“This campaign is more than a contest between two men…It is a contest between two philosophies of government” -Hoover

“Hoovervilles” Bankruptcy Bank runs Desperation Hopelessness

• Hoover: No gov’t help VS.• FDR: Large scale problems

require help!

• FDR had less federal experience then Hoover….

Could he save America?!

Franklin Delano Roosevelt Democrat, 1932-1945

Born Jan 30, 1882 in NY to a wealthy family who had made their money off of real estate and trade

Only child Attended Harvard University Editor of the newspaper and received his degree in 3 years Married Eleanor Roosevelt, his 5th cousin on March 17, 1905 Attended law school at Columbia University and practiced law in NY Briefly served in the US Senate and as Wilson’s Secretary of the Navy Carried on a secret affair with Eleanor’s social secretary, Lucy Mercer Was selected as James Cox’s VP in the election of 1920—they lost to Harding Stricken with polio in 1921—very careful not to be seen in a wheelchair Became Governor of NY in 1928 Ran for the Presidency in 1932 on the platform of “Relief, Recovery and

Reform” Only President to be elected FOUR times! Died on April 12, 1945 His years in the White House would redefine the American Presidency!

The Election of FDR Americans turn to gov. for help

FDR promised a “New Deal” that would pull them out of the Depression

His programs would forever change how Americans viewed the role of government

FDR won in a landslide in November 1932, 23 million votes. however Americans would have to wait until March 1933 for him to take office!

In his inaugural speech.. “So first of all let me asset my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”

FDR’s Inaugural Speech

Let us take a look at FDR’s Speech and then we shall watch.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MX_v0zxM23Q

Bring on the Assistance! Brain Trust: Influential professionals appointed to his

cabinet, including Raymond Moley, Adolf A. Berle and Rexford G. Tugwell

Frances Perkins1st women in a cabinet positionSecretary of Labor

African American appointees to deal with African American issues

However FDR’s most trusted advisor was…

Eleanor Roosevelt Worked on reform issues while married to

FDR

Focused on child welfare, housing reform, and equal rights for women and minorities.

FDR’s “eyes and ears”

Very involved in politics—not conservative as she was “supposed to be.”

Reassurance…

FDR sought to renew people’s hope in 1933 Fireside Chats: Discussion on his plans for

recovery and offered Americans confidence and hope. Regular.

The “New Deal” that he had campaigned under came to mean programs that would offer Relief, Recovery and Reform

The First Hundred Days From March 9 – June 16, 1933

Roosevelt provided jobs and set-up agencies to help his fellow Americans…

Needed to gain American’s confidence back in banks…

March 5, 1933 all banks were ordered to close for 4 day’s

Emergency Banking Act approved on March 9th

All banks to close for 4 days on a “Bank Holiday”Allowed the gov. to inspect the stability of all banks!2/3s reopened by March 15th Americans regained trust!

Regulating Banking and Finance Glass-Steagall Act of 1933: Step to

reorganize the banking system. This established many organizations which would help deal with the issues of the GD.

Banking

FDIC= Federal Depository Insurance CorporationInsures all bank deposits! (Up to $5,000– now $250,000)Provided people with securityCaused banks to be more cautions with lendingMoney back in banks!

Stock Market…

The Federal Securities Act (May 1933)Required companies to provide info. about their finances

if they offered stock for sale

Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) June 1934Regulation of the stock market“Rigging”

Federal Reserve BoardRegulate buying on margin

21st Amendment

1933 Repeals 18th Amendment Allows gov. to tax alcohol again.

Help for Rural America The Agricultural Adjustment Act (AAA)

Aimed to end overproduction and raise crop prices

Provided financial aid to farmers and paid subsidies not to plant on parts of their land

The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA Built dams to control power and generate

electricity Replanted forests, created jobs and attracted

industry Gov’t was given direct control of business

Farm Security Administration Document the situation of American farmers Dorothea Lange’s famous photo “Migrant

Mother”

Civilian Conservation Corps

• Took needy young men off the streets and put them to work in forests and national parks18-25

• carved out roads and hiking trails• cleaned up beaches• cleared camping areas• 3 million young men were put to work!

