The New Deal and Great Depression

fireside chats

-A series of evening radio chats from President Roosevelt -He talked about the Emergency Banking Act in response to the banking crisis, the recession. -"On the Bank Crisis" -Trying to get people's confidence up ("pep talks") -Informs country what he is doing / what he has done -People could relate to him -FDR: Groton, Harvard

Dorothea Lange's photographs titled: An American Exodus

-Books + photographs about the great depression -Humanized consequences of the Great Depression -Influenced the development of of documentary photography -Oakies and arkies traveling west towards California trying to find jobs during the dust bowl

Did FDR overstep the bounds of his presidency?

-Many people think he over stepped his bounds because many of the things he did were deemed unconstitutional by the Supreme Court -Some things viewed as unethical -Packed the court -His argument was that he had to do something to try to help the great depression

Dust Bowl

A drought in the 1930s that turned the Great Planes very dry; Also known as the Dirty Thirties, was a period of severe dust storms that greatly damaged the ecology and agriculture of the American and Canadian prairies during the 1930s. Oklahomans who stayed and lived through the Dust Bowl see the Okie migrants as quitters who fled Oklahoma. Most Oklahoma natives are as proud of their Okies who made good in California as are the Okies themselves - and of the Arkies, West Texans, and others who were cast in with them.

Alphabet agencies. US federal government agencies.

CCC, AAA, TVA, FDIC, SEC, FERA, NRA

Hundred Days

During the first hundred days of Franklin D. Roosevelt's presidency, he planned to end the Great Depression. When Roosevelt took office on March 4, 1933, he immediately addressed the effects of the depression. His main four priorities were to 1) get Americans back to work 2) protect their savings and create prosperity 3) provide relief for the sick and elderly 4) get industry and agriculture back on their feet. 15 major laws were enacted in Roosevelt's first 100 days. 3 R's -Relief -Recovery -Reform

why did FDR try to "pack" the Supreme Court? Was he successful

FDR tried to get more justices in the Supreme Court so that his New Deal would pass, after it was deemed unconstitutional. FDR said that since there was no rule on number of people in the Supreme Court, he thought that it would help make this "more fair". Unsuccessful, because critics said he was trying to "pack the court" which isn't ethical(?).

FERA (Federal Emergency Relief Administration)

Helped thousands of homeless, penniless and starving American. $500 million spent on more soup kitchens, clothing schools and employment.

TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority )

Organised building of 33 dams to control Tennessee River Improved quality of soil - could be farmed on again Power stations - cheap electricity Thousands of jobs created and health and welfare facilities improved.

NRA (National Recovery Administration)

Recovery; set out to balance the unstable economy through extensive planning. Federal Codes regulated wages, restraining wage competition. Controlled working conditions, production, and prices, and set up a minimum wage. Government involvement in businesses

SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission)

Reform regulated the stock market; Stock Market Watchdog, regulates stocks and bonds.

FDIC (Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation)

The FDIC has been active since 1933. It keeps money in American banks safe and prevents banks from spending money they don't have. It was very, very popular, though it had some crises in the 1980s. (Reform)

Failure of the New Deal

The New Deal was considered a failure because unemployment rates actually rose, NOT dropped, after 2 full terms of FDR. The govt was also spending more money than they ever had, and this caused lots of problems with lack of money. Taxes were raised and this became a problem with the population as well. It didn't end the Great Depression, put the gift more in debt, and many people were very against the Great Depression. The Supreme Court believed that many of FDR's programs were unconstitutional, and that FDR was overstepping his boundaries with many of the movements he attempted to make in the New Deal. Wasn't good for black people because they were "the first fired and the last hired"

Steinbeck's book The Grapes of Wrath

The movie, based on a novel, the Grapes of Wrath depicts the lives of tenant farmers during the Great Depression. Due to the closing of banks and desire to increase the value of food in America by decreasing the amount of food surplus, the Joads family as well as several other Okie farming families lose their jobs, land and dignity. In an attempt to obtain a better future, farmers move out to California search of employment.

WPA

Works Progress Administration Hired over eight million people to work on public projects like building roads and bridges (construction jobs) Helping economy (people have jobs) helping the country (new construction) Hired many unskilled men who couldn't get other jobs Created May, 1935 dissolved June 1943 largest/ most ambitious New Deal Agency Federal writing and art program (for people who don't have physical ability to build bridges i.e. artists, writers, painters, etc.)

New Deal

a series of programs put in place by Franklin Roosevelt to recover from the Great Depression: Spring of 1935- Roosevelt launched a second, more aggressive series of federal programs, sometimes called the Second New Deal. In April, he created the Works Progress Administration (WPA) to provide jobs for unemployed people.

AAA (Agricultural Adjustment Administration)

government would pay some farmers NOT to raise certain livestock and crops; Set quotas for farmers to reduce production to drive up food prices. Also helped modernize farming methods which would conserve soil. Farmers' income doubled

CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps)

program created as part of the New Deal to give unemployed men jobs to protect the natural environment; offered unemployed young men 18-25 the opportunity to work under the direction of the forestry service

Success of the New Deal

successful in both short-term relief, and in implementing long-term structural reform. However, as Roosevelt's political enemies fought him, the New Deal failed to end the Great Depression. He goal was to be able to provide food and jobs for many through checks to help better the lives of the working class. However, at this point, over 8 million people needed jobs that didn't have them.