WAIMH Franklin Roosevelt

Election of 1932 Election of 1932Herbert Hoover (Rep) v. Franklin D. Roosevelt (Dem) Hoover’s campaign: booed; blamed for G.D. FDR’s campaign: cheered; attacked Republicans over collapse; promised a “New Deal” to Americans FDR won the election by a landslide

FDR’s New Deal Based on the 3 R’s relief, recovery, and reform Assembled the “Brain Trust” a group of advisers to FDR FDR’s first hundred days was filled with new programs aimed to end the woes of Americans

FDR’s Inaugural Address, 1933 His primary task was to restore confidence of a badly shaken nation “Let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself” Reviewed the problems of values, unemployment, lack of government involvement

“Our greatest primary task is to put people to work.” “there must be strict supervision of banking and investments; end of speculation with others’ money” “With this pledge, I assume the leadership of this great army of our people dedicated to an attack upon our common problems.”

Fireside Chats New form of communication through radio; FDR 1st president to ever use radio on a regular basis to talk to American people

FDR and the New Deal

What is FDR doing in the cartoon? What relationship between FDR and Congress does this cartoon show? What does this cartoonist probably think about FDR’s leadership?

Once inaugurated, immediately declared a “bank holiday” that closed American banks for four days to evaluate banking system Following day, Congress passed the Economy Act—cut salaries of federal employees and reduced veteran’s benefits FDR signed a bill legalizing the manufacture and sale of beer21st Amendment (1933) repealed 18th Amendment Restored a sense of calm to the nation

To support the New Deal programs, FDR began “deficit spending”spending borrowed money Programs provided a safety net for Americans To help labor disputes, FDR set up arbitration boards to help restart the economy

New Deal Programs Emergency Banking Relief Act—allowed the inspection of all banks by the government before reopening Civilian Conservation Corps put millions of young men to work on environmentally beneficial projects Federal Emergency Relief Act gave money to states to support failing relief efforts

Agricultural Adjustment Act reduced crop production in an effort to raise prices, while the gov’t provided subsidies to farmers for leaving their land idle Tennessee Valley Authority authorized the completion of 32 dams along the Tennessee River Glass-Steagall Act created the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) which guaranteed deposits up to $2500

National Industrial Recovery Act provided money to state and city governments to provide jobs for unemployed National Housing Act guaranteed mortgage payments to banks who lent money to home buyers—lead to more home construction Works Progress Administration employed millions of Americans in public works projects

National Labor Relations Act (Wagner Act) allowed unions the right to organize and bargain collectively Social Security Act provided insurance for the elderly and unemployed Fair Labor Standards Act set a minimum wage and set standards of child employment and hours

Other New Deal programs Civil Works Admin (CWA) employed 4 million (300,000 women) to work on temporary projects Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) regulated the stock market Farm Security Administration and Rural Electrification Administration sought to alleviate farmers’ problems

FDR Tackles Tough Problems FDR’s Policy Failing banks Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) insures bank deposits

FDR Tackles Tough Problems FDR’s Policy Unsafe stock market Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) regulates stock market

FDR Tackles Tough Problems FDR’s Policy Desperate plight of farmers Government pays farmers subsidies Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) builds dams in the Tennessee River valley to control floods and to generate electric power

FDR Tackles Tough Problems FDR’s Policy Problems in industry National Recovery Administration (NRA) develops codes for industries to set minimum wages for workers and minimum prices of goods

FDR Tackles Tough Problems FDR’s Policy Joblessness Civil Works Admin. (CWA) provides jobs on public-works projects Public Works Admin. (PWA) creates jobs in construction CCC provides jobs for 2 million young men Federal Emerg. Relief Act (FERA) grants federal funding to state and local agencies to help the unemployed