Public Works Projects

Public Works Administration (PWA)

•Built brides, power plants, government buildings

• i.e. NY’s Triborough Bridge, the Overseas Highway to link Key West and Miami

Promoting Fair Practices National Recovery Administration (NRA)

“the most important and far-reaching legislation ever enacted by the American Congress.” –FDR

○ Restore the economy through planning○ i.e. fair business practices, wage regulation, prices,

negotiation powers○ Minimum wages for workers, minimum prices for goods

that businesses soldIf workers made more they would buy more, prices

would rise and companies would profit

Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA)

Meant to assist overburdened local agenciesPut federal money into public works programs

○ For ex. The Civil Works Administration (CWA)○ Unemployed went to work—fixing roads, parks,

building airports.○ 4 million employees

Housing Efforts Home Owners’ Loan Corporation

(HOLC) Refinanced mortgages—payments

more manageable 1 million low-interest loans

National Housing Act of 1934 Improve standards, conditions and

insure mortgages

Opposition from the Right… Although the New Deal had brought much success

it also had its criticsWas it too controlling?Almost socialist in nature?Deficit spending?Former President Hoover called it “the most

stupendous invasion of the whole spirit of liberty”

Critics formed the American Liberty League (1934)—had Roosevelt deserted the Democratic party’s principles of limited government…?

Limited American freedoms, unconstitutional○ Led by Alfred E. Smith

Other Critics of FDR/The New Deal

Demagogues—leaders who manipulate the people with half-truths, promises, etc.

Father Coughlin: “Radio Priest” Contradictory—1st supported FDR then took it back Accused FDR of not doing enough to help Americans “The Raw Deal” Nationalization of industry mixed with anti-semitism and attacks on

Communists who were “running the country” Later praised Hitler and Mussolini Ordered off the air (1942)

Huey Long Senator (1932); LA Share-Our-Wealth Program Limit individual income to $1 mill; inheritance to $5 mill. Anything redistributed– all families minimum income of $2,500

Think, Pair, Share

Working with the person next to you, discuss how you would feel about the New Deal. Where would you find yourself on the spectrum?

Crash Course

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bMq9Ek6jnA

Second New Deal Despite the criticism of FDR, the public

continued to support him

1935—Second New DealAimed to include social welfare benefits, stricter

business controls, higher taxes on the rich, worker’s rights, etc.

Works Progress Administration Built of improved upon the nation’s highways,

harbors and promoted soil and water conservation Also provided programs for displaced artists

Writers Artists

1943, employed 8 million people and spent about $11 billion651,000 miles of roads 125,000 public buildings

Show Me the Money! Programs were EXPENSIVE Federal deficit grew from $461 million in 1932

to $4.4 billion in 1936! British economist John Maynard Keynes argued

that deficit spending was necessary to end the Depression“pump priming”

○ Putting people to work on public works projects put money in the hands of the consumers who would buy more goods and as a result stimulate the economy

Social Security Social Security system was set-up (1935):

Old Age pensions & survivor’s benefits○ Age 65

Unemployment insurance○ For workers who lost their jobs

Aid for dependent children, the blind & disabled

Did not protect farmers & domestic workers (2/3 of African Americans)

Critics said Social Security would ○ Assigned people numbers– dog

tags?○ Could all people be forced to pay

into the system…?

A Welfare State New Deal policies led to the rise of a welfare state

Gov’t assumes responsibility of general welfare of children, the poor, elderly, disabled, sick and unemployed○ Most Americans had never received direct gov’t benefits

before

Established the idea that the federal gov’t was responsible for the welfare, or well-being, of all American citizens

Changing Relationships.. America and the Farmer Rural Electrification Administration

(REA)Loaned money to utilities companies to build

power lines and bring electricity to rural areas

By 1950 80% of American farms had electricity

Farm prices stabilized and gov’t would provide price supports, or subsidies, if necessary

Everybody’s Joining in… Union activity surged!

National Labor Relations Acts○ Known as the Wagner Act

Joining a labor union was a worker’s rightPower of collective bargaining!

National Labor Relations Board Investigate complaints

Fair Labor Standards Act (1938) Minimum wage (.25 cents/hr) & max work week (44 hrs) Outlawed child labor

By 1940 9 million workers belonged to Unions—twice as many than in 1930!

