SSUSH18A thru E

A New President and A New Deal

A New President and A New Deal

Who was FDR?

• 1882: Franklin Delano Roosevelt was born into a Wealthy

New York Family.

• He grew up in an atmosphere of privileged society.

• He attended an Episcopal Boarding School in Massachusetts.

• He learned to speak German & French during trips to Europe.

• 1903: He graduated from Harvard University in Mass.

• 1904 – 1907: He attended Columbia University Law School.

• 1907: He passed the New York State Bar (Licensed Attorney).

• 1905: He married his 5th Cousin – Eleanor Roosevelt.

• Her Uncle, Teddy Roosevelt, gave away the Bride.

• 1910-1913: He served in the New York State Senate.

He Opposed the Bosses of Tammany Hall.

A New President and A New Deal

Who was FDR?

• 1913-1919: He served as Assistant Secretary of the Navy.

He Founded the United States Naval Reserve.

• 1920: He ran for Vice-President against Pres. Warren G. Harding’s Election.

• 1921: He contracted Polio, which resulted in Paralysis.

• 1926: Purchased Resort in Warm Springs, Ga.

Spent years using Hydrotherapy.

• 1929-1932: He served as the Governor of New York.

A New President and A New Deal

Becoming President

• 1932: Franklin Delano Roosevelt ran for President.

“I Pledge You, I Pledge Myself to a New Deal. This is

more than a Political Campaign. It is a Call to Arms!”

• He called for abandoning the Gold Standard, reducing the

value of the dollar to fight the recession.

• He also felt to Repeal Prohibition meant bringing in needed Tax Revenues.

• Although FDR won the Presidential Election by a landslide:

• 4,000 had Banks Collapsed and 1/4 were Unemployed

“Let me assert my firm belief that the only thing

we have to fear is fear itself”

• During his inauguration, FDR stated:

A New President and A New Deal

The First New Deal

• President Roosevelt’s first Hundred Days were focused on

a Strategy of Immediate Relief.

• He established a Brain Trust of academic advisors made up of Columbia and

Harvard Professors and Alumni.

• These advisors adopted ideologies ranging from:

President Theodore Roosevelt’s New Nationalism

Supporting Business & Government Cooperation

President Woodrow Wilson’s New Freedom

Supporting Trust Busting to Restore Competition

• The first thing the President needed to fix was the Banking Problem.

He declared a Banking Holiday (closing all banks) and met with Congress.

A New President and A New Deal

The First New Deal

• 9 May 1933 – Congress passed the Emergency Banking Relief Act.

Reopening Banks considered to be economically sound by the Federal Reserve.

• 12 May 1933 – Congress passed the Agricultural Adjustment Act (AAA).

Restricting Agricultural Production by paying farmers Subsidies not to plant some crops or slaughter excess livestock.

• 18 May 1933 – Congress established the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA).

Federally Owned Corporation to provide Flood Control, Hydroelectric Power, Navigation Regulations, and Economic Development.

• 16 June 1933 – Congress created the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp (FDIC).

Federally Owned Corporation to provide Government Insurance on Bank Deposits and Investments.

A New President and A New Deal

The First New Deal

• 16 Jun 1933 – Congress passed the National Industry Recovery Act (NIRA).

An attempt to Suspend Anti-Trust Laws, Raise Prices, Stimulate Economy

1935: U.S. Supreme Court declared the act Unconstitutional

• 6 Jun 1934 – Congress created the Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC).

To Regulate the Stock Market and Prevent Trader Fraud

Creating New Jobs

• 1933-1934: Civil Works Administration (CWA)

Provide Men with Jobs instead of Handouts

Boost Morale of Unemployed Americans

Mostly Unemployed & Unskilled Mean

Improved Sewers and Roadways

Built Schools, Playgrounds, & Airports

A New President and A New Deal Creating New Jobs

• 1933-1943: Public Works Administration (PWA)

Large Scale Government Construction Agency

Built Dams, Bridges, Hospitals, and City halls

• 1935-1943: Works Projects Administration (WPA)

Urban Public Works Relief Program

Mostly Unemployed & Unskilled Men

Construction of Roads, Parks, & Schools

Unemployed and Unmarried Men

Hired mostly Unskilled Laborers

Living in Camps with Cot, Uniforms, Food

Conservation Projects (National Parks)

A Rural Public Works Relief Program

• 1933-1942: The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC)

A New President and A New Deal

The 21st Amendment

• 5 Dec 1933 – Ratified by State Conventions

Rejected by the Deep South (NC, SC, GA)

Repealed 18th Amendment on Prohibition

Gave Power to the States to establish their own laws on alcohol.

