1. Last Days of the New Deal

2. Learning Objectives Explain what caused the Recession of 1937.
Identify criticisms of the New Deal.
Recall effects the New Deal had on employment, society and the economy.
Identify New Deal Achievements

3. The Recession of 1937 Years of massive government spending
Industrial production, employment down
Period of slow business, economic activity
Recession

4. Recession (cont’d) Wanted a balanced budget
FDR concerned about the rising national debt
Expenses higher than revenue(income)
$21 Billion
$43 Billion

5. Why was this result predictable?

6. Unions Triumph
New Fed. Policies under the 1935 Wagner Act made union membership more attractive
1933 – 3 million
1941 – 10.5 million
Wagner Act legalized collective bargaining, created the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and increased union activity

7. Era of Strikes Wagner Act leads to a wave of strikes
Legalized collective bargaining
Meant to bring about peace, led to strikes
Sit-Down Strike-refused to leave building
Some effective, some not

8. FDR and the Supreme Court
The Conflict:
· The Supreme Court ruled that many New Deal laws were unconstitutional.
Ex.) AAA

9. · After winning the 1936 presidential election, FDR proposed increasing the number of Supreme Court Justices from 9 to 15.
February 14, 1937, Waterbury (CT) Republican, "Do We Want A Ventriloquist Act In The Supreme Court?"

10. Social Security Payments were low, discriminated against women
Amendments made to increase frequency of pay, coverage extended to farm workers, disability coverage added

11. Criticism of the New Deal
Republicans in Congress were especially opposed to the New Deal
Too much government intervention
Reform had gone too far
Social Security and other New Deal Programs infringed upon individual freedoms
“Unconstitutional, Un-American”

12. Entertainment in the 1930s

13. Radio

14. Movies
Optimistic films about common people who triumphed over evil.

15. Comedies were very
popular also.

16. Movies
The one-time greatest box office hit transported Americans out of the gloom of the Depression into a happier time.

18. No one understood
the needs of
depression-era
audiences better
than Walt Disney.

19. Movies

20. The Big Idea
The New Deal had failed to address the economic depression, but it did have a lasting effect on many aspects of American life.

21. Effects of the New Deal Infrastructure Federal Agencies – FDIC
Bridges, dams, buildings, tunnels
Federal Agencies – FDIC
PUT PEOPLE BACK TO WORK

22. People of the 1930s

23. The WPA and the Arts

24. The WPA and the Arts
The government gave the unemployed, work in building construction and arts programs. It employed a large number of artists and writers.

25. The WPA and the Arts

27. Greatest Legacy of the New Deal
Hope