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Was the New Deal a
success or failure?
Aim 1: Sort examples into success and failure
Aim 2: Begin to judge the overall success of the New Deal
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Background
Try to fill in the missing words
The pictures are clues.
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1937 – Prosperity seemed to be returning. (1) cut the New
Deal budget. He cut New Deal jobs and (2).
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Another (3) occurred and unemployment rose again.
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This led many middle-class Americans to vote for the
Republicans and this increased Republican power and made
it harder for Roosevelt to push his changes through (4) .
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However, he was still (5) with ordinary Americans – he was
elected again with a big majority in 1940.
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Nonetheless, the (6) wasn’t as united behind the (7) as it had
been in 1933.
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Aspect 1: Attitudes
Highlight and sort into success and failures
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Restored faith in the Government
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Government help on this scale had never been done before.
It set the tone for future policies.
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It divided the USA. Many Americans opposed the New Deal.
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It undermined local government because it gave more power
to the top [the President and the Federal government].
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There were no corruption scandals even though loads of
public money being used.
/1
0
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Aspect 2: Industrial Workers
Highlight and sort into success and failures
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Big business was still immensely powerful in the USA
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Even strongly anti-union companies began to negotiate with
unions
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Unions were treated with suspicion by employers

Strengthened unions so they could bargain with big
companies for better pay and conditions
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Strikes were often broken up with brutal violence from
bosses
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Companies like Ford employed their own thugs or controlled
the police force.
/1
0
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Aspect 3: Unemployment and the economy
Highlight and sort into success and failures
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Created millions of jobs
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Stabilised banking and reduced the number of business failures
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Never solved the underlying economic problems
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Improved standard of living and provided valuable resources in some
parts of USA through projects like Tennessee Valley Authority
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US economy took longer to recover than most European countries
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Confidence remained low in America – much less investment than in the
1920s
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When the New Deal budget was cut the country went back into
recession.
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Only the USA’s entry into the war brought an end to unemployment
/1
0
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Aspect 4: Black Americans
Highlight and sort into success and failures
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200,000 gained help from alphabet agencies, e.g. CCC and
housing projects
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Many New Deal agencies discriminated against them – for
example not gibing work or receiving poorer conditions and
lower wages
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Roosevelt failed to pass laws against lynching black
Americans.
/1
0
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Aspect 5: Women
Highlight and sort into success and failures
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Many of the New Deal agencies were aimed at helping men
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Local governments tried to avoid paying out social security
payments to women by introducing special conditions.
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Some women, including Black women, achieved prominent
positions.
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Eleanor Roosevelt (the President’s wife) became a significant
public voice.
/1
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Aspect 6: Native Americans
Highlight and sort into success and failures
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They remained a poor and excluded section of society
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Acts to help Native Americans buy and improve land and
preserve and practice their traditions, laws and culture.
/1
0
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THINK
What kinds of scores did you give?
ANSWER
Which aspects were most/least successful?
How successful was the New Deal overall?
(A quick google search for the aims of the New Deal will help you decide on this)