Chapter 17 & 18: Great Depression and New Deal
The Committee for Industrial Organization set out to organize
all skilled and unskilled workers in the automobile industry
Roosevelt's advisers who supported "New Freedom" wanted government to
break up big companies
To pay for New Deal programs, Roosevelt abandoned a balanced budget and began using _____________________ spending.
deficit
The ____________________ Standards Act abolished child labor.
fair Labor
To inform and reassure citizens, Franklin Roosevelt addressed them directly by radio in what were called
fireside chats.
One purpose of the Townsend plan was to
free up jobs for the unemployed.
Roosevelt refers to "unusual times" and "disaster." What historical event is he discussing?
the Great Depression
Which of the following most affected the trend in unemployment between 1935 and 1937, as shown in the chart?
the Second New Deal
What were two federal agencies focused on creating employment?
Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) and Civil Works Administration (CWA)
Child labor was abolished by the
Fair Labor Standards Act
Franklin Roosevelt came to office with a clear agenda for how he was going to deal with the Depression.
False
The Supreme Court ruled unconstitutional the Wagner Act, which guaranteed certain workers' rights.
False
The general view of women during the New Deal was that they needed federal government action to ensure them equal treatment.
False
When people lost their jobs and could no longer pay their mortgages, the Home Owners' Loan Corporation lengthened the term of their loans rather than foreclose on their property.
False
Which federal agency helped the unemployed but did not actually create employment?
Federal Emergency Relief Agency (FERA)
To inform and reassure citizens, Franklin Roosevelt addressed them directly by radio in what were called ________________________.
Fireside chats
The period of time in 1933 when the newly elected Franklin Roosevelt sent bill after bill to Congress came to be called the ________________________.
Hundred Days
The period of time in 1933 when the newly elected Franklin Roosevelt sent bill after bill to Congress came to be called the
Hundred Days.
What influenced the trend in unemployment from 1933 to 1937 as shown in the graph?
New Deal programs such as the CCC, CWA, PWA, and NRA put people back to work. This reduced unemployment levels.
Franklin Roosevelt's policies for ending the Depression became known as the
New Deal.
Which of the following insisted that contractors not discriminate against African Americans?
Public Works Administration
To pay for New Deal programs, Roosevelt abandoned a balanced budget and began using
deficit spending
Attracted to the ideas of Francis Townsend, the ____________________ mobilized as a political force for the first time in American history.
elderly
In 1932 the nation's money was based on the _________________________, in which an ounce of gold could be exchanged for a set number of dollars.
gold standard
In 1932 the nation's money was based on a system in which an ounce of gold could be exchanged for a set number of dollars. This was called the
gold standard.
According to the excerpt, Eleanor Roosevelt complimented the Quakers for
helping to train people
Although they disagreed on specifics, Roosevelt's advisers favored government
intervention in the economy.
The Emergency Banking Relief Act helped solve the banking crisis by
issuing licenses to banks that federal examiners found to be financially sound
Franklin Roosevelt's "court-packing plan" was a serious mistake because
it appeared to interfere with the Constitution's separation of powers.
The Home Owners' Loan Corporation
lengthened the mortgage repayment term and lowered rates for the employed
According the Roosevelt, what is it time for the people and nation to do?
not cower from the current situation
The Agricultural Adjustment Administration tried to help farmers by
paying them not to grow crops.
The Federal Number One program employed
people in the arts.
After he served as assistant secretary of the navy, Franklin Roosevelt caught the paralyzing disease ____________________, which left him with little use of his legs
polio
During the Depression, many state governors declared "bank holidays" to
prevent bank runs
Congress authorized the Farm Credit Administration to help farmers
refinance their mortgages.
To fight the Depression, the first thing Roosevelt set out to do was to
restore confidence in the banks
Senator Huey Long wanted the government to
share the wealth of the rich.
The United Auto Workers staged ________ strikes against General Motors, in which they stopped working but refused to leave the factory.
sit-down
When General Motors demoted two union men, the workers staged the first ____________________ strike, in which they stopped working but refused to leave the factory.
sit-down
In the case Schechter Poultry Company v. United States, the Supreme Court struck down
the authority of the NRA.
In taking on a mediating role among competing interests, the New Deal established what some have called
the broker state.
Which event explains the change in unemployment from 1937 to 1938, as shown in the chart?
the recession of 1937
As governor of New York, Franklin Roosevelt oversaw the creation of the first state relief agency to aid
the unemployed.
After he served as assistant secretary of the navy, Franklin Roosevelt caught the paralyzing disease polio, which left him
with little use of his legs.
Roosevelt's advisers who supported "New Nationalism" wanted government agencies to
work with businesses.
Which of the following choices best completes the diagram about the historic political realignment triggered by the New Deal?
African Americans
Describe Franklin Roosevelt's personality and approach to the nation's problems
Americans saw in Roosevelt an energy and optimism that gave them hope despite the tough economic times. His serenity and confidence amazed many people, and his "fireside chats" helped reassure them. Also, many people believed that his struggle with polio had given him a better understanding of their hardships. Roosevelt's confidence that he could make things better contrasted sharply with Hoover's apparent failure to do anything effective. In his campaign for president, Roosevelt revealed the approach he would take as president: "Above all, try something." He implemented his campaign promise with a flurry of bills to Congress during the first "Hundred Days." Unlike the public impression of Hoover, Roosevelt was "doing something."
