Slide 1

FDR and The New DealFranklin D. Roosevelt

Came from one of the wealthiest families in the countryCousin of Theodore (Teddy) Roosevelt (26th president)Married his 5th cousin, EleanorNew York state senator from 1910 1913

FDR

Assistant Secretary of the Navy during World War I

Started a law practice (lawyer) between WWI and 1929

Governor of New York from 1929 1933

Democrat, elected president in 1932

Won 4 presidential elections

FDRIn 1921, Roosevelt contracted polioA viral infectious disease that can be spread from human to humanIn some rare cases, it can cause total and permanent paralysisIn Roosevelts case, he became paralyzed from the waist downHe refused to admit that he was paralyzedWould not allow photographs taken that showed his disabilityFitted his legs and hips with iron braces so that he could walk short distances using a caneWhile in public, FDR attempted to stand upright and hide any disabilityFounded the March of Dimes (his leadership in this organization is one of the reasons he is commemorated on the dime)

a new deal for the American peopleIntroduced by the FDR administration, the New Deal hoped to bring the 3 Rs:

Relief (meet immediate needs)Recovery (regain economic foundations)Reform (change so that it wont happen again)

RA (eventually became the FSA)Farm Security AdministrationRural RehabilitationRural ResettlementLand UtilizationOver the course of the Great Depression, the FSA loaned over $1 billion to farmersSet up camps for migrant workersSo which of the 3 Rs does the FSA fall under?:Relief (meet immediate needs)Recovery (regain economic foundations)Reform (change so that it wont happen again)

CCCCivilian Conservation CorpsFocused on unemployed men (and later women)Vocational trainingOne of the more popular programsProvided economic relief for more than 3 million men and womenMade $1 per day, however, $25 per month was sent back home to parents or spouse.

CCCThe agency had several project areas that it would focus on:Structural improvement

2. Transportation / trail improvement

3. Erosion control4. Flood control

5. Forest rehabilitation

6. Forest protection

7. Landscape and Recreation

CCCSo which of the 3 Rs does the CCC fall under?:Relief (meet immediate needs)Recovery (regain economic foundations)Reform (change so that it wont happen again)WPAWorks Project AdministrationLargest of all New Deal agencies, employed millions to complete public works projectsConstruction of. . . . RoadsBridgesSchool buildingsOther public buildingsSo which of the 3 Rs does the WPA fall under?:Relief (meet immediate needs)Recovery (regain economic foundations)Reform (change so that it wont happen again)

Timberline Lodge, Mount Hood, Oregon

WPA Help went to all, including African Americans who for much of U.S. History had been left out

3.5 million African Americans acquired assistance such as school lunch programs

250,000 African Americans were employed on WPA work projects

Altogether, 45% of African American families were either receiving assistance or employed by the WPASo which of the 3 Rs does the WPA fall under?:Relief (meet immediate needs)Recovery (regain economic foundations)Reform (change so that it wont happen again)

New hydroelectric dams

Bonneville Dam on the Columbia River, Oregon

Distribution of electricity

FAP (a program within the WPA)The Federal Art Project employed artists to complete paintings, and sculptures as well as develop plays among other works of artMany of the paintings were inspired by Mexican muralist of the time such as Diego Rivera, Jose Clemente Orozco and David Alfaro Sequeriros

TVATennessee Valley AuthorityThis mostly rural area, consisting of Tennessee, parts of Alabama, Mississippi, Kentucky, Georgia, North Carolina, and Virginia was hit especially hard during the Great Depression Nearly 30% of the population suffered from malaria More than 80% suffered from malnutritionSome families lived on as little as $100 PER YEAR!!!Farm land was overused Timber land was destroyed

TVAThe goal of the TVA was to modernize the area by:

Educating farms about the use of fertilizers and crop rotationReplant forest lands and improve wildlife habitatThe largest impact however was the creation of electricity through hydroelectric dams on major riversOnly 10% of rural dwellers in the Tennessee Valley had access to electricity

TVAConstructed 16 dams in the Tennessee ValleyEmployed 28,000 people to help construct and run the hydroelectric damsBrought power to thousands of rural residents

So which of the 3 Rs does the TVA fall under?:Relief (meet immediate needs)Recovery (regain economic foundations)Reform (change so that it wont happen again)Social Security AdministrationBefore the 1930s care for the elderly was done by familyThe Great Depression and the widespread unemployment, homelessness and suffering that ensued, created a need for an insurance program for the elderly Contributions from employer and employee go to a pension or retirement account for each individualWhen the person retires, depending on the amount each pays into the system, a monthly amount is dispensedThis is possibly the longest lasting New Deal programSocial Security AdministrationSo which of the 3 Rs does the Social Security Administration fall under?:Relief (meet immediate needs)Recovery (regain economic foundations)Reform (change so that it wont happen again)NLRA (The Wagner Act)In 1934 alone, over 2,000 strikes occurred throughout the U.S. involving over 2 million workers.

Labor conflict continued long after the Gilded Age, however, in 1935, the Wagner Act was passed which gave labor unions the legal right to form as well as collectively bargain with employers and strike if necessary

NLRA (The Wagner Act)So which of the 3 Rs does the NLRA fall under?:Relief (meet immediate needs)Recovery (regain economic foundations)Reform (change so that it wont happen again)

New Deal CriticsAlthough most Americans hailed the efforts of FDR and the New Deal, many raised questions about its effectivenessBig Business (corporations such as General Motors and General Foods) were alarmed at the socialist leanings of FDR as well as the skyrocketing federal deficitSmall rural farmers disliked many policies of the New Deal because they were not eligible for most federal loans and grants

New Deal Economic LegacyThe rate of unemployment dropped every yearThe overall number of business failures dropped during the 1930sFarmers benefitted from the New Deal by learning improved farming practicesFDR and the New Deal restored confidence in banksOverall, millions of Americans were aided by New Deal programs

New Deal Economic LegacyUnemployment was still at 19% in 1939The Gross National Product (GNP) grew, yet extremely slowly in the 1930sAnd possibly most importantly, the federal deficit skyrocketed under FDR and the New Deal