FDR

Question 1

How much did he change the presidency?

Answer 1

-Wealthy people disliked his policies
-Roosevelt made the President the key figure in the US government
-The Supreme Court began to rule many of the New Deal reforms ‘unconstitutional’

Question 2

Foreign policy

Answer 2

-Prioritised domestic policy over foreign policy
-Continued ‘isolationism’
-US passed various ‘Neutrality Acts’
-US joined WW2 after Pearl Harbour
-The war brought the US out of economic depression and brought employment to near-zero
-Roosevelt did not see the end of the war

Question 3

How did Roosevelt change the presidency through press conferences?

Answer 3

-First president to understand/work with the media
-Spoke to the public and administration like they were his friends
-Got the press on his side/controls what they publish
-Invites questions/challenge

Question 4

How did Roosevelt change the presidency through the Fireside chats?

Answer 4

-Those who did not own a radio would visit those who did (just to listen to his speeches)
-Restored confidence (people believed things would be alright)
-Fifty staff handling mail which arrived by truck load (compared to Hoover’s one person)
-Spoke directly to the public

Question 5

How did Roosevelt change the presidency through his appointment of personnel

Answer 5

-Hires experts rather than political allies
-Encouraged rivalries amongst his administrations (forces them to be better to win his approval)
-Forces them to show loyalty by keeping roles ambiguous
-Competitive theory (invites them to be better at their job)