FDR and the Second New Deal

Question 1

what was the main reasons for the second new deal

Answer 1

-Supreme Court began to overturn New Deal legislation
-Congress was too controlling and FDR wanted to maintain control
-FDR frustrated by the lack of continued support from the wealthy /big business

Question 2

what were the four acts/administrations of the second new deal

Answer 2

Works Progress Administration
Wagner Act
Social Security Act
Banking Reform Act

Question 3

what did the Works Progress Administration do and where else was this seen

Answer 3

-recruited ppl for public works projects
-seen in the first new deal with the CCC

Question 4

by 1941 how much of the nations workforce had found employment in the WPA

Answer 4

20%

Question 5

what was the wage for workers in the WPA

Answer 5

$52 a month, more than relief but less than the going rate

Question 6

give 3 figures about what the WPA buikt

Answer 6

1000 airport landing fields
8000 schools and hospitals
12,000 playgrounds

Question 7

why was Roosevelt reluctant to be involved in labour relations (2)

Answer 7

-USA, especially conservative southern democrats, had a mistrust of labour unions and FDR needed their support
-did not wish to upset big business further

Question 8

what did the Wagner Act do(2)

Answer 8

-guaranteed workers the rights to collective bargaining /gave them a legal voice
-National Labour Relations Board set up to ensure fair play eg making sure employers did not discriminate against unionists

Question 9

why was the Wagner Act a big deal

Answer 9

it was the first act that effectively gave unions rights in las

Question 10

when was the social security act and what were the main things it introduced (2)

Answer 10

1935; unemployment benefits and pensions

Question 11

before the Social Security act which state provided any form of employment and what was it aimed to do

Answer 11

Wisconsin ; it was a disincentive as former employers would have to pay it

Question 12

how were pensions and benefits funded under the Social Security Act

Answer 12

pensions ; employer and employee contributions
benefits ; by payroll taxes of employers and employees

Question 13

how much were paid in pensions and unemployment benefits and were they sufficient

Answer 13

pensions; $10 minimum $85 max a month but not paid until 1940
benefits; $18 a week for 16 weeks only
NOT SUFFICIENT, LOW AND FOR LIMITED PERIOD

Question 14

when was the banking act and what did it do

Answer 14

1935; centralised banking and gave Washington control

Question 15

why did the Right oppose the New Deal

Answer 15

-FDR seen as ‘saviour of capitalism’ by big businessmen until he saved it and tried to regulate it
-increased taxes and ‘too involved’ in economy

Question 16

what Right wing group opposed the New Deal

Answer 16

Liberty League

Question 17

what were the three Left wing opposition groups

Answer 17

-EPIC end poverty in california
-Share our Wealth
-Father Charles Coughlin

Question 18

who led EPIC and what did they advocate for

Answer 18

-Upton Sinclair
-unemployed people work in state run co operatives and paid in currency that could only be spent at other co operatives

Question 19

who led Share Our Wealth and what did they advocate for (3)

Answer 19

-Senator Huey Long
-programme where private fortunes over $3million should be confiscated and every family given enough money for a house, car and radio
-also pensions, min wage that guaranteed $2-3000 a year and free college education

Question 20

how many members of Share our Wealth were there in clubs and across the states (2)

Answer 20

27,000 in SoW clubs
4.5million in states

Question 21

who was Father Charlie Coughlin and what did he found and when

Answer 21

priest with a radio programme called the Golden Hour of the Little Flower
he founded the National Union for Social Justice in 1934

Question 22

how many listeners did Father Coughlin’s radio usually get and how much did listeners contribute to his parish

Answer 22

30-40 million
$5million

Question 23

what did Father Coughlin’s National Union for Social Justice aim to do

Answer 23

aimed for monetary reform and redistribution of wealth

Question 24

what did FDR fear from Left wing opposition and how was it stopped

Answer 24

-FDR feared an alliance between Coughlin and Huey Long
-Long was assassinated and Coughlin became increasingly anti semitic by blaming jews for Wall Street and the New Deal which lost him support

Question 25

how did the Supreme Court oppose the New Deal and give an example

Answer 25

the SC overturned parts of the New Deal 11 times
eg Sick Chicken Case

Question 26

what happened in the Sick Chicken case

Answer 26

-the NIRA prosecuted the Schechter Brothers for selling unfit chicken meat
-upon appeal to SC it was decided it was an issue for the NY Courts not the Fed Gov
-meant Fed Gov had no right to interfere in internal state issues

Question 27

what was the Judiciary Reform Bill

Answer 27

-proposed that judges could be forcibly retired and could appoint up to 6 new justices increasing the total to 15

Question 28

why did FDR propose the Judiciary Reform Bill

Answer 28

FDR thought the Supreme Court was out of touch since none were appointed by him

Question 29

what became of the Judiciary Reform Bill

Answer 29

-FDR underestimated the popular support of the SC so he seemed like a dictator
-it was rejected 70 votes to 20