A Country Distressed The Great Depression

Election of 1932 Republicans re-nominated Hoover Democrats nominated Franklin D. Roosevelt Franklin D. Roosevelt promised a “New Deal” to America’s people. – Happy Days are here again! – The sky’s above are clear again. – So lets sing a song of cheer again, – Happy Days are here again! 1932 Voting - were people for FDR or against Hoover?

1932 Election For Roosevelt or against Hoover? 60% voted for Democrats and FDR. Largest electoral victory in the nation’s history (Hoover’s 1928 election was 2 nd )

FDR and Polio “Gentleman’s agreement” with press Issue of presidential health and freedom of info This is one of only two photographs that exist of FDR in his wheelchair. FDR and Polio / health

FDR in 1928 FDR worked hard to develop his ability to stand and to “walk”

This photo of President Roosevelt was taken at Warm Springs, Georgia - a polio rehabilitation center His legs show the effects of his polio

FDR spent considerable amounts of his own wealth to develop Warm Springs as a rehabilitation center for people with polio and to work towards finding a cure.

Polio Epidemic March of Dimes – aided by the efforts of FDR – would work toward a vaccine for polio. In 1955, Dr. Jonas Salk developed a vaccine against polio March of Dimes continues its work against birth defects

FDR and His New Deal FDR’s first inaugural address “There is nothing to fear, but fear itself.. “ White House and both houses of Congress now controlled by Democrats New Deal takes shape. FDR’s “Brain Trust”

First Hundred Days: March - May 1933 Acts of the First Hundred Days: Most focus was on Relief and Recovery, but some also Reform. Every proposal approved. “Pump-priming” Deficit Spending- a government spending more money than it receives in revenue and borrowing to keep spending Alphabet Agencies of the First Hundred Days: – Massive federal agencies

FDR’s New Deal Three R’s of the New Deal Relief : Help for those in need. Recovery : Put the nation and its people back to work. Reform : Fix the problems that caused the Depression so that it does not reoccur. Most pressing crisis for the nation was caring for the unemployed and the poor.

Fireside Chats - FDR and Radio

President Roosevelt came to symbolize a government that cared for those in need

New Deal in Action First “Hundred Days” March to May, 1933 In opening months of 1933, 5,000 banks failed - nearly as many as since start of Depression. Emergency Banking Relief Act – Bank Holiday: FDR closed the nation’s banks and sent to Congress a proposal to deal with the banking crisis

Early New Deal Acts and Agencies Glass-Steagall Act – – Creates the FDIC. – Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation AAA - Agricultural Adjustment Act CCC - Civilian Conservation Corps NRA - National Recovery Administration TVA - Tennessee Valley Authority SEC - Securities and Exchange Commission – Regulates financial industry and protects investors from fraud

Opponents on the New Deal Opposition from the Right Believed that the New Deal was doing too much and taking the nation towards socialism and ruin – Conservative Republicans & Democrats – Business leaders – the rich – All accused FDR of ruining captialism Said FDR was an enemy of private property and a dictator in the making

Opponents of the New Deal Opposition from the Left : Believed that FDR and New Deal not doing enough to help people – Socialists – Extreme Democrats & Liberals Huey Long – Governor of Louisiana – “Share Our Wealth” program

Economic Distress Living wage- a wage high enough to provide an acceptable standard of living Property values- the worth of a piece of real estate, land Foreclosure- legal process where a lender or bank takes over property that it helped a borrower buy. – Usually because the borrower failed to make payments

Economic Distress Eviction- legal process where a landlord removes a tenant from their property – Usually because the tenant has failed to pay rent Malnutrition- physical condition that results from a person not eating an adequately healthy diet. Soup Kitchens & Breadlines- served free meals to the needy

Nature adds to nation’s miseries

Kansas Dust Storm

Oklahoma Dust Bowl

Wheat field - Syracuse, Kansas

Author John Steinbeck told of families forced to search for work in his book, The Grapes of Wrath

Headed West looking for a new life. Oakies and Arkies – families displaced by the Dust Bowl and depressed economy - headed west along Route 66 to California in hopes of jobs and a new start to life.

Building a shack in migrant camp, California

“Migrant Mother” by Farm Securities Administration photographer, Dorothea Lange Migrant farm worker family traveling with the harvests - Feb., 1936 FSA was a New Deal program and part of the WPA.

Federal camp set up for migrant workers - California