Election of 1936

The Election of 1936

Alfred M. Landon (Govenor, Kansas) vs. FDR

FDR won by a landslide– 523-8 in the E.C.

Overwhelming Victory

FDR vs. the Supreme Court Schechter Poultry v. United States

(1936)President has no power to regulate

interstate commerce—made the National Industrial Recovery Act unconstitutional

Was the President getting too powerful?Would the Supreme Court continue to strike

down other parts of New Deal legislation?

Other New Deal Issues:The Court-Packing Fiasco February 5, 1937 FDR asked Congress to appoint

6 additional judges to the Supreme Court

FDR said he wanted to “lighten the burden” on the judges– really wanted guaranteed support!

Court packing! Opponents argued –separation

of powers! Some turned against Roosevelt

A Change in the Courts

By 1937 though the Court began to turn FDR’s way…

Minimum wage law and the Wagner Act were both upheld as constitutional

As retirements happened FDR was able to nominate new Justices with his political leanings, including Felix Frankfurter

By the end of 1937 the Court was accepting a larger role in the federal government

The New Deal.. Not a cure all…

The New Deal provided temporary economic improvement

August 1937—another collapse—the nation entered a recessionRising national debtGov’t borrows when it’s revenue

(income) doesn’t keep up with expenses

To fund the New Deal the gov’t had to borrow lots of money!!

Did the New Deal enough?

Some believed the nation’s entire economy needed to be reformed—FDR’s reforms wouldn’t be enough

For women:Didn’t fight gender discriminationMinimum wage for men was higherDidn’t protect domestic workers

For African Americans:Reinforced racial segregationNot offered ‘professional jobs’

Upton SinclairEnd Poverty in California (EPIC)State takes over factories and farmsNeeded a Socialist approach

FDR’s ‘Black Cabinet’ Brought in African American leaders to advise him

Robert Weaver & William Hastie○ Weaver was the 1st African American Cabinet member○ Harvard grads who rose to high positions in the Dept of the Interior

FDR didn’t always side with the ‘Black Cabinet’ though….

NAACP tried to introduce anti-lynching legislation FDR did not support it– he said if he did southern

Democrats “would block every bill I ask Congress to pass”

Native Americans & the New Deal 1887 Native Americans had owned 138

million acres—by the early 1930s they owned only 48 million

John Collier—Commissioner of Indian Affairs Indian New Deal—economic assistance

New schools, hospitalsBureau of Indian Affairs

○ Encouraged Indian religions, languages, customsIndian Reorganization Act—control over their

tribal lands

The New Deal Coalition New Deal coalition—brought together southern

whites, northern blue collar workers, poor mid-western farmers and African Americans

For the first time African Americans began to support the Democratic Party

Arthur W. Mitchell (IL) became the 1st African American Democrat elected to Congress (1934)

Democratic Party grew in Congress during the New Deal

The Culture of the New Deal Movies

Gave Americans a sense of escapism By 1939, 2/3rds of Americans went to the movies

once a week○ The Wizard of Oz○ Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs○ Frankenstein

Frankenstein

○ Gone With the Wind○ Public Enemy—a declining faith in gov’t & law

enforcement with characters turning to crime to survive the Depression

The Culture of the New Deal Radio

NBC and CBS established themselves as broadcasting giants

By 1939 about 9 in 10 American owned a radio○ Comedians like Bob Hope &

Jack Benny○ Jack Benny & Bob Hope○ Soap operas○ The Lone Ranger

Music & Literature Swing music played by “big bands” became

very popularDuke EllingtonGlenn Miller

○ "In the Mood"Bing Crosby

The Grapes of Wrath (Steinbeck)

Comic strips—Superman!

The New Deal FDR’s policies helped a lot of people by providing

recovery, relief, and reform The powers of the feds had increased dramatically!

With this expanded role the feds would now bear the responsibility of the nation’s economy

FDR expanded the Presidency and changed the relationship between the executive and the people, the press and the other branches of gov’t

But did it really fix American society? World War II would eventually pull us out of the depression

with an increase in production and job availability!