When the Economy did not recover quickly… The Second New Deal When the Economy did not recover quickly… Roosevelt and the Congress created programs that are still assisting homebuyers, farmers, workers, and the elderly to this day.

The Second Hundred Days By 1935 it was clear to many that the U.S. economy was not improving as quickly as Roosevelt would have liked. Unemployment remained high despite the government work programs. Industrial production was still well below the levels achieved during the 1920’s. Roosevelt and his advisors decided it was time for another round of government activity. This second series of economic interventions is sometimes called -- the Second New Deal or the Second Hundred Days.

Eleanor Roosevelt and The Second Hundred Days The First Lady, Eleanor Roosevelt, encouraged the president to focus this second flurry of activity on programs designed to help rural America. Mrs. Roosevelt had spent most of 1933, 1934, and 1935 traveling the nation seeing first hand how difficult life had become for many Americans because of the Great Depression. She reported this suffering back to the President and urged him to take further action. She also encouraged him to appoint women to government positions.

The Election of 1936 By 1936 the second wave of New Deal Legislation was making its way through congress. People could see the FDR’s programs were starting to have an effect of the economy and they had hope for a better future. The Election was an overwhelming victory for Roosevelt and the Democratic party. This election marked the first time that the majority of African Americans voted for Democrats since the 15th Amendment granted them the right to vote.

Helping Farmers By the mid-1930’s two of every five farms in the U.S. were mortgaged and thousands more had been seized by the banks because farmers had not been able to pay their mortgages. Roosevelt realized that steps had to be taken. In 1938 he encouraged congress to pass a second Agricultural Adjustment Act. This one brought back many features of the first AAA passed in 1933 but it did not include the unconstitutional processing tax that the Supreme Court had rejected. Roosevelt also used an executive order to create The Resettlement Administration, which was later replaced by the Farm Securities Act. These two organizations were created to help sharecroppers and tenant farmer become landowners in their own right.

Roosevelt Extends Relief In 1935 Roosevelt appointed Harry Hopkins to lead the Works Progress Administration. This set out to create as many jobs as possible as quickly as possible. Through the WPA workers built 850 airports, 651,000 miles of streets and roads, and constructed 125,000 public buildings. This program had a lasting effect on the nation and helped to give those who had been unemployed paychecks and dignity. Eleanor Roosevelt encouraged Hopkins to use the program to help women, minorities, and young people. The National Youth Administration helped to provide education, jobs, and counseling to high school, college and graduate students.

Improving Labor and Other Reforms Roosevelt addressed congress in 1935, with the words “ when a man is convalescing from an illness, wisdom dictates not only cure of the symptoms but also removal of their cause.” With the help of Congress the Second New Deal brought much needed reform to labor relations. Under the Wagner Act, the government protected the collective bargaining right of workers and the right of workers to join unions. The Act also protected union workers from threats and interference in union activities by employers. In 1938 congress also passed the fair Labor Standards Act which set maximum work hours for the week and established a minimum wage. It banned hazardous work for those under 18 and set rules for employment for workers under the age of 16.

The Social Security Act The Social Security Act of 1935 is probably the most important piece of legislation to come out of the New Deal. Although it was not a total pension system or a complete welfare program it provided substantial relief for millions of Americans. Millions of Americans still rely on Social Security to this day for retirement and disability benefits.

The Social Security Act The Social Security Act addressed some of the criticisms that Dr. Francis Townsend had about the New Deal programs. It also went a long way toward extending relief to those in the most need. The Act had three parts: 1. Old Age Insurance for retirees age 65 or older and their spouses. This was a supplemental plan designed to make millions of Americans more comfortable in their old age. 2. Unemployment Compensation System – initial payments ranged from $15 to $18 per week, and were funded through a federal tax on employers. The states were in charge of managing and implementing the plan. 3. Aid to families with dependent children and the disabled – this part of the act was directly funded by the federal government.

Please answer in complete sentences. Now that you have read the lesson do you agree or disagree with the following statement? The government should ensure that all Americans have employment opportunities? Why or why not?