The New Deal Flashcards
What were the Hoover Blankets?
Newspapers that the homeless and unemployed had to use as blankets.
What banners were hung up in the public, insulting Hoover?
In Hoover we trusted and now we are busted.
What previous experience did Roosevelt have demonstrating himself as the perfect presidential candidate?
Governor of New York
As Governor of New York what did Roosevelt introduce?
The first state-run relief programme
What were Roosevelt’s two election slogans?
The New Deal
Action and Action Now
How many fireside chats did Roosevelt have between 1933 and 1944?
30 radio broadcasts
Roosevelt was elected in 1932 promising people a New Deal. What political party was he from?
Democrat
Roosevelt’s Hundred Days aimed to restore confidence, reduce poverty and create jobs. What
agencies did he create?
Alphabet Agencies
In 1932 who marched to Washington asking for their war pension early only to be met with violence
and tear gas?
Bonus Marchers
What were the 3 R’s which Roosevelt based his active government style on?
Relief, recovery and reform
To restore confidence what did Roosevelt close for 4 days?
Banks
What were Roosevelt’s friendly radio broadcasts called which restored confidence?
Fireside chats
Which Alphabet Agency set quotas for farm production and gave machinery to farmers?
AAA
Which Alphabet Agency gave 2.5 million men aged 18-25 jobs in conservation?
CCC
Which Alphabet Agency provided $500 million to provide soup kitchens, nursery care and blankets?
FERA
Which Alphabet Agency built dams and irrigation channels on the Tennessee River while
providing electricity?
TVA
What was passed during the Second New Deal giving widows and the elderly pensions?
The Social Security Act
How many times was Roosevelt elected showing his popularity?
4
Who had labelled the AAA and CCC as unconstitutional due to taking away state power?
The Supreme Court (FDR had also tried to pack the court with his own Democrat Judges
in 1936 so was losing popularity and respect)
Unemployment was not ended by the New Deal it only ended when America entered
what?
World War Two
What group of people disliked Roosevelt’s NRA as it gave more rights to workers?
Businessmen
The attack by the Japanese on what naval base led to the USA joining WW2 in 1941?
Pearl Harbour
What was FDR’s 3 step plan to solve the Great Depression?
Relief: helping the victims of the depression
Recovery: Encourage economic recovery
Reform: Ensure another depression would never happe again.
What act closed banks for 4 straight days?
Emergency banking act 1933
What did the Economy act 1933 do?
Cut pay of government and military employees by 15%.
Saved nearly 1 billion dollars.
What did the Beer Act 1933?
Legalised the production and selling of Alcohol
Which Alphabet agency improved the condition of workers by increasing wages and improving hours and workplace conditions? How many firms joined it, employing how many members?
NRA
2.5 million firms
22 million workers
Name 3 forms of popular culture which helped take people’s mind off the depression in
the 1930s?
Comic books, films and radio
The popularity of comics soared in 1938 with the first appearance of who?
Superman
60 million people a week were visiting the cinema in the 1930s. Which 3 genres were
popular?
Cartoons (Disney) Horror (Frankenstein and Dracula) Comedy (Laurel and Hardy)
Who opposed Roosevelt and his New Deal believing it did not go far enough so came up
with his own radical idea?
Huey Long (he proposed a share our wealth campaign stating if he were president all fortunes over $5 million would be confiscated and shared out)
How many people were employed in the CCC?
2.5 million people
After Roosevelt was employed how many banks were failed?
Below 250
What was the Social Security Act from the Second New Deal?
Security Act was introduced in 1935 and offered support to vulnerable members of American society. It was part of the Second New Deal.
How many African-Americans were employed in the CCC?
200 thousand
How did FDR help Native Americans?
Increased the amount of lands they owned and created the Indian Reserve Act of 1934- this gave Native Americans to govern there own affairs.
How many days were lost to strike in 1934?
20 million
At any given point, at least what percent of America was unemployed?
1/10
What was the Wagner Act?
Gave permission to workers to join trade unions.
How were gender inequality and prejudice demonstrated in the NRA?
Woman in 1937 were paid $500 yearly, compared to men being paid $1000
Were CCC camps segregated?
Yes
By the end of 1930s what were unempyement figures?
10.5 million (only 3 million less in 10 years since 1929
Who opposed the New Deal?
- Supreme Court
- Republicans
- Businessmen
- Radical politicians
- Wealthy people
Why did the Supreme Court oppose the New Deal?
At the time, the Supreme Court was made up of judges chosen by the Republican presidents in the 1920s and they were more likely to disagree with Roosevelt’s ideas, due to having different core belief. They believed in Laissez faire and a rugged individualistic attitude, and had thought that Roosevelt was doing too much.
How did FDR challenge opposition from the Supreme Court on the New Deal?
In 1937, he asked Congress to allow him to add a new judge to the Supreme Court for every existing judge aged over 70. This would mean adding six of his own judges and was called court-packing and allow FDR to have a court majority, therefore allowing no more of the Alphabet Agencies to be closed down.
How many of Roosevelts alphabet agencies were deemed unconstitutional?
11 out of 16, such as the NRA or the AAA
What was the publics reaction to FDR challenging the Supreme Court?
Roosevelt received a lot of criticism for his threat - some people felt it was disrespectful to the American system of government and that he was acting like a dictator.
Why did Republicans oppose the New Deal?
They were natural opponents of Roosevelt’s Democrat policies and saw FDR as a dictator, trying to control too many aspects of . They believed government should be laissez-faire and avoid interfering too much in the lives of citizens. The New Deal made the federal government very powerful. They believed in reducing spending to avoid high taxes and loans. The New Deal involved spending vast amounts of money.
Why did businessmen oppose the New Deal?
Although businesses had benefitted from the New Deal because it gave people money to buy their goods, many businessmen turned against it. Many businessmen and factory owners resented being told how to run their businesses by agencies such as the NRA as they were used to the prior decades republican rule. They preferred a laissez-faire style of government. They didn’t like how minimum wage was introduced and set working hours were created and how workers received better rights and work condition. Especially, the support that was given to trade unions by the NRA and the Wagner Act, because unions could challenge their businesses. They disliked paying increased taxes to fund government spending.
What business group banded together to oppose the New Deal?
Liberty League
Why did Huey Long oppose the New Deal?
Huey Long (he proposed a share our wealth campaign stating if he were president all fortunes over $5 million would be confiscated and shared out)
What did Huey Long promise to buy every family?
A radio, car and a house.
How many people supported Huey Long?
7.5 million
How did Doctor Townsend oppose FDR?
Doctor Francis Townsend founded Old Age Revolving Pensions Ltd, which suggested that over-60s were to retire and be given $200 monthly,
How many people supported Townsend?
5 million
How did Father Coughlin oppose FDR?
Father Coughlin broadcast his views on a radio programme called ‘The Golden Hour’, which had 30 million listeners. He believed FDR did not help to provide adequate support to the poor. However, he had losts support due to his anti-Semitic views.
By how much did Pop-eye increase Spinach sales, causing a statue of him to be erected in Texas?
33%
What was Hoovers slogan in the FDR election?
a chicken in every pot and a car in every garage
Prosperity is around the corner