Political Opposition to the New Deal

• Right Wing Conservatives

Too many Regulations on Businesses

Expanded Government Controls threatened States Rights

Opposed President’s Deficit Spending to pay for New Deal

Abandoned Balanced Budget by Borrow Money for programs

• Left Wing Liberals or Radicals

New Deal Programs Didn’t do enough to help the poor

Wanted Government to do more by Expanding Programs

Wanted to shift Economic Power from Rich to Middle Class Americans

A New President and A New Deal

Political Opposition to the New Deal

• Louisiana Senator Huey Long was a Champion for the Poor

A Fiery Orator who appealed to the American Public

He attacked the Power, Greed, & Corruption of the Rich

His Supporters formed “Share the Wealth” Clubs

• Father Charles Coughlin was Impatient with Reforms

A Popular Catholic Priest with a Radio Talk Show

He called for Heavier Taxes on the Wealthy

He formed the National Union for Social Justice

• Dr. Francis Townsend (Former Health Care Official)

Proposed a Pension System for Elderly (Over 60)

People could Retire and Free up Jobs for Unemployed

Anticipated Program would Increase Public Spending

A New President and A New Deal

The Second New Deal

Political Opposition to the New Deal

• Aug 1934 – Business Leaders and Politicians formed the American Liberty League to oppose the New Deal

Proposed to Teach the Legislature on how to Legislate Laws

Teach the Necessity of Respecting People’s Rights and their Property

Foster the Right for People to Work, Earn, Save, and Own Property

• May 1935 – The U.S. Supreme Court declared the NIRA Unconstitutional.

First – The term “Fair Competition” wasn’t adequately defined in the law

Second – Giving power & authority to the President was Unconstitutional

• July 1935 – Congress passed the National Labor Relations Act

Guaranteed Employees the right to Organize Trade Unions

Provided for Collective Bargaining (Negotiations) between Employees

and Businesses concerning better Working Conditions and Wages

A New President and A New Deal

The Second New Deal

• The New Act stimulated workers in various industries to create the Committee for Industrial Organization:

Set out to organize workers unions in Industries where they did not yet exist

• Aug 1935 – Congress Passed the Social Security Act

Laid the Foundation for Creating the AFL - CIO

Establishing the Social Security Administration

Providing Benefits to Retirees and Aged Individuals

Providing Welfare Payments to Families with Children

Providing Temporary Income to the Unemployed

• Jan 1936 – U.S. Supreme Court Declared the AAA Unconstitutional

First – The Law Levied Taxes on Food Processors and Gave Subsidies to Food Producers

Second – Regulation of Agriculture was deemed a States Rights Issue

A New President and A New Deal

Two Political Mistakes

• Early 1937 – Judicial Procedures Reform Bill

Commonly known as the “Court Packing Plan”

Presidential Proposal to increase the number of Justices in the Supreme Court

Effort to get better rulings on New Deal Acts

The Court Backed Down & the bill was set aside

• Late 1937 – President Roosevelt ordered spending cutbacks in PWA & WPA

Intended to help Balance the Federal Budget

Resulted in sudden surge of Unemployment

Approximately 2 Million lost their jobs

President’s Reputation and Support damaged

A New President and A New Deal

The Last New Deal Reforms

• July 1937 – Farm Security Administration (FSA)

Stressed need for Rural Rehabilitation

Dedicated to Improve Lifestyle of Sharecroppers

Helped Poor Farmers buy land with Government Loans

• Sep 1937 – National Housing Act (Wagner-Steagall Act)

Subsidies paid to Public Housing Agencies (LHA’s)

Improved Living Conditions for Low Income Families

• 1938 – Fair Labor Standards Act (FSLA)

Provided for maximum 44 hour, Seven-day Workweek

Established National Minimum Wage (Cost of Living)

Guaranteed Time-and-a-Half for Overtime (Some Jobs)

Prohibited Employment of Minors (In Most Professions)