FDR

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FDR the New Deal

• Visual Discovery of the FDRs plan to pull
  America our of the Great Depression

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4.2A The Presidential Election of 1932

• What do you see here?
• In what sort of mood does the man appear to be?
• Why are people watching him?
• Who do you think he is?
• This man is Franklin D. Roosevelt.
• What do you think this slide reveals about his
  personality or character?
• We see FDR riding in the presidential car during
  a parade, looking at ease smiling confidently.

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4.2A The Presidential Election of 1932

• American public overwhelmingly elected FDR in
  1932.
• Decisive victory in the Electoral/Popular vote.
• Happy Days are Here Again a New Deal
• Promised Fed. Gov. would help with welfare at the
  most crucial time in Am. History.
• 4th year of the Great Depression.

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4.2A The Presidential Election of 1932

• FDR takes control at the most unenviable of
  times.
• 25 of Am. were unemployed.
• 10 mil people lost jobs since 1929.
• Those lucky enough to keep jobs suffered wage
  cuts.
• Daily Stock Market Average dropped significantly.
• Banks closed and businesses shut their doors.
• Farmers suffered the most
• 12 drought stricken states turned into dust
  bowls.
• Unions and businesses clashed.
• Schools closed.

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4.2A The Presidential Election of 1932

• Relief for Americans through entertainment
  politics.
• Paramount Studios produced hundreds of movies to
  provide temporary distractions for depressed
  America.
• Long-term relief relief through politics.
• Disillusioned with Pres. Hoovers conservative
  ineffective solutions.
• FDR gave hope to millions.

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4.2B The Rise of FDR

• What do you see here?
• Whom is FDR talking to?
• On what is he sitting?
• Why do you think he is in a wheelchair?
• What ailment might he have had?
• How do you think the American public viewed FDR
  when he continued to be politically active even
  after having polio?
• We see FDR in a rare moment of relaxation,
  conversing with a girl while sitting in his
  wheelchair.

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4.2B The Rise of FDR

• FDR lived a privileged life, in contrast to the
  average American.
• FDR grew up in a Hyde Park estate in central New
  York.
• Wealthy parents, traveled to France to improve
  his French.
• According to college classmates, he was a snob,
  eating at private clubs.
• Christian values simplicity, honesty, hard work,
  compassion for the poor.
• His mother taught him the wealthy/privileged had
  an obligation to serve the public.
• Private law, NewYork state senator, Asst. Secy
  Navy.

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4.2B The Rise of FDR

• Aug. 21, FDR struck with polio as he begins
  national pol.
• Symptoms similar to cold at first.
• Lead to paralysis below waist.
• Unable to stand without 10 lb. Metal braces.
• God had abandoned me but later saw it as a
  purpose.
• Spent seven years in semi-private recovery
  while maintaining ties to the political world.
• After recovery, he spent two terms as Gov. of New
  York.
• Promoted public works thru creation of jobs,
  old-aged pensions, unemployment insurance, direct
  relief for poor.
• Viewed as a hero because of ideas to help poor
  America and his battle versus polio.

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4.2B The Rise of FDR

• In public, FDR exuded warmth reassuring
  confidence.
• FDR pledged We Americans will rise from
  destruction we Americans will conquer despair.
• FDR gave tremendous hope to the American public
  in the midst of the Great Depression.
• Eager anticipation of his first actions as
  president.

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4.2C The Beginning of the New Deal

• What do you see here?
• What are the men doing?What do their facial
  expressions postures reveal about their
  attitude toward one another?
• Whom doe the forgotten man represent?
• Whose hand is he shaking?
• Why do you think ordinary, working-class
  Americans placed their trust in FDR?
• What expectations might they have had for him as
  president?
• How might FDRs commitment to working-class
  citizens affect his decisions as president?
• We see a political cartoon of the forgotten man
  shaking hands with FDR. The caption reads, Yes,
  you remembered me.

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4.2C The Beginning of the New Deal

• First day in office focused on mobilizing Fed.
  Gov. to rescue the nation from the Great
  Depression.
• Promised to execute the New Deal promtly,
  fearlessly, generously.
• Gov. policies based on the needs of the
  forgotten, the unrecognized but the indispensable
  units of econ. Power the forgotten man at the
  bottom of the econ. Pyramid, not gov. officials.
• Declared a bank holiday the day after he took
  office.
• Wanted to prevent Americans from panicking and
  withdrawing their money.

