Evaluating Roosevelt's New Deal and its Impact on American Society

1. The national personal income stood at $86 billion in 1929 but only $73 billion in 1939. Roosevelt was not prepared to spend excessively on federal projects. In 1938 the deficit was lower than the $2.5 billion deficit Hoover had run up in by 1932. In 1933 18 million Americans were out of work. In 1939 9 million were out of work. Wages averaged $25.03 per week in 1929 and $23.86 in 1939. Most historians agree that the real reason that unemployment figures fell was the amendment of the 1935 Neutrality Act which was amended in November 1939 and meant that countries fighting in the Second World War could buy armaments from the USA. Within a year there has been orders placed for over 10,000 aircraft and 13,000 aircraft engines. Roosevelt allowed labour unions to take their place in labour relations to a significant degree for the first time in US history. He also recognised (somewhat reluctantly) that the Federal Government had a role to play in helping to settle labour disputes. The Social Securities Act set up a system of old-age pensions and unemployment benefit for the first time in US history. The WPA and FERA gave hope to millions of Americans. The New Deal saw an expansion in the role of federal government, particularly with regards to welfare. The Social Securities Act and the relief and job creation agencies expanded the role of government considerably. People increasingly expected the government would take responsibility for their problems. There was still widespread Native American poverty. They did take advantage of agencies such as the CCC and PWA to find work but these agencies were only temporary and when agencies wound down in the 1940s the Native Americans returned to their lives of poverty on the reservations.

2. The amounts spent by the federal government was not adequate for the needs of a large population suffering from a prolonged depression. In 1933 the Economy Act forbade members of the same family from working for federal government. 75% of people who subsequently had to give up their jobs were women. The NRA allowed unequal wages. The CCC banned women altogether. On average during the 1930s women earned half the average wage of men. Eleanor Roosevelt was one of the most politically active first ladies. She introduced women only press conferences in the White House which enhanced the role of women in journalism. Also Frances Perkins was Secretary of Labour from 1933-45. Ruth Bryan Owen was the first female ambassador when made ambassador to Denmark. Anti-lynching bills were put forward in 1934 and 1937 but Roosevelt did nothing to support them and they were both defeated. Roosevelt needed the support of southern democrats and so the needs of African Americans were not important to him. There was no civil rights legislation. Indeed agencies like the NRA allowed for unequal wages, so African Americans could be paid less for doing exactly the same job as a white man. The CCC was run by a southern racist who did little to encourage African-Americans to join and those who did join were subject to strict segregation. The civil service tripled the number of African Americans in its employment between 1932 and 1941 to 150,000. The Indian Reorganisation Act of 1934 recognised and encouraged Native American culture in a shift from the previous policy of assimilation. Tribes were allowed to be self-governing and could vote to adopt their own constitutions as well as have their own police forces and legal systems. However 75 our of 245 tribes vetoed the proposals because they felt it would undermine efforts to modernise and join mainstream society. Roosevelt employed more African Americans in federal government, for example Mary McLeod Bethune at the National Youth Administration.

3. Warm Up • Answer these questions: • Who was Huey Long? • How did a priest oppose Roosevelt? • What famous chicken incident upset Roosevelt? • How did Roosevelt try to alter the Supreme Court?

4. The Scales of History An Evaluation of the Success of Roosevelt and His New Deals Pivot Point of Success On the scale you must place your own information. The further left or right the more impact it will have on the balance of things. The more on one side or the other, the more weight is added. Want an A*? I have a page and some blank paper on which you can add your own. Later we will debate.

5. Roosevelt And His New Deals Key Question: Did Roosevelt deserve to be so loved? Options Join in a debate in which you tell me which side you want to argue and I argue the other side. You must try beat me. You will fail. Mwahahahahaha… Write me an answer and put on edmodo wall.

6. Roosevelt New Deal Summary Key Question: Did Roosevelt deserve to be so loved? You have been given a lot of info on Roosevelt and the impact of the new deal. Place it on this graph. Failure Success