New Deal Flashcards

Question

What did the Federal Surplus Relief Corporation do?

Answer 1

Aimed to reduce farm surpluses by government purchase and then redistribution of food to the needy. Three methods of distribution were employed with varying success: direct distribution, food stamps and school lunches.

Answer 2

Men aged between 17 and 24 (later 28) were recruited to work in national forests and parks. Volunteers planted nearly 3 bil trees, constructed more than 800 parks and upgraded most state parks and built a network of service buildings and public roadways in remote areas. They were laid $30 a month, $25 was sent back to their families. Military style leadership.

Answer 3

Max enrolment was 300,000. In nine years 3 million participated. By 1933 there were 1,463 camps. A total of 200,000 AAs enrolled in camps and were segregated after 1935 but received equal pay and housing. Included work opportunities for veterans of all ages following second Bonus Army. Separate Indian Division was a major relief force for Native Americans.

Answer 4

Set up to create jobs for winter period of 1933/34. Had a budget of $400 million but within 6 weeks they were spending $200 million a month. Ended on March 31 1934 after giving jobs to 4 million people. Accused of boondoggling. Built 12 million feet of sewers, 255,000 miles of road, 40,000 schools, 3,700 playgrounds, nearly 1,000 airports and 250,000 outhouses which were badly needed in rural America. Criticisms were that it lacked coherence and structure.

Answer 5

It was believed that the lack of electricity would inhibit the mechanisation and diversity of agriculture in TV region. 20 dams would be constructed to provide irrigation, flood control and electricity. Agriculture would be transformed with the use of fertilisers which would be manufactured in the area.

Answer 6

Most dramatic change came from TVA generated electricity. Electric lights and modern appliances made life easier and farms more productive. Electricity drew industries to the region providing desperately needed jobs. Revitalised a vast area of ruined rural America by building dams to provide cheap electricity. By 1945 75% of all properties had electricity compared to 2% in 1932. Average incomes in the area went up by 200% between 1929 and 1945.

Answer 7

Supreme Court ruled TVA to be constitutional in Ashwander vs TVA in 1936. Court noted that regulating commerce among the states includes regulation of streams and that controlling floods is required for keeping streams navigable. War powers also authorised the project. The argument was that the electricity generation was a by-product of navigation and flood control and therefore was constitutional.

Answer 8

Offered low rates of interest over extended periods of time. Many wrote to the White House thanking FDR for it. By mid 1930s HORC had refinanced nearly 20% of urban home in the country. Between 1933 and 1935 HORC made around over one million loans.

Answer 9

Its intent was to regulate the rate of interest and the terms of mortgages that it insured, which had government backed insurance on long term mortgages. If you couldn't pay, they wouldn't take your house but help you retain it. Boosted home ownership. You could only get loans for new homes with single families, not for extending or refurbishing existing ones. Benefitted mostly white middle class and did not help the poor in the city.

Answer 10

Breaking up of tribes as social units Encouraging individual initiatives Furthering the progress of native farmers Reducing the cost of native administration. Securing parts of the reservations as Indian land Opening the remainder of the land to white settlers for profit Assimilation Allotment - having their territory divided and distributed to individual Indians to own

Answer 11

Created to benefit Native Americans. Tribes were reorganised and allowed to vote as well as govern and police themselves. Got rid of the Dawes Severalty Act. Provided for the US to purchase some of the free land and restore it to tribal status. Over 2 million acres of land were returned to various tribes in the first 20 years after passage.

Answer 12

Many NAs believed that he did not understand their culture and felt that he was turning reservations into museums. By 1932 they had lost 90 million acres of the 138 million that they had in 1887. Did nothing to relieve their poverty or white discrimination.

Answer 13

Government agencies arranged for $100 million to be available to refinance mortgages. Established the Farm Credit System as a group of cooperative lending institutions to provide short, intermediate and long term loans for agricultural purposes.

Answer 14

Main principle was that of non-intervention and non-interference in the domestic affairs of Latin America. Reinforced the idea that the US would be a good neighbour and engage in reciprocal exchanges with Latin American countries. Roosevelt administration expected that this new policy would Crete new economic opportunities and reassert the influence of the US in Latin America, however, many Latin American governments were not convinced.

Answer 15

Established by the WPA to encourage the education and training of young people. It was disbanded during the Second World War. Had a Negro Affairs Division headed by a black woman.