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4.2C The Beginning of the New Deal

• Called a special session of Cong.
• Hundred Days remarkable period of lawmaking.
• Created Emergency Banking Relief Act the
  Economy Act to balance the fed. Budget.
• Quickness of getting things done re-emphasized
  the trust of the American people.
• Man of Action
• By Summer of 33, 3/4 of banks reopend,
  depositing 1 bil.
• National Industrial Recovery Act - 3 bil for
  roads, tunnels, housing projects - created 1,000s
  of jobs.
• New wage guidelines, hours, working conditions.
• All of the above formed the foundation for
  recovery.

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4.2C The Beginning of the New Deal

• In addition to helping banks businesses, Cong
  wanted to relieve poor peoples daily hardship.
• Hundred Days
• Federal Emergency Relief Admin. (FERA) - 500 mil
  for unemployed.
• FERA created NO long-term plans to create jobs
• Agricultural Adjustment Act (AAA) provided relief
  for farmers.
• Raised market prices for crops livestock.
• AAA encouraged farmers to plow under and burn
  millions of acres of crops to diminish supply
  raise prices.
• Farmers were given 1.5 bil in subsidies
• Controversial - 6 mil hogs destroyed, surplus of
  wheat cotton.

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4.2C The Beginning of the New Deal

• Balanced short-term vs. long-term relief.
• Hundred Days
• Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) - built dams to
  harness flow of water to create cheap
  electricity.
• Erected numerous power plants in Al., Tn., Ky.,
  other states.
• TVA allowed some of the nations poorest people
  to have elect. Lights power to operate farm
  machinery.
• Flood control, new factories and jobs,
  professionals to serve.

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4.2C The Beginning of the New Deal

• Several reasons for great success.
• Both Dems/Reps wanted to enact laws helping end
  the Great Depression.
• Cooperation btw pol parties.
• Quick efficient passing of laws.
• Brain Trust - diverse group of imaginative
  intellectuals.
• 13 fireside chats to gain Americas trust.
• Personable, informal talks delivered thru the
  radio.
• Explained the simple idea behind each reform.

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4.2C The Beginning of the New Deal

• After listening to fireside chat
• What words would you use to describe FDRs tone?
• Who do you think was listening to this radio
  address in 1935?
• What techniques did FDR use to connect with his
  audience?
• What do you think FDRs objectives were in having
  the fireside chats?
• Based on this example, do you think he was
  successful?
• Why or why not?

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4.2D Work Programs

• What do you see here?
• What are the young men doing?
• Where do you think they are
• How might they have found work at a time when
  unemployment was so high?
• We see young men at work at the U.S. Department
  of Agriculture research center in Beltsville, Md.

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4.2D Work Programs

• The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC)
• One of the most popular.
• Work program by fed gov to relieve unemployment
  poverty.
• Summer 33 - 250,000 young men, 17 to 24
• Worked in Natl Parks Forests
• Planting trees, repairing aprk facilities,
  building wilderness trails, stocking fish in
  lakes and rivers.
• 30 per month, provided shelter, food, clothing
  and educational opps.
• By 39, 2.5 mil men put to work, 10
  African-Amer.
• Improved wilderness areas.

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4.2D Work Programs

• National Industrial Recovery Act
• Modest gains for ind workers and labor unions.
• Gov monitoring of big business practices to
  prevent violations or workers rights
• 1938 - Fair labor Standards Act
• eliminated child labor, est min hourly wage,
  higher overtime pay.
• Did not help women, or minorities

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4.2D Work Programs

• Despite some flaws, the New Deal was greeted with
  gratitude by American families.
• Fan mail for FDR and Eleanor.
• Heartfelt thanks to The Boss from Your Pal
• All groups widely proclaimed their support.
• Act-it-out!

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4.2E Critics of the New Deal

• What do you see here?
• What does the sick, elderly man represent?
• The Woman?
• The Doctor?
• How is the Doctor trying to help the man?
• Why are there so many many bottles on the table?
• What do they symbolize?
• What message do you think the cartoonist intended
  to convey?
• We see a pol cartoon showing FDR as a doctor
  administering a multitude of medicines from his
  New Deal remedies bag to an ailing Uncle Sam. A
  matronly woman - Congress - watches hopefully.
  The cartoon suggests that the U.S. government,
  under the direction of FDR, was willing to try
  everything to make the depressed economy healthy.

