Theme:
(Date ?)
During the last 100 years, United States Presidents have made important
decisions in an effort to solve crucial problems.
Task:
From your study of United States history, identify two important Presidential decisions
during the last 100 years. For each decision identified:
 State one goal the President hoped to accomplish by making the decision
 Discuss the historical circumstances surrounding the Presidential decision
 Describe the extent to which the decision achieved the Presidents original goal
 Discuss one immediate or one long-term effect of the decision on United States
history
Body 1 – One important presidential decision was:
Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s New Deal
Body 1- One goal the President hoped to accomplish by making the decision:
FDR wanted to lift the United States economy out of the Great Depression
Body 1 - The historical circumstances surrounding the Presidential decision:
The Great Depression began during the administration of President Hoover. The United
States had just ended a decade of prosperity known as the Roaring Twenties. During that time,
Americans speculated heavily in the stock market by buying “on margin” and extending their
credit by buying products with loans. The economy came to screeching halt with the collapse of
the stock market. This launched the country into the longest economic downturn in its history,
laying off thousands, creating hysteria in the financial markets, and forcing people to live in
“Hoovervilles.”
Body 1 - The extent to which the decision achieved the Presidents original goal:
With the passage of the Emergency Banking Act, FDR was able to stabilize the banks
and to limit the number of bankruptcy. Then, FDR created the Federal Emergency Relief Act
(FERA), which provided direct assistance to those that were hungry, homeless, and unemployed.
Other New Deal programs assisted Americans like the TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority) and
the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps). However, the New Deal did not achieve its ultimate
goal, to spur the economy and lift the country out of the economy. It was the ramping up of
World War II that led the country to more prosperous times again.
Body 1 - One long-term effect of the decision on United States history:
As a result of the New Deal the federal government became even more active in the lives
of the people. Later presidents, like Lyndon B. Johnson, created a large social welfare program
called the “Great Society” based on the ideas of FDR. Johnson wanted to rid the nation of
poverty. He provided over $1 billion to schools, especially those in low income areas, he created
Medicare to provide medical insurance to the elderly, and he established the Department of
Housing and Development (HUD) to improve housing for the poor.
Body 2 – One important presidential decision was:
President Harry Truman’s policy of Containment
Body 2- One goal the President hoped to accomplish by making the decision:
Truman wanted to stop communism from spreading around the world
Body 2 - The historical circumstances surrounding the Presidential decision:
The United States and the Soviet Union came out of World War II as the two strongest
nations in the world. The two countries were ideologically opposite – the Soviet Union has
communism and totalitarianism while the United States has capitalism and democracy.
Truman used the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan to stabilize the countries of Greece,
Turkey and western Europe in order to keep communism from overthrowing the democratically
elected governments within these nations. The US spent over $13 billion dollars for these two
policies.
Body 2 - The extent to which the decision achieved the Presidents original goal:
Very successful. This quickly restored the economies of the countries of Western
Europe. Once the economies recovered, the nations became viable partners in helping to
contain the spread of communism. Many of these same nations became members of NATO, the
North Atlantic Treaty Organization, which is a military alliance whose primary focus was to
defend Western Europe from a military attack from the Soviet Union. No nation in Western
European ever fell to communism and the Marshall Plan was a major reason why this occurred.
Body 2 - One long-term effect of the decision on United States history:
Inspired future presidents to become involved all over the globe to defend countries from
the spread of communism. In 1954, President Eisenhower committed US troops to help South
Korea defend itself from the communist North Koreans. Eisenhower followed his “domino
theory.” He claimed that if one country would fall to communism than other neighboring
countries would be infected with this sickness. President Kennedy also adhered to this theory
when he sent thousands of advisors to South Vietnam in an attempt to stop the communists from
invading and conquering from the North. All United States presidents until George H.W. Bush
followed the policy of containment started by Harry Truman.