Chapter 15 Vocab

The New Deal

1. The New Deal

• FDR’s legislation from 1933 to 1938 intended to promote relief, economic recovery, and reform American capitalism, and offer security to ordinary Americans.

2. Eleanor Roosevelt

• Wife of FDR.

• Transformed the role of first lady by participation in political affairs.

• Her activism opened up political opportunities for other women and civil rights issues.

3. First Hundred Days

• The first 100 days of FDRs presidency

• Between March 9 and June 16, 1933, Congress passed 15 major acts to meet the economic crisis.

4. Fireside Chat

• Radio addresses that FDR used to address the American people directly to let them know what he was trying to accomplish.

5. Bank “Holiday”

• FDRs first act as president

• FDR temporarily closed the banks

• Emergency Banking Relief Act: required federal examiners to survey the nations banks and give certificates to re-open to those that were sound.

6. Brain Trust

• A group of leading academics who served as presidential advisers.

• They wanted to revive the Progressive-era practice of using govt. regulation to solve economic problems and protect the common good.

7. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)

• Provided government insurance for bank deposits up to a certain amount.

• Increased public confidence in the system.

8. Agricultural Adjustment Act (AAA)

• Under the AAA, farmers would be paid NOT to grow crops. This should end the over-production of crops and raise crop prices.

• PROBLEM: Food prices raise during depression AND tenent farmers become homeless and jobless.

9. Security and Exchange Commission

• Required companies to disclose financial details to potential investors so they could make an informed stock purchase.

• Regulated the practice of buying on margin.

• Attempted to prevent problems of Stock Market Crash.

10. Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)

• Built dams and hydroelectric plants in the Tennessee River Valley to control flooding, generate power, and attract industry to the South.

11. Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC)

• Employed single men, ages 18-25, in reforestation and construction

• Lived in camps near their work areas and earned $30/ month

12. Second New Deal

• A second series of programs and reforms that FDR hoped would speed up the nation’s recovery, provide economic security to every American, and ensure his re-election in 1936.

13. Works Progress Administration (WPA)

• Extensive public works program employed 8 million ranging from artists to construction workers

14. Social Security Act

• Guaranteed eligible workers a pension, unemployment insurance, aid to disabled and widows with dependent children

15. Wagner Act/ National Labor Relations Board (NLRB)

• Wagner Act-Guaranteed the right of workers to bargain collectively for higher wages

• Act created NLRB that prevented employers from firing or blacklisting workers who joined unions.

• Union membership increased greatly.

16. Court Packing

• FDR’s plan to increase the number of supreme court justices from 9 to 15.

• This fiasco hurt FDR politically, as many feared court-packing would upset the balance of power in the government.

17. Frances Perkins

• The first female cabinet member in US history.

• Nominated by FDR to be Secretary of Labor.

18. Black Cabinet

• A group of influential African Americans who advised president Roosevelt on issues that affected them.

19. Mary McLeod Bethune

• A member of the black cabinet and a powerful champion of racial equality.

• The most powerful African American within Roosevelt’s cabinet.

• Bethune was also close friends with Mrs. Roosevelt.

20. Dorothea Lange

• Photographer who worked for the Resettlement Administration to document the extent of the migrant workers’ suffering and arouse public’s sympathy.

• Famous photo: Migrant Mother

21. 21st Amendment

• Repealed the 18th Amendment thus allowing the manufacturing, selling and transporting of alcohol.

22. 22nd Amendment

• No person shall be elected to the office of President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President, for more than two years of a term or acted as President shall be elected to the office more than once.

23. John L. Lewis

• Head of the United Mine Workers who created the Congress of Industrial Organizations (C.I.O).

• C.I.O. Organized all workers into one union

24. Huey P. Long

• Senator from Louisiana who challenged the New Deal

• He proposed a “Share Our Wealth” plan to redistribute money from the rich to the poor.

25. Keynesian Economic Theory

• An economic theory based on John Maynard Keynes

• A theory that supports government intervention (deficit spending) to spur employment and consumer spending when economies stumble.

• Opposite of laissez faire