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4.2E Critics of the New Deal

• Some raised questions about FDR and the New Deal.
  
• Minorities especially questioned motives.
• Critics believed FDR tried to please too many
  different groups.
• Critics also believed he did too much or too
  little in Americans lives.

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4.2E Critics of the New Deal

• The American Liberty League - one primary group
  that attacked FDR was Big Business.
• General motors and General Foods along with
  conserv. Dems questioned his socialist
  leanings.
• They were concerned about skyrocketing fed
  deficit.
• Big Business formed the American Liberty League.
• Too much gov interference in private enterprise.
• Complained about sovietizing the New York Stock
  Exchange, railroads, radios, elect power,
  INDUSTRIAL LABOR.

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4.2E Critics of the New Deal

• Secy of Ag., Henry Wallace voiced his
  displeasure with AAA.
• Concerned about throwing away 100 mil pounds of
  pork.
• AAAs popularity wained as the policies increased
  poverty of farmers.

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4.2E Critics of the New Deal

• Townsend, Long, Coughlin, and the Union Party.
• Several critics form groups to publicly oppose
  FDR
• Townsendites - elderly people organized by Dr.
  Francis E. Townsend.
• Believed FDR neglected the elderly and pensions.
  Rejected by House.
• Huey Long, Sen., La., charismatic, leftist.
• Long preached that greedy businessmen upset the
  balance of the nations wealth.
• Share Our Wealth Dramatic redistribution of
  wealth. Take from the rich to give to the poor.
• every man would be kingAssassinated shortly
  befor the election of 1936.

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4.2E Critics of the New Deal

• Father Charles E. Coughlin initially believed
  FDRs New Deal was Christs Deal
• Changed his mind and talked his 30 mil listeners
  to follow big business, not FDR.
• Became more extreme (fascist and anti-semitic)
• Joined Longs successor and Townsend in creating
  the Union Aprty to challenge FDR in 36.
• Lost in a landslide to FDR.

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4.2F Legacy of the New Deal

• Based on the graphs, describe the economy in the
  late 1920s.
• How do the data from the late 1920s compare to
  those of 1933 when FDR took office?
• What effect did the New Deal have on GNP,
  unemployment, business failures by the late
  1930s?
• What happened to the federal debt between 1933
  1938, the year before WWII began in Europe?
• Based on these figures, was FDRs New Deal
  successful?
• How did U.S. entry into WWII in 1941 affect the
  economy?
• Which impacted the economy more, the New Deal or
  WWII?
• Why?

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4.2F Legacy of the New Deal

• Second Hundred Days
• Despite criticism, FDR and Cong continued to
  enact experimental New Deal policies and
  programs.
• FDR/Cong pumped 1 bil into economy.
• Supreme Court Battle
• Supreme Court ruled many acts unconstitutional.
• NIRA especially was ruled unconstitutional
• 37 FDR asked Cong to allow him to appoint 6 new
  justices (old-age and slow)
• Packing the court only offended all segments of
  society.

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4.2F Legacy of the New Deal

• Legacy of the New Deal
• New came to an end in 38.
• 1) FDR leadership reshaped the role of the
  presidency.
• Strength, dignity, independence like no other
  position in the world.
• Centralization of power in the Oval Office
  (federal power)
• 2) Fed gov and its role in Americans lives grew
  larger and had more direct contact with the
  people - Welfare State.
• 3) FDR and Eleanor ushered in women into more
  prominent national roles.
• 4) Social Security, old-aged care by the gov,
  regulation of stock market, deficit spending,
  insured banking deposits.

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4.2F Legacy of the New Deal

• Did it work? Yes and No.
• Assessment says New Deal partially rescued
  Americans from the Great Depression.
• Unemployment dropped, business failures declined,
  farmers benefited from subsidies, publics
  confidence in banks increased.
• Millions of American were aided by the programs.
• Success was limited.
• WWII is often credited with moving the U.S.
  economy from surviving to thriving.
• FDR and the New Deal can be applauded for bold
  activism and creative experimentation in the
  search for solutions.