDR’S NEW DEAL HELPED TO REDUCE THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE?

• WHAT HAPPENED DURING THE SECOND NEW DEAL?

• IF WARS IN GENERAL ARE VIEWED AS SOMETHING BAD, WHY AND HOW DID IT HELP THE ECONOMY?

• BASED ON THE GRAPHIC, HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE NEW DEAL’S PERFORMANCE DURING THE GREAT DEPRESSION?


FDR’S LONG-TERM IMPACT

DEFICIT SPENDING BECAME NORMAL PROCEDURE AT FEDERAL LEVEL (DEBT TODAY?)

GOVERNMENT’S ROLE IN REGULATING THE ECONOMY REMAINS STRONG

REFORM PROGRAMS STILL EXIST (EX. FDIC, SEC, SOCIAL SECURITY)

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT REMAINS A BIG AND GROWING EMPLOYER

22ND AMENDMENT (1951) – 2 TERM LIMIT FOR PRESIDENCY

DEMOCRATIC PARTY MEMBERSHIP INCREASED

WHAT’S THE LONG TERM IMPACT OF THE NEW DEAL? DO YOU THINK IT HELPED THE NATION? WHY OR

WHY NOT; AND HOW?


WORLD SOLUTIONS TO THE DEPRESSION

DICTATORS OFFERED PROSPERITY IN EXCHANGE FOR POWER:

GERMANY: HITLER – NAZISM

ITALY: MUSSOLINI – FASCISM

SOVIET UNION: STALIN – COMMUNISM


THE STAGE IS SET FOR WORLD WAR II

The Great Depression Franklin Roosevelt and The New Deal

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