FDR's New Deal: Relief, Recovery, and Reform

1. The New Deal 1932-1941Chapter 13

2. FDR offers Relief and Recovery Section 1

3. Roosevelt Takes Charge • The Great Depression challenged the faith of Americans that democracy could handle the crisis • Franklin D. Roosevelt - In July 1932, the unknown governor of New York, accepted the Democratic Party’s nomination for President

4. Roosevelt Overcame Obstacles • Americans choose a candidate that had never known economic hardship • Eleanor Roosevelt – married Franklin in 1905 a distant cousin • In 1921 FDR was diagnosed with polio, he never fully recovered the use of his legs

5. Voters Elect a New President • “New Deal” – FDR’s pledge to America on how to combat the depression (primary source pg. 397) • The 1932 campaign pitted Roosevelt against President Hoover (Hoover / local and state, Roosevelt federal)

6. Putting Together a Winning Team • FDR pulled together a divers group of women and men professionals and academics and gave them the name “Brain Trust” • Frances Perkins – served as FDR’s Secretary of Labor, the first women Cabinet member in U.S. history

7. The First Hundred Days Provide Instant Action • 15 bills known as the First New Deal, the three goals were relief, recovery, and reform

8. FDR Swiftly Restores the Nation’s Confidence • One day after his inauguration, Roosevelt called Congress into a special session • Roosevelt delivered an informal radio speech to the American people called fireside chats

9. Reforming the Financial System • Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) – insured bank deposits up to $5,000 • The purpose was to restore confidence in the economy, bank runs in large part ended

10. Helping Farmers • As output rose prices dropped to the point that farming was no longer profitable • Agricultural Adjustment Act (AAA) – sought to end overproduction and raise crop prices (HOW)

11. The TVA Aids Rural Southerners • Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) – built a series of dams to control flooding and generate power, replanted forests, and built fertilizer plants

12. Providing Relief and Promoting Industrial Recovery • Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) – jobs for more than 2 million young men, replanted forests, built trails, dug irrigation ditches, and fought fires • Roosevelt said this was his favorite New Deal Program

13. Cont… • National Recovery Administration (NRA) – Roosevelt worked with business and labor leaders, to develop codes of fair competition to govern industries • Public Works Administration (PWA) – built bridges, dams, power plants, and government buildings

14. Opposition to the New Deal Emerges • Roosevelt had little difficulty gaining support from Congress however some in the public thought the program went to far or not far enough

15. The Right Says “Too Much” • Chief complaint against the New Deal was that it made the government too powerful • Spending, government oversight, lack of free enterprise, socialism

16. The Left Says “Not Enough” • The Socialist and Communist said the New Deal only helped the banking system and big business, while not going far enough to help the people

17. Populist Critics Challenge FDR • Father Charles Coughlin – had a weekly radio show and accused FDR of not doing enough to fight the depression “the raw deal” • Huey Long – Long’s solution to the depression was his “Share Our Wealth” program (redistribution of wealth) (Primary Source pg. 403)

18. The Second New Deal Section 2

19. Extending Social and Economic Reform • Second New Deal – legislation to promote the general welfare, and to intervene to protect citizens rights • Elderly • Poor • Unemployed • farmers • workers

20. New Programs Provided Jobs • Works Progress Administration (WPA) – 5 billion dollars for the creation of new jobs • WPA workers improved highways, dredged rivers / harbors, promoted water and soil conservation, and employed artists • John Maynard Keynes – argued that deficit spending was needed to end the depression / pump priming

21. Social Security Eases the Burden on Older Americans • Social Security Act – established unemployment insurance for workers, insurance for work-related accidents, aid for poverty-stricken mothers and children, the blind, and disabled • Flaws in the SSA left out domestic and farmworkers / blacks, widows vs. widowers

22. More Aid Goes to Farmers • When the depression hit only 10% of farmers had electricity • REA (rural electrification administration) – loaned money to electric utilities to build power lines to rural areas • New Deal programs also provided price supports, or subsidies for agriculture, some argued it undermined free market

23. Labor Unions Find a New Energy • During the Great Depression there was an upsurge in union activity, unions enlisted millions of workers from the mining and automobile industries

24. Granting New Rights to Workers • Wagner Act – recognized the right of employees to join labor unions • Collective Bargaining – meant that employers had to negotiate with unions about hours, wages, and conditions • National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) – looked into workers complaints • Fair Labor Standards Act – established a minimum wage / maximum of 44 work week, and outlawed child labor

25. Workers Use Their Newfound Rights • American Federation of Labor (AFL) – represented skilled workers, plumbers, carpenters, and electricians • Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) – started campaigns to organize lower paid and ethnically diverse workers • Sit Down Strike – workers refuse to leave the workplace until a settlement is reached • Flint Michigan (primary source pg. 409)

26. Challenges to the New Deal • Roosevelt won an overwhelming victory in 1936, with 61 percent of the vote • He entered his second term determined to challenge the enemy of the New Deal, the Supreme Court

27. The Supreme Court Opposes the New Deal • The court, in the case of Schechter Poultry v. United States, ruled the President has no power to regulate interstate commerce thus the NRA was unconstitutional

28. FDR Proposes “Packing” the Court • In 1937 in an address to Congress FDR unveiled a plan that would dilute the power of the sitting Justices • He wanted to add six new Justices this` was termed court packing

29. Cont.… • With Roosevelt’s popularity he could have convinced Congress to enact his plan but the tide began to turn in his favor • The Court upheld the Wagner Act and minimum wage law, and Roosevelt was able to fill a vacancy with a pro New Deal Justice

30. A New Downturn Spurs Conservative Gains • Unemployment fell 10 percent in four years and the economy was doing better, Roosevelt looked to reduce spending to reduce the rising deficit • Less spending and higher interest rates caused a tail spin in the economy, unemployment soared again to 20 percent

31. Effects of the New Deal Section 3

32. Women Help Lead the New Deal • Women had more opportunity and political influence, Eleanor Roosevelt was the leader among them • The New Deal did not fight to end gender discrimination • WPA • CCC • SS

33. African Americans Make Advance and Face Challenges • Eleanor Roosevelt used her position to protest against racial discrimination (pg. 413) • Black Cabinet – Black leaders invited by the President to advise him • Roosevelt did not always follow the advice though, “Anti-lynching law,” southern Democrats “would block every bill I ask Congress to pass”

34. The New Deal Affects Native Americans • Indian New Deal – program that gave Indians economic assistance and greater control over their own affairs • Land management changes the 1887 Dawes Act • Not all programs were in the Native Americans favor (Navajo Livestock Reduction program)

35. The New Deal Creates a New Political Coalition • By his death Roosevelt had been elected to four terms as President • New Deal Coalition – united southern whites, blue-collar workers, Midwest farmers and African Americans • Prior to the New Deal most blacks voted Republican the party of Lincoln, responding to Eleanor Roosevelt's efforts during the 1930’s African Americans began to vote Democratic

36. The Role of Government Expands • New Deal programs greatly increased the size and scope of the federal government / taxes to benefits to the elderly • Though the New Deal did not end the depression it did help economic growth • Rural Americans benefited greatly from the New Deal (TVA and REA) pg. 418 • Welfare State – a government that assumes responsibility for providing for the poor, elderly, sick, disabled and unemployed

37. Cont. • In no area did FDR have a greater impact than on the office of the President. • Expanding the role of government • More power to the President $ • Style of the presidency (radio) • 22nd Amendment