The Great Depression: Roosevelt’s New Deal

Content Standard & Learning Quick-write

Objectives
The Great Depression:  CONTENT STANDARD 11.6 STUDENTS ANALYZE THE DIFFERENT  Using the next two minutes, write down as much as you can about
EXPLANATIONS FOR THE GREAT DEPRESSION AND HOW THE NEW what kind of support the government currently provides to people

Roosevelt’s New Deal DEAL FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGED THE ROLE OF THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT.
experiencing unemployment, poverty, or old age.

 UNDERSTAND THE PURPOSE OF THE NEW DEAL

 KNOW HOW THE “ALPHABET SOUP” AGENCIES WERE INTENDED TO
ADDRESS THE PROBLEMS OF THE GREAT DEPRESSION
 CONSIDER WHY THE NEW DEAL IS STILL RELEVANT TODAY
11TH GRADE US HISTORY
RICHARD CANALES

Sources: Encyclopedia Britannica https://www.britannica.com/place/United-States/The-Great-Depression#ref613060

History https://www.history.com/topics/great-depression/great-depression-history
Khan Academy

Problems presented by the Great The Great Depression Problems presented by the Great
Depression  American consumers felt insecure, which
Depression
discouraged spending
 Rapid economic growth throughout the 1920s led to over-  The resources of local governments and private charities were
speculation  Businesses and factories slowed production and Less Spending strained by the sheer number of those in need
began to lay-off workers
 A mild recession during the summer of 1929 signaled trouble  The lack of federal social welfare programs meant increasing
 Massive unemployment led to lower wages and numbers of Americans were left hungry and homeless
 The stock market finally crashed on October 24, 1929 (“Black purchasing power
Thursday”)  Bank runs led to the closure of thousands of financial institutions,
 Americans began to fall into debt and, unable to further crippling the economy
 Investors rushed to sell their stocks, which caused their prices to pay their loans, had their homes repossessed
plummet
Unemployment
 The market lost a third of its value in less than a month Businesses cut
and lower
production
wages
The Great Depression: Roosevelt’s New Deal

Hoover’s response Franklin Delano Roosevelt becomes Apply

president
 President Herbert Hoover firmly believed  The election of 1932 made it clear that Imagine you living during the Great Depression and find yourself
the government should not interfere Americans were ready for a new approach: unemployed. Respond to the following questions.
with the economy FDR won with 57.4% of the vote compared to
 What would your key concerns be?
Hoover raised tariffs, funded public Hoover’s 39.7%

 Where could you go for help?
works, tried to support financial  FDR took office on March 4, 1933
institutions, but his efforts were  How would you want your government to respond?
 FDR sought to reassure the public and ease
ineffective, and he refused to back
anxieties: “The only thing we have to fear is
welfare relief
fear itself”

The (First) New Deal
 FDR’s primary goals were to provide relief, stimulate economic
recovery, and to pass reforms that would prevent future crises
 On his second day in office, he declared a “bank holiday”
 This move allowed time for FDR’s administration to establish itself and
marked the initiation of his New Deal programs
 FDR quickly passed a series of legislation during the “First Hundred
Days”
Federal Relief Emergency
Administration (FERA)
 Established by Congress on May 12, 1933
 This program directed half a billion dollars towards state and local
relief agencies through federal grants
 These grants were used to pay the salaries of government workers
and to support soup kitchens
National Recovery Act (NRA)
 This act was aimed at putting the economy back on track
 Established the National Recover Administration
Allowed the government to set wages and prices

Guaranteed workers the right to unionize

The Great Depression: Roosevelt’s New Deal
Federal Deposit Insurance Apply
Corporation (FDIC)
 Insured that money deposited into a bank would be repaid by the
government if the bank went out of business
 This was followed by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
which introduced government regulation to the stock market
Works Progress Administration Wagner Labor Relations Act
(WPA)
 This administration was responsible for getting
Americans back on their feet by providing them
with jobs
 It was intended to replace direct relief with work
relief
 The administration employed 8.5 million people
from 1935 to 1943
The “Second” New Deal
 Which programs of the (First) New Deal do you think were the most  The “Second” New Deal was aimed at passing long-lasting reform
helpful or important? Explain your reasoning. Political opponents and shifts in power in the House and Senate

slowed the momentum of the “Second” New Deal
 New Deal programs also began to be defeated in the Supreme
Court
Social Security Act
 Gave workers federal protections when collectively bargaining  Provided federal aid for the elderly,
retirement pensions, and
 Protected workers from unfair practices
unemployment insurance, aid for
the disabled, and aid for
dependent children
The Great Depression: Roosevelt’s New Deal
Fair Labor Standards Act
 Established a minimum wage and 40-hour work week
 Mandated time-and-a-half overtime pay
 Restricted child labor
Summary Questions
Write short responses to the following questions:
 How do you think the regulatory and social welfare programs
implemented under the New Deal changed citizens’ perception of
the role of government?
 Evaluate FDR’s response to the Great Depression. In your opinion,
was the New Deal a success or failure?
 Did you recognize any New Deal programs that still exist today?