The New Deal Alphabet Agencies WPA By Mr RJ Huggins

Key Quotes: FDR’s Inauguration Speech This Nation asks for action, and action now. Our greatest primary task is to put people to work. I shall ask congress for broad executive power to wage was against the emergency.

Causes of the Depression Fewer goods are sold. Demand drops. In order to stay in business companies cut wages People lose their confidence & start saving their money Demand drops even further. Companies are forced to cut costs by laying people off Even more people Lose their confidence And spend less money People lose their jobs. The Spiral Of Depression

Reversing the Spiral of Depression Government Spending $ Alphabet Agencies More Jobs More Spending Demand for goods increases More goods have to be produced More people with Jobs = more pay $ More Spending Demand for goods increases More goods have to be produced More Jobs More Pay = More Taxes Cycle of Prosperity! Democrats called this Process ‘Pump Priming’

The New Deal: Alphabet Agencies  The Alphabet Agencies were set up to help reverse the ‘Spiral of Depression.’  The main aim was to pump money back into the economy by giving the unemployed jobs.  Not everyone within the Democratic Party agreed exactly how this should be done.

AAA – Agricultural Adjustment Act  Reduced and controlled farm production, causing prices to rise.  Paid farmers to produce less.  Between the income of farmers more than doubled.  Many criticised the Act saying it was unjustified government interference.

Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC)  Set up to provide work for unemployed year old men.  Stayed in camps whilst planting trees, cutting fire breaks in forests and other conservation tasks.  Over 9 years 2 million young men benefitted from this work.  Critics compared the CCC to the Hitler Youth Movement.

Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA) Provided emergency cash relief for the poor. Gave help to poor relief schemes set up by individual states. Gave $500 million for this purpose. Critics said it was wrong as the money was given not lent.

National Recovery Administration (NRA)  Encouraged companies to provide good conditions for their workers and recognise trade unions.  Companies asked to sign NRA codes that fixed fair prices and minimum wages.  Companies received a Blue Eagle badge to help sell their products.  Many employers, however, were totally against trade unions and refused to sign the codes.  Some critics also suggested that some industries used the NRA to push up prices.

Civil Works Administration (CWA) and Public Works Administration (PWA)  Built 800,000 km of roads.  Built 40,000 schools  Built 500 airports & rebuilt 500 more.  Built 150,000 public toilets.  Paid people to sweep up leaves in the parks.  Paid unemployed actors to give free shows.  Hired 100 people to scare pigeons away with balloons from public buildings in Washington DC. Boondoggling

How do you put the USA back to work? Harry HopkinsHarold Ickes V

Harry Hopkins Work Relief preserves a man’s morale. It saves his skill. It gives him a chance to do something socially useful Set up two key Alphabet Agencies: CWA & WPA which aimed to help the unskilled unemployed. Criticised for wasting taxpayers money on ‘boondoggles.’

What about the unskilled unemployed? In response to being accused of ‘boondoggling’, when he gave unemployed librarians jobs cataloguing historical documents, Hopkins replied: ‘Hell, they’ve got to eat just like other people.’ In 1934, the CWA was shut down because it was wasting money

What about the unskilled unemployed? In 1935, after a terrible winter FDR decided to help the unskilled unemployed by setting up WPA with Harry Hopkins in charge. The PWA continued working until 1939.

Harold Ickes  Set up the PWA which gave jobs to the skilled unemployed.  Was very careful how he spent taxpayer’s money. ‘My PWA will will give work to the unemployed by creating things of lasting use to the nation.’

PWA = Public Works Administration  Built 70% of USA Schools.  Built 35% of USA Hospitals.  Built for river dams.  Electrified the New York Washington railway.  Built 50 military airports.  Built two aircraft carriers.  Built four cruisers & destroyers for the US Navy.  Built a new sewage system in Chicago. PWA only provided jobs for the skilled unemployed!

WPA = Works Progress Administration  Built 11,000 schools.  Built 70,000 km of roads.  La Guardia airport in New York.  Employed photographers to make a record of the Depression.  Employed 12,000 Actors to put on plays and concerts to cheer people up!  Employed artists and painters to make paintings for display in schools and public buildings.  Gave work to 2 million people a year. ‘Boondoggles?’

Recap: Reversing the Spiral of Depression Government Spending $ Alphabet Agencies More Jobs More Spending Demand for goods increases More goods have to be produced More people with Jobs = more pay $ More Spending Demand for goods increases More goods have to be produced More Jobs More Pay = More Taxes Cycle of Prosperity! Democrats called this Process ‘Pump Priming’

Summary In order to get a a grade ‘C’ upwards in exams, you must learn and use the key words & facts. These concepts will be awarded as key ‘knowledge.’  Spiral of Depression  Pump Priming  Unskilled & Skilled workers  ‘Boondoggling’  CWA, WPA & PWA  Alphabet Agencies Key Words

Exam Question 1 How useful is this source for explaining how the New Deal put America back to work?

Mark Scheme LevelGradeDescription 1ESimple undeveloped answer. 2DUses or combines information from the sources. 3C/BUses sources & own relevant knowledge / concepts. 4A/A*Balanced answer covering both parts of the question

Level 3  PWA = Public Works Administration.  ‘Alphabet Agency’ designed to reverse the ‘Spiral of Depression’ and kick start demand  Jobs created for skilled construction workers: E.g. Builders & Plumbers deducted from poster  No mention of WPA which was set up to create jobs for the unskilled workers such as actors & photographers.  Photograph taken by a WPA photographer. For Against Level 4 = an answer which includes one from each column.

Exam Question 2 How successful was the New deal at putting USA back to work? Use the source and your knowledge to explain your answer.

Mark Scheme LevelGradeDescription 1ESimple undeveloped answer. 2DUses or combines information from the sources. 3C/BUses sources & own relevant knowledge / concepts. 4A/A*Balanced answer covering both parts of the question

Level 3  FDR = Roosevelt taking ‘Action’ to end the Depression.  FDR is Pouring tax payers money to reverse the ‘Spiral of Depression.’ = ‘Pump Priming.’  New Deal wasting money 16 billion spent on ‘boondoggles’ jobs created by alphabet agencies such as CWA & WPA.  E.G. Scaring pigeons with balloons ForAgainst Level 4 = an answer which includes one from each column.