APUSH: Chapter 24 The New Deal pp. 662-669 pp. 669-675 pp. 675-685

Launching the New Deal FDR’s first task → reduce the panic threatening the financial system → Force of personality Rapid and diverse program of legislation

Restoring Confidence Roosevelt’s personality: optimism, enthusiasm, activism The “fireside chats” Handicapped → legs paralyzed by polio in 1921 Bank Holiday → closed the banks for 4 days → inspection and reorganization Repeal of Prohibition → 21st Amendment

Agricultural Adjustment Agricultural Adjustment Administration (AAA) → reduce crop production → halt decline in farm prices Rural Electrification → fed program to make electric power available to farmers

National Recovery Administration (NRA) → new industrial recovery program Set “codes”/rules for prices and wages → businesses and stores that participated could display the “blue eagle” Industrial Recovery

Regional Planning Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) → one of the most celebrated accomplishments of the New Deal Built dams → generate electricity for the public → stimulate development and eliminate flooding

Currency, Banks, and the Stock Market Glass-Steagall Act → curb irresponsible speculation by banks, separate commercial and investment banking FDIC → Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation → guaranteed bank deposits Securities and Exchange Commission → police the stock market

The Growth of Federal Relief Federal Emergency Relief Agency (FERA) → cash to bail out state relief agencies Civil Works Administration (CWA) → work relief → govt jobs program Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) → putting hundreds of thousands of young men to work on environmental conservation projects.

The New Deal in Transition FDR → remarkable popularity in his first 2 yrs. Depression continues → begins to be a target of fierce criticism 1935 → FDR launches major new program of legislation → called the “ Second New Deal” The New Deal in Transition

Critics of the New Deal Dr. Francis Townsend American Liberty League → conservatives and business leaders → said New Deal was anti free enterprise Townsend Plan → federal pensions for the elderly Father Coughlin → catholic radio priest → monetary reforms

Huey Long → governor and senator from Louisiana → growing national popularity The “Kingfish” → dramatic personality Share-Our-Wealth Society → radical income redistribution program → take from the rich, give to the poor

The “Second New Deal” Second New Deal → launched in 1935 → shift in emphasis → second and more aggressive series of federal programs National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) → created by the Wagner Act → guarantees basic rights of private sector employees to organize into trade unions, engage in collective bargaining ... Wagner Act → the most important piece of labor legislation of the 20th century

Labor Militancy Emergence of a powerful trade union movement → important polit./social development of 1930’s AFL and the craft union v. industrial unions → all workers in a particular industry should in a single union United Mine Workers (UAW) → led by John L. Lewis Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) → split from the AFL → led by John L. Lewis → more militant

Organizing Battles United Auto Workers (UAW) The sit-down strike → workers sat down inside the plants and refused to work or leave 1937 General Motors recognized the UAW Organized labor’s rapid growth in the 1930’s

Social Security Social Security Act 1935 → federal old age pension program The Act also creates a system of unemployment insurance “insurance” not “welfare”

New Directions in Relief Works Progress Administration (WPA) Work relief → jobs for the unemployed Directed by Harry Hopkins Renovated of built public buildings, airports, roads, bridges On average 2.1 millions workers employed New Directions in Relief

The 1936 “Referendum” Economy revives a bit Alf Landon → republican candidate → runs weak campaign Huey Long → assassinated in Louisiana in 1935 FDR wins 1936 in a landslide Democrats control both houses of Congress Electoral Realignment → the New Deal political coalition: Farmers Urban working class Poor and unemployed Black communities progressives

The New Deal in Disarray In 1936 → FDR is at the peak of his popularity But…New Deal encounters serious new difficulties Continuing opposition President’s political errors Economic setbacks

The Court Fight FDR attempts to add 6 new justices to the Supreme Court → wanted to appoint new, liberal justices who would support the New Deal Conservatives and critics outraged → “Court-packing plan” Fails in Congress and the Court becomes more moderate in their decisions

Retrenchment and Recession Economy seemed to be in recovery → cuts spending/tries to balance budget → economy collapses again Roosevelt Recession 1937 FDR increases spending in 1938 By the end of 1938 → New Deal essentially ends Congressional opposition to new programs New focus on looming international crises

Limits and Legacies of the New Deal Conservatives critics of FDR in the 1930’s: His actions violated the Constitution Too much power to the government → threat of tyranny Later critics on the left → problems left unsolved and groups it failed to represent In the 21st century → new conservative attacks on the New Deal

The Idea of the Broker State Liberals use the New Deal as the model for future reform efforts Establishment of the “broker state” → New Deal elevated and strengthened new interest groups → allowed them to compete in national marketplace of ideas Federal govt becomes the mediator or ref in this continuous competition → Corporate world Labor Agriculture Consumers Later → racial, ethnic, religious minorities, women, and others

African Americans & the New Deal One criticism of the New Deal → did little to assist African Americans Exception → the work of Eleanor Roosevelt Marian Anderson → concert at the Lincoln Memorial The “Black Cabinet” Existing discrimination reinforced → did not challenge lynching, poll tax, or segregation African Americans & the New Deal

The New Deal and the “Indian Problem” Govt policies towards Indian tribes in 1930’s → continue long effort to assimilate Indians into the larger society John Collier → cultural relativism → resist assimilation → preserve Indian culture Indian Reorganization Act 1934 → restored tribal land The New Deal and the “Indian Problem”

New Deal was not hostile to feminism → but it did little to advance the it FDR appoints 1st female cabinet member → Secretary of Labor Frances Perkins Women and the New Deal Eleanor Roosevelt → advocate of women’s rights and champion of humanitarian causes Aid to Dependent Children program → focus on women as mothers New Deal relief programs offered little employment for women

The New Deal in the West and the South West and South → disproportionate benefits from New Deal More money spent in the west Great infrastructure projects in the west → water and power → the Grand Coulee Dam in the northwest Economic development plans assisted the south → it was the least economically developed region in the 1930’s

The New Deal and the National Economy Primary criticism of the New Deal → failure to genuinely revive or reform the American economy World War II not the New Deal ended the Depression Elevated new groups Western and southern development Regulation led to stabilization New federal fiscal policies The welfare state

The New Deal and American Politics Biggest effects: Enhanced power of the fed govt Presidency as the center of power in the federal govt Creation of a ruling Democrat coalition Increased expectations of govt