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Jacob Bonansinga

Mr. Bonansinga

Literacy

17 February 2017

Franklin Delano Roosevelt:

Franklin Delano Roosevelt was born on January 30, 1882. He was a political leader and

the 32nd president of the United States of America. FDR was also the only president to serve 4

terms. During his presidency, the US fell into an economic hole commonly known as The Great

Depression. To add onto that, Hitler was rising to power in Germany, the beginning of World War

11. Although President Franklin D. Roosevelt, or FDR, faced many obstacles in his lifetime, he

used his power to help his country to overcome its extreme problems.

FDR did many other things as a president as well as many thing before/after. Franklin

started politics because he couldnt make any sports teams. He went to Harvard University.

Later, FDR became a New York senator. As a president, he said 26 speeches in 2 days and

wanted to start public work to give jobs, small interest loans to stop home foreclosure, and fix

banking systems. (Franklin Delano Roosevelt- The New Deal President) With the things he did

before, during, and after his presidency, he used his power very wisely. He used his personality

and power as a person to go to Harvard, do good in politics, and become the New York senator.

He also used his presidential power to get the jobs for people.

FDR faced many obstacles on his way to power including polio, children, WW11, and the

Great Depression. Mr. Roosevelts first major obstacle that at age 39, in 1921, he contracted

polio, a virus that destroys nerve cells in the spinal cord. This made Franklin paralyzed from the

waist down. (fdrlibrary.org) Another obstacle was that he had 5 sons and a daughter. Also, World

War 11 was happening at the time when FDR was president. Also, the United States stock

market failed as well as more than 4,000 of banks. This was known as the Great Depression.
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(Franklin D. Roosevelt Encyclopedia)These are all obstacles that FDR faced because they

stopped, slowed, or limited him from getting his overall goals. Poliomyelitis limited President

Roosevelts abilities because he could no longer move his legs. Also, his 5 sons and a daughter

was hard to take care with addition to all of the politics and presidential meetings and tasks.

WW11 slowed Franklin as a president because he had to deal with and help with the War even

though he had problems in his own country. The Great Depression was a major obstacle

because FDR had to find a way for people to get their money from banks and get people jobs

that had worked at businesses that failed.

FDR was able to get into the presidential office by his attitude and tone. Mr. Roosevelt

was able to make it into the presidential office because he used optimistic spirit and hope.

(Franklin D. Roosevelt Encyclopedia) Also, many Democratic leaders saw him as very

experienced. (William E. Leuchtenburg) Popularity and success helped as well. In his speeches,

Franklin would speak to the audience in a comfortable, conversation-like way. He called the

audience friends. (Franklin Delano Roosevelt- The New Deal President) All of these things

helped FDR get into the office because the people saw him as a person that could help with the

struggles of America. Also, they felt like Franklin was not just a high class guy running for

president, he felt like a normal person that spoke to the people like they were friends.

FDR helped with the Great Depression by using the New Deal. The New Deal was

bunch of federal programs. Some of the programs were the Agricultural Adjustment Act which

helped support farmers, the Civilian Conservation Corp which put 2.5 million young people to

work in the nation's parks and forests, the Tennessee Valley Authority which helped build dams

and powerplants for 7 states, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation which guaranteed

people would get money from the closing banks. (Franklin D. Roosevelt- Profiles of the

President) All of the programs helped with the Great Depression. The Agricultural Adjustment

Act helped farmers to stay in business so the food market wouldnt crash as well. The Civilian

Conservation Corp helped younger people to be able to work and it made it so parks and forests
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wouldnt stop. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation helped people keep their money

because people werent able to get their money from the banks because the banks didnt have

any money.

Mr. Roosevelt used his power to do good for the country. As the president Franklin D.

Roosevelt was, he used his power to help the United States of America through the

complications.

Works Cited

Graham, Otis L., and Meghan Robinson. Wander. Franklin D. Roosevelt Encyclopedia. Boston,

MA: G.K. Hall, 1985. Print.

"Miller Center." American President-Miller Center. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Feb. 2017.
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"Franklin D. Roosevelt." FDR Presidential Library & Museum. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Feb. 2017.

Haugen, Brenda. Franklin Delano Roosevelt: The New Deal President. Minneapolis, MN:

Compass Point, 2006. Print.

Burgan, Michael. Franklin D. Roosevelt. Minneapolis, MN: Compass Point, 2002. Print.