Question: How did people address the problems of the Great Depression?

Hoover and Congress Hoover: Congress: Gilded Age/ inactive president Voluntary Aid/ Americans Helping Americans Congress: 9 bills to stimulate the economy/ help business NOT laissez-faire, more than any president yet Hawley-Smoot Tariff- RFC- 21st Amendment- Young Plan

Were Hoover’s inaction a mistake? Were Hoover’s actions more mistakes?

Hoover and Veterans 1932: Bonus Army 17,000 vets march on DC to lobby for early pensions Chased out of DC BIG public relations mistake!

Election of 1932 Focus: role of government How help and still have a balanced budget? Where should the money go to help most? FDR’s ideas– try SOMETHING Campaign- spread work relief programs begun in NY The federal gov’t should spend money to help Preserve and reform the system Outcome: since little action by Hoover WASN’T helping, FDR won by a landslide

FDR and Congress First New Deal: 1933- 1935 The Hundred Days and Alphabet Soup Purpose: to help business and industry, conservative! First Step: Progressive! NOT laissez-faire Expanded federal power Three R’s:

Was the Bank Holiday a mistake? Is expanding federal power a mistake? Were fireside chats a mistake?

FDR and Congress Fireside chats: 27 radio broadcasts Purpose: Critics: attacked by conservatives and liberals Help? Unemployment- 1934 midterms- Radical Reform-

FDR and Congress Second New Deal: 1936- 1939 Election of 1936- Progressive Programs expanded relief aid to farmers and workers- to help regular people Recession of 1937: unemployment down to 14%, then up to 19% Result- Congress cut back on new programs

Was the New Deal a mistake? Was the New Deal successful? Was FDR’s court packing plan a mistake?