Chapter 12 Section 2 Roosevelt and the New Deal

Main Idea: After becoming president, Franklin D. Roosevelt took many actions to fight the Great Depression Why It Matters Now: Roosevelt increased government’s role in helping needy Americans and regulating the financial industry

Chapter 12 Section 2 Objectives 1. To describe Roosevelt’s immediate attempts to improve conditions for Americans 2. To evaluate criticisms of the New Deal 3. To identify the Social Security Act and other programs of the New Deal 4. To explain Roosevelt's efforts to change the Supreme court

Roosevelt Takes Charge FDR took office in March of 1933. The new president differed from Hoover in two important ways. 1. He gave Americans a sense of hope 2. He was willing to try new ideas and change the way government worked. He was determined to fight the depression. Roosevelt took three “quick” steps to get the publics confidence. 1. Declared a bank holiday 2. He promised that only the banks that were in good shape would reopen. 3. He gave fireside chats which were radio addresses by Roosevelt in which he tried to calm peoples’ fears

FDR

What steps did Roosevelt take to boost public confidence?

He shut down all banks; promised that only healthy banks would reopen; delivered fireside chats

The Hundred Days During his presidential campaign, FDR had pledged a “new deal” for Americans. This phrase caught on. The New Deal were programs to fight off the Great Depression. Hundred Days- Name given to a famous session of Congress that passed much of Roosevelt’s New Deal

Goals of the New Deal 1. Relief for the hungry and jobless 2. Recovery for agriculture and industry. 3. Reforms to change the way the economy worked

Responses to the New Deal Did Americans favor the New Deal? Some conservatives thought the New Deal went to far. They did not want the federal government to grow larger. Still most Americans supported FDR and his efforts. Voters showed their support during the 1934 congressional election. They sent more Democrats to Congress than ever before!

How did voters show their support for the New Deal?

Answer They increased the number of Democrats in Congress during the 1934 elections.

How did African-Americans feel about Roosevelt? The Second New Deal How did African-Americans feel about Roosevelt?

They liked the fact that Roosevelt helped the poor Answer Before this election, most African-Americans voted for the Republicans. This was the party of Abraham Lincoln who had emancipated the slaves. They liked the fact that Roosevelt helped the poor

The Second New Deal One group that Roosevelt tried to help was the elderly. Bank closings and the stock market crash had left many old people with no savings. In 1935 congress passed the Social Security Act. Under this act, workers and employers paid money into a special fund. That fund would pay them an income after they retired. The Second New Deal- depression fighting programs passed in 1935.

The Second New Deal In 1936, Roosevelt ran for a second term. Business leaders did not want to reelect him. They were afraid he would raise taxes. But many working-class people liked FDR. This group included African Americans.

Why did African-Americans support Roosevelt?

Because many of Roosevelt’s programs helped the poor Answer Because many of Roosevelt’s programs helped the poor

Roosevelt fights the Supreme Court & The New Deal Slows Down Roosevelt won reelection in 1936. His presidency soon took a downward turn. Most of the justices of the Supreme Court did not support FDR’S programs. They believed that the New Deal gave the government too much power. As a result, they struck down many New Deal laws.

Why did the Supreme Court oppose the New Deal?

Answer Because they believed that the New Deal gave the federal government too much power.

Roosevelt fights the Supreme Court & The New Deal Slows Down Since many of his ideas were canceled, FDR tried to add more judges to the Supreme Court. He then planned to appoint justices that liked his programs. Both Republicans and Democrats opposed the plan. They said it hurt the system of checks and balances. In the end Congress voted down the programs Deficit spending- using borrowed money to pay for government programs

Why did Congress vote down FDR’s plan to add more judges to the Supreme Court?

Answer Because it thought the plan upset the U.S. Constitution‘s system of checks and balances.

http://newdeal.feri.org/