The New Deal

Question 1

What were unemployment levels like in 1929 compared to 1932?

Answer 1

1.5 million unemployed in 1929, compared to 13 million unemployed in 1932

Question 2

What were the three main aims of Roosevelt’s Presidency?

Answer 2

1) to help those affected most by the Depression
2) introduce an ‘active government’
3) establish the New Deal

Question 3

In how many states did the banks close during the interim period?

Answer 3

38/48 states

Question 4

What did Roosevelt urge people to do in his radio speech of 1932?

Answer 4

Roosevelt urged people to put their money back into the banks which would help the economy, and not keep their money in their homes.

Question 5

What is the 100 days policy?

Answer 5

It is the first 100 days of a person’s Presidency in which they are judged on how effectively they use their position in this time.

Question 6

Name 4 alphabet agencies and what they did.

Answer 6

1) Civilian Conservation Corps (1932) - created jobs for 18-25 year old men, but was criticised for the menial nature of the jobs - didn’t want the money to appear as simply handouts
2) Federal Emergency Relief Acts - $500 million of aid given out to states that needed it the most
3) Civil Works Administration - $900 million spent on anything from teachers to highways
4) Agricultural Adjustment Act - aimed to increase the price of crops, despite millions of people dying of starvation, by promoting crop destruction and lower production rates.

Question 7

When was the Second New Deal?

Answer 7

1935

Question 8

Name 3 parts of the Second New Deal and what they did.

Answer 8

1) Works Programme Administration - gave $4.8 billion to public works
2) Social Security Act - establishment of the pension scheme (excluded the self employed and farmers)
3) Banking Act - aimed to redistribute the levels of wealth in the country

Question 9

What was court packing?

Answer 9

Court packing was when Roosevelt aimed to fill the Supreme Court with judges who were sympathetic towards the New Deal, in an effort to get it passed easily.

Question 10

What was the New Deal?

Answer 10

The New Deal was a set of domestic reforms undertaken by Roosevelt in 1932, in an effort to draw America out of the Great Depression

Question 11

What was unemployment like after the New Deal?

Answer 11

Unemployment was around 8 million after the New Deal

Question 12

Name two benefits of the New Deal

Answer 12

1) made capitalism more efficient by introducing things such as the social security act and the use of banking
2) established the principle of the federal government as a capable controller of the country

Question 13

Name three weaknesses of the New Deal

Answer 13

1) failed to bring down unemployment rates
2) caused a growth of class consciousness among farmers and manual workers
3) failed to decrease the deficit

Question 14

What was America’s debt before and after the New Deal?

Answer 14

1933 - $20 billion

1939 - $40 billion

Question 15

What was America’s GDP before and after the New Deal?

Answer 15

1933 - $56 billion

1939 - $92 billion

Question 16

How can the New Deal be described as radical?

Answer 16

Because it introduced a new concept of major government involvement with the every day lives of US citizens, through things such as the WPA and CCC, which was vastly different from the days of laissez-faire

Question 17

How can the New Deal be described as conservative?

Answer 17

Because the reforms were done in an effort to sustains he capitalist society. With the banking act and social security act, FDR made sure that the system could keep running and people were kept in their places