Answer 16

Black people, women and white collar workers were all included in WPA. Paid higher than private industries and forced competition for labour. Created 2,500 hospitals, 5,900 school buildings, 1,000 airport landings, 13,000 playgrounds and completed many more projects. Federal Project One provided work for artists and enhanced the governments reputation. Provided jobs for 8 million people by 1943, squalling one fifth of the nation's workforce.

Answer 17

Did not eliminate unemployment as it aimed to do. Many states eg. Ohio refused to give money as a form of relief but food parcels instead. Many states adopted a thorough means test before giving relief, humiliating the unemployed. Discrimination was still practiced. Workers were not bothering to look for private employment. Couldn't support more than 39% of the unemployed at any one time.

Answer 18

Conservatives in congress and business owners aimed much hostility publicly towards the WPA. Inclusion of black people, women and white collar workers controversial. Many found it hard to adjust to this liberal thinking and edged away from FDR. FTP performed many controversial productions. FAP had no quality checks or censorship, producing poor and controversial work. Countless reports of sexual harassment and drunkenness plagued Federal Project One.

Answer 19

Created the End Poverty in California Movement 1934 which caused for a massive public works program, sweeping tax reform and guaranteed pensions. Media hated him, made sure he didn't get into power - little impact.

Answer 20

Believed FDR wasn't doing enough for the poor and regarded social security as feeble. Put a lot of political pressure on FDR to go further with his policies against the wealthy. FDR urged congress to encourage a wider distribution of wealth, passing the Revenue Act 1935.

Answer 21

Endorsed Union Party - support base very weak and could not work together.

Answer 22

Petitions calling for enactment of his pension plan signed by 5 mil. Some suggest this pressure influenced FDR to pass Social Security Act.

Answer 23

Proposed old age revolving pension, calling for every American 60+ to retire to open up jobs for unemployed. Would get $200 a month but had to spend all of it in order to stimulate the economy.

Answer 24

Made up of business men such as Du Pont and General Motors. FDR furious, provoked him, possibly influencing the soak the rich tax. Funded the Republican campaign - disbanded after FDR's win.

Answer 25

Owners of US Steel helped to finance the successful legal challenge against the NRA. Holding companies persuaded congress to pass a watered down Public Utility Holding Company Act. Big businesses successfully lobbied Congress to dilute the wealth tax.

Answer 26

Major impact - declared 11 measures unconstitutional (AAA & NRA). Provoked court packing plan which contributed to New Deal's loss of momentum. However, elements of NRA & AAA incorporated into second New Deal. After 1936 Supreme Court upheld New Deal measures. Van Devanter, most against the New Deal, stepped down enabling FDR to appoint more New Dealers into the Court.

Answer 27

Gained very little votes in the general election.

Answer 28

Everything they wanted FDR did anyways therefore they didn't have a huge influence.

Answer 29

Hopkins and Ickes fought to guarantee blacks a fair share of jobs under WPA & PWA. FDR appointed first Federal black judge in 1933, William Hastie, who was a former attorney for the NAACP.

Answer 30

Frankfurter was a member of the Brains Trust. Brandeis was a Supreme Court judge, very pro New Deal. Helped steer FDR to the left during second New Deal, producing measures dealing with social security, rural electrification and fair labour standards. Frankfurter was influential in many appointments FDR made during the New Deal, prominently lawyers - "Frankfurter's happy hot dogs"

Answer 31

A key policy of FDR's time in power - more than any other President including Hoover, changed the role of the government forever. Gave hope in time of despair. FERA - Dole and work relief (CWA, CCC) Brought relief to the most destitute and jobless. Saved thousands from dying, 1/5 people received some degree of relief. CCC successful albeit short term. WPA - relief to the unemployed. Social security a long term form of relief. States had to provide relief - before 1930 states spent virtually nothing on relief but by 1930 they spent $9 million and by 1940 $479 million.

Answer 32

FERA insufficient and inadequate for needs of the population - CWA ran out of money with in 4 months & undermined private industry as it paid too much. Relief distributed by the stated - racism, issued with conservative states + humiliating means test. Almost 9.5 million people (17.2% of the labour force) still unemployed by 1939.

