The New Deal Brings Opportunities  An important change made during the New Deal was naming several women to important government positions Francis Perkins  America’s first female cabinet member (secretary of labor)  However women still faced discrimination in the workforce Lower wages, fewer being hired, resentment from men

African Americans Take Leadership Roles  Roosevelt appointed more than 100 African Americans to key government positions Mary McLeod Bethune  educator who was hired by Roosevelt to head the Division of Negro Affairs of the National Youth Administration  Although Roosevelt promoted racial equality, he never fully committed to the civil rights movement Did not approve anti- lynching law or an end to the poll tax

Native Americans Gain Support  The Indian Reorganization Act of 1934  changed government policy - moved away from assimilation and toward self-sufficiency Economic  Native American lands would belong to an entire tribe Cultural  number of boarding schools reduced, and children could attend school on the reservations Political  tribes were given permission to elect tribal councils to govern reservations

Labor Disputes  One of the main bargaining tactics of the labor movement in the 1930s was the sit- down strike Instead of walking off the job, workers remained inside their plants but did not work Prevented factory owners from carrying on production by hiring on new men to do the work Proved to be an effective bargaining tool

FDR Wins in 1936  Support for Roosevelt came from various religious and ethnic groups Roman Catholics, Jews, Italians, Irish, Polish, and African Americans Appealed to these groups through his New Deal labor laws and work-relief programs, which aided urban poor

Culture in the 1930s  Movies and radio had taken the country by storm  Comedies, musicals, love stories, and gangster films  Some films offered pure escape from the hard realities of the Depression by presenting visions of wealth, romance, and good times Gone With the Wind, The Wizard of Oz, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs  Families spent several hours a day listening to their favorite programs on the radio Soap operas, comedies, children’s programs Up to the minute news coverage  Hindenburg crash in NJ 1937

Diverse Writers Depict American Life  Many writers received support through the Federal Writers’ Project, another Works Progress Administration Program  Assistance helped Richard Wright, an African American author complete the novel Native Son  Helped Zora Neale Hurston write Their Eyes Were Watching God  Helped John Steinbeck write The Grapes of Wrath

Supporters and Critics of the New Deal  Many conservatives think President Roosevelt’s policies made the federal government too large and too powerful Argue that the government trampled free enterprise and individual initiative  Liberals argue that President Roosevelt didn’t do enough to eliminate social and economic inequalities  Supporters of the New Deal argue that the president struck a reasonable balance and helped the country recover from its economic difficulties

Expanding Government’s Role in the Economy  The Roosevelt administration expanded the power of the federal government, giving it a more active role in shaping the economy  Government established the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)  to regulate banking  The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)  set up by government to regulate investment activities  Federal government goes deeply into debt to create jobs and give aid  Massive spending on equipment, supplies for WWII end Depression

Protecting Workers’ Rights  New Deal laws set long lasting standards for wages and hours, banned child labor, and ensured the right of workers to organize and to bargain collectively with employers  The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) still mediates labor disputes today

Banking and Finance  The Securities and Exchange Commission still monitors stock market, and enforces laws on stock and bond sales  The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation still protects individual investors in case of bank failure

Social Security  Federal government has assumed some responsibility for citizens’ welfare through the Social Security system  Provides an old-age insurance program, an unemployment compensation system, and aid to the disabled and families with dependent children

The Rural Scene  Agricultural Adjustment Act  makes loans to farmers Based on amount of farmer’s surplus and the price needed for the crop to keep the farmer’s income steady  Agricultural price supports set standard of federal aid to farmers that continues today

The Environment  The Civilian Conservation Corps planted trees, created hiking trails, and built fire lookout towers  The Soil Conservation Service taught farmers how to preserve the soil  The government added national parks, and set aside large wilderness areas  However, the government sponsored strip-mining and coal burning which caused air, land, and water pollution