Harry Hopkins

Question 1

In 1931 what appointment did Governor FD Roosevelt give Hopkins?

Answer 1

Director of the Temporary Emergency Relief Administration

Question 2

How did Hopkins influence the early days of FDR’s presidency?

Answer 2

Strong advocate of a federal relief program, became head of the Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA), persuaded FDR to propose the Civil Works Adminstration (CWA) to provide work relief for all able-bodied unemployed workers, advocate of government spending to combat depression

Question 3

After the first 100 days in 1934 how did Hopkins continue to expand work relief programmes in the US?

Answer 3

CWA ends spring 1934, Hopkins headed the Works Progress Administration (WPA) which provided the largest amount of relief labour for the projects, construction projects dominated the WPA’s activities but the agency also funded local art and music programmes

Question 4

What did Hopkins think the negative outcomes of relief programmes would be?

Answer 4

Like FDR he worried that prolonged relief would foster dependency, WPA did little to stimulate employment in basic industries

Question 5

When did Hopkins resign from the Roosevelt administration and why?

Answer 5

1940, poor health doomed his presidential chances and his tenure as secretary of commerce