The New Deal
Chapter 23
1932 Election
Democrat: FDR 472 electoral/23
million popular
Republican: Herbert Hoover 59
electoral/16 million popular
Democrats win 2/3 Senate & ¾ of the
House
FDR
Stricken with polio in 1921
Eleanor Roosevelt: first modern First
Lady (“eyes and ears for FDR”)
Fireside Chats: radio talks by FDR
explaining his New Deal programs
Frances Perkins: first woman cabinet
official (Secretary of Labor)
Black Cabinet: advise FDR on racial
issues
Fire Side Chat – Banking Crisis
What does FDR say about the
banking crisis?
Why were these “fire side chats” so
successful in reassuring the public?
New Deal
Relief
Recovery
Reform
Programs
Emergency Banking Relief Act (March 5,
1933)
Attempt to restore confidence in banks
Glass-Steagall Act (1933)
Set up FDIC & insured bank accounts
Securities and Exchange Commission
(SEC)
Regulate stock market
Agricultural Adjustment Act (AAA)
Raise prices by lowering production: problem?
Programs continued
Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)
Build dams in the Tennessee valley
Flood control, electricity, jobs
Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC)
Employed 3 million men ages 18-25
Military set up
Conducted conservation projects
New Deal Setbacks & Opposition
Court Packing Bill
Supreme Court declared NIRA & AAA
unconstitutional
FDR proposed addition of 6 new justices
Congress refused; FDR appointed 7
justices over next 4 years
American Liberty League
Conservatives which felt New Deal went
too far; lacked strong influence
New Deal Setbacks & Opposition
continued
Charles Coughlin
Roman Catholic priest
Suggested guaranteed income
Had a large radio audience (45 million) but lost
support due to anti-Semitic comments
Dr. Francis Townsend
Suggested a pension of $200/month for elderly;
must spend it (stimulate economy)
Huey Long
“Share our wealth”; emphasized massive tax
increase on the wealthy
Shot and killed in 1935
1936 Election
Democrats: FDR
Republicans: Alfred Landon
FDR wins landslide (only lost states of
Maine & Vermont)
Labor & minority vote support FDR
Works Progress Administration
(WPA)
Harry Hopkins
1935-1943
8 million jobs
Spent $11 billion on projects
Other Organizations
National Youth Administration
Aid high school, college, grad students
Wagner Act/National Labor Relations
Protected right to join unions & protected
labor rights
Fair Labor Standards Act (1938)
Maximum work week of 44 hours
Minimum wage of 25 cents
Child labor laws
Social Security Act (1935)
Old age pension for 65 & older
Paid by employee/employer tax
Unemployment & disability
compensation
Issues today?
New Deal Coalition
Diverse Groups that supported the
Democratic party
Southern whites, urban groups,
blacks, labor, women
1930’s culture
Golden Age of Radio & Movies
No competition from TVs
Main source of news & entertainment
1938 Broadcast (2:23)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xs
0K4ApWl4g
Movies
“Gone with the Wind” (1939) Clark
Gable
“The Wizard of Oz” (1939)
“Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs”
(1937)
Radio
Consisted mostly of future TV
programs, not music
Orson Welles
War of the Worlds (Oct. 30, 1938)
Martian invasion that many people
believed was actually happening
Went on to make “Citizen Kane” in 1941
Voted #1 movie all time by the American
Film Institute
May 6, 1937
Hindenburg (German Zeppelin)
exploded over Lake Hurst, New
Jersey
Impacts of the New Deal
Expanded the government’s role in
the economy; banking & finance
Protected workers’ rights
Social welfare system created
Agricultural subsidies created
Impacted environment
Positives
Helped millions
Helped restore hope
Reforms may have helped prevent
another depression
Negatives
Federal government too large
Federal government too powerful
Deficit spending