In taking on a mediating role among competing interests, the New Deal established what some have called the "____________________ state."
Broker
What influenced the trend in unemployment from 1937 to 1938 as shown in the graph? What path did Roosevelt choose to reverse this trend?
In late 1937 there was a short recession. This was partly caused by Roosevelt's effort to balance the federal budget. He cut spending on New Deal programs to accomplish this, and unemployment began to rise again. In the spring of 1938, Roosevelt requested more money for jobs programs to combat rising unemployment.
Franklin Roosevelt's policies for ending the Depression became known as the ____________________.
New Deal
To regulate the stock market, Congress created the
Securities and Exchange Commission
Fill in the diagram about the Social Security system. Then write an essay describing how it initially worked, who benefited, and who did not.
Source of funding: workers' pay. Groups receiving benefits (order not important): (1) people with disabilities and poor families with young dependent children; (2) retirees (or the elderly); (3) unemployed workers looking for new jobs. Those left out: many farm and domestic workers. The framers of the Social Security Act viewed it primarily as an insurance bill, with workers earning the right to receive benefits by paying premiums. The law provided modest welfare payments to other needy people, including those with disabilities and poor families with young dependent children. The core of Social Security was the monthly retirement benefit, which people could collect when they stopped working at age 65. The plan also included unemployment insurance, providing temporary income to unemployed workers looking for new jobs. Social Security initially left out many of the neediest members of society—farm and domestic workers, many of whom were African American workers.
Which federal agency provided benefits specific to the South?
Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)
Explain why the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) were so important in light of the causes of the Depression.
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation guaranteed bank deposits up to $2,500. The Securities and Exchange Commission regulated the stock market to avoid dishonest practices. These were especially crucial as safeguards following the stock market crash of 1929. Both agencies were designed to prevent future financial problems from becoming national catastrophes.
Discuss the New Deal's legacy, including its effectiveness in dealing with the Depression and its lasting effects on the role of government
The New Deal had only limited success in ending the Depression. Unemployment remained high, and economic recovery was not complete until after World War II. Even so, the New Deal gave many Americans a stronger sense of security and stability. The New Deal tended to operate so that it balanced competing economic interests. Business leaders, farmers, workers, consumers, homeowners, and others now looked to government to protect their interests. This "broker" role in mediating among competing interests has continued under the administrations of both parties ever since. Also, the New Deal programs created a "safety net" that protected people against economic disaster. After the Roosevelt years, the American people felt that the government had a duty to maintain this safety net, even though it required a larger, more expensive federal government.
Who, according to the excerpt, will benefit from the Social Security Act?
The Social Security Act will provide for the elderly who are in need, people who cannot find work, children, and their mothers. It will also provide for people with handicaps.
Which "horse," according to Roosevelt, is not pulling its weight, and why?
The Supreme Court is not pulling its weight because it is not adhering to its constitutional responsibility of acting as a judicial body. Instead it has turned into a policy-making body.
Describe the provisions of the National Labor Relations Act and the work of the board it created.
The act guaranteed workers the right to organize unions without interference from employers and to bargain collectively. The law set up the National Labor Relations Board, which organized factory elections by secret ballot to determine whether workers wanted a union. The NLRB then certified the successful unions. The new law also set up a process whereby dissatisfied union members could take their complaints to binding arbitration, in which a neutral party would listen to both sides and decide the issues. The NLRB was authorized to investigate the actions of employers and could issue "cease and desist" orders against unfair practices.
How did the acts shown in the table above help to better protect American citizens?
The acts protected laborers and created insurance programs for the unemployed, elderly, disabled, and children. The acts also promoted new jobs, strengthened the economy, and brought electricity to rural areas.
Study the chart, and then discuss the trend in union membership between 1933 and 1943.
The passage of the National Labor Relations Act, or Wagner Act, spurred the growth of unions. The number of members, which had been below 4 million until 1935, jumped to almost 14 million by 1943
Using the chart and your knowledge of the text, how would relief programs such as FERA, the CCC, and CWA and recovery programs such as AAA and NRA work together to lift the country out of the Depression?
The relief programs such as FERA and the CCC were designed to create employment so people would have money coming in. Recovery programs such as the AAA and NRA helped agriculture and industry to reestablish themselves and restart production and stabilize prices. Employed people with steady salaries were better able to buy the food and goods produced by the agricultural and industrial sectors.
The Agricultural Adjustment Administration paid cotton farmers to plow under much of their crop.
True
The Farm Credit Administration helped many poor farmers keep their land, but it may have slowed the overall economic recovery.
True
The Public Works Administration required its contractors to hire African Americans.
True
The Supreme Court declared the National Recovery Administration unconstitutional.
True
Framers of the Social Security Act saw it primarily as
an insurance measure
The National Industrial Recovery Act allowed business, labor, and the government to cooperate in setting up
codes of fair competition.
Roosevelt triggered a new economic downturn in 1937 by
decreasing government spending.