Answer 33

Federal Reserve's industrial production index more than doubled from roosevelt's inauguration to end of 1936. GNP agree averaging 8% a year between 1933 and 1937. Unemployment rate fell from over 22% in 1932 to 9% in 1937. Textile, alcohol, cigarette, footwear and automobile production had made significant gains by 1937 over 1929 output. PWA created roads, schools, airports. TVA & WPA. Value of farm products increased by $4 billion in 1932 to $7 billion in 1936.

Answer 34

Roosevelt recession 1937 - when taxes were raised the economy contracted, unemployment rose from 7 mil to 10 mil by 1938 and national income fell by 13%, according to FED 66% of gains made during New Deal were lost. Unemployment remained at 16-20% in late 1930s. Recovery mainly because of war. NRA codes were confusing, did not motivate employers to join, some say harmed the economy with their restrictive codes. Some attribute section 7a to recession as the striking created chaos. AAA dominated by large landowners not representing share croppers. Federal debt grew from $22.5 bil in 1933 to $40 bil in 1939. USA was the slowest major country to recover from depression - even Germany quicker.

Answer 35

Social security. Banking and financial system - EBA and creation of the SEC, still in operation today. FDIC. Investment and commercial banking separation. The evils of Wall Street exposed and reformed. Wagner Act - forced cooperation with employees, 9 million in a union by 1939, unions encouraged to work together as can be seen by CIO in 1935 which achieved Union recognition in the steel, rubber, automobile, textile and electricity sectors. TVA electrified much of the Midwest.

Answer 36

Poor record for prosecution of trusts. Republicans doubled their seats in the House of Representatives during mid terms of 1938. Political reform with court packing 1937 failed.

Answer 37

Federal Government would now intervene in the national economy if the private sector was not able to guarantee economic security. Federal Reserve System regulated the stock markets. New Deal laid the foundations for the post war welfare state. Promoted Union membership as well as allowing the growth of the large corporations. New Deal programmes were proactive in meeting the immediate needs of the 1930s. Recognition that poverty was a structural economic problem, not the fault of the individual.

Answer 38

13 million people

Answer 39

More extreme views from his opponents such as Huey Long. Mid terms in 1934 returned more radical House of Representatives expecting wide ranging legislative action. FDR felt that congress would have forced him into action & he wanted to do it his way in his own time. FDR angry at big businesses who attacked his policies, felt compelled to help smaller businesses. FDR believed the Supreme Court was against him & when they began to overturn his legislation he became more radical. Steal the thunder from the left.

Answer 40

National Labour Board established to force employees to recognise trade unions. Closed shop unions were to be recognised. In 1933 there were 2 million union members but by 1938 there were 9 million. Prohibited companies from firing Union members. Created Labour Relation Board. Guaranteed right to collective bargaining. Led to Guffey Snyder Act 1937 which brought fairer labour standards to coal industry & Fair Labour Standards Act 1938 prohibiting child labour & establishing 40 hour week & min wage.

Answer 41

Marked beginnings of a partial welfare state. Would provide small payments to the aged, unemployed and dependants of wage earners who had died eg. wives and children. NOT relief - it was funded by contributions from employers and employees. No health insurance. Did not extend to farmers or domestic servants. Mostly delegated to the state to arrange therefore payments varied eg. in 1939 Massachusetts paid a poor child $61 per month but Mississippi paid $8. Affected small businesses the most.

Answer 42

Introduced an increase in the corporate tax rate. Included an inheritance tax for large inheritances. Included an excess profit tax. A progressive tax that took up to 75% of the highest incomes.

Answer 43

FDR's intention was not a radical distribution of wealth but to reduce the need for deficit spending. Sought to raise more money through taxation of those that could afford it.

Answer 44

There was a bitter debate in congress and the original proposals had been watered down. The new taxes that FDR agreed only raised $250 million in extra revenue, not enough to balance the budget.

Answer 45

Passed in response to AAA being declared unconstitutional. Passed in an attempt to cut crop and livestock surplus. Originally, Soil Conservation Act enacted in an attempt to address farm om erosion problems by preserving natural soil resources. Congress amended act, renaming it Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act with the purpose of encouraging the use of soil resources to preserve and improve fertility, promote economic use, and diminish the exploitation and unprofitable use of the national soil resources. Meant to help with some of the problems with the previous act, most notably its failure to protect share croppers and tenant farmers.

Answer 46

Government paid subsidies to farmers who agreed to leave land fallow or planted crops that put nitrogen back into the soil. Financed research into soil conservation. Landlords were required to share the payments they received from the government for cutting back production with those who worked on the land in an attempt to help share croppers. Gave directives to conserve the soil in the high plains, attempting to correct earlier policy that encouraged farmers to use their land without concern for repercussions. Educated farmers on how to use their lands without damaging them and took immediate action to contain dust bowls effects by planting trees and native grass.

Answer 47

Three years after the act was adopted, soil erosion had dropped by 21.7%

Answer 48

Gave guaranteed loans to small farmers and tenants to buy small properties it to rehabilitate farms, enabling more farmers to stay on their farms. Maintained migrant labour camps for agricultural workers as part of its remit that no one should be excluded from its benefits.

Answer 49

To obtain favourable rulings regarding New Deal legislation that the court had ruled unconstitutional. The justification given to congress and the public was the need to rejuvenate the court and increase its efficiency.

Answer 50

Would have granted the president to appoint an additional justice to the Supreme Court, up to a maximum of 6, for every member of the court over the age of 70 years and 6 months.

Answer 51

Unpopular - people felt the president was becoming too powerful. He had failed to consult congress before announcing it and also gave no public warnings.

Answer 52

Established the United States Housing Authority and set up housing projects for low income families. Encouraged house building and home ownership but was also discriminatory against black Americans and inadvertently promoted suburban over inner-city housing. Provided for subsidies to be paid from the government to local public housing agencies to improved living conditions for low income families.

Answer 53

Set a minimum wage of 40 cents an hour and a maximum working week of 40 hours for businesses involved in interstate commerce and particularly for workers not in unions. Raised wages of 12 million workers by 1940. Gave the benefits of a shorter working week and a minimum hourly wage by statute rather than by union negotiation.

Answer 54

More women employed in government eg. Francis Perkins secretary of labour. NYA provided opportunities for young girls. Eleanor Roosevelt forced FERA to give women's division - CWA provided work for women. WPA employed women. ER championed women's rights. FERA included single unmarried women for relief.

Answer 55

Social security did not include domestic servants. Economies of Government Act forbade the government from employing more than one family member, causing 1900 women to lose their jobs. CCC barred women completely. 13.5% of WPA employees were women. Press attacked Francis Perkins and her own cabinet ignored her. Some states tried to make it impossible, even imprisonable, to hire married women. 1939 - over 50% of banks and insurance companies would not hire married women. Divorce sky rocketed in 1936. Estimated 1.5 million men deserted their families.

Answer 56

WPA included AAs - approx 1 million by 1939. 200,000 AAs gained benefits from CCC and other ND agencies. Negro Affairs Division of NYA headed by Mary Bethune, a black woman. WPA labelled colour blind. Benefited from FAP & FMP. Taught over 1 million illiterate black children to read & write. All white juries outlawed.

Answer 57

No anti-lynching or civil rights legislation - Dixiecrats. 70,000 share croppers left unrepresented by AAA. NRA codes allowed blacks to be paid less. CCC and TVA segregated. 68% of job listings for women in Philadelphia were ordered to be filled with white women only. Federal Housing Project would not give mortgages to black people moving to white areas. AAA forced over 100,000 blacks from their land in 1934.

Answer 58

Indian Reorganisation Act 1934 provided money to help NAs purchase new lands. John Collier made CCC type project for reservations, employing 85,000 Indians. Collier made sure CCC & WPA employed NAs - CCC employed 12,000.

Answer 59

Did nothing to relieve their poverty or white discrimination. Alcoholism. NA identity lost - 1887 Dawes Act.

Answer 60

Section 7a lead to working term conditions and minimum wage. Wagner Act forced businesses to recognise unions and guaranteed right to collective bargaining. 9 million union members by 1938. 8 million employed by WPA. Wages improved 200% in TVA areas.

Answer 61

1939 - 10 million unemployed, 17% of workforce compared to 3.5% in 1929. Roosevelt Recession - cut back on relief, employment fell by 23%, national income by 13% and farm prices by 12%.

Answer 62

Wagner Act forced businesses to recognise trade unions. | 9 million Union members by 1938.

Answer 63

``` Black farmers ignored by AAA. 700,000 farms not represented. 70,000 share croppers not represented. Social security excluded farmers. AAA assisted richer farmers. AAA wasteful and immoral - killed 6 million pigs. ```