Topic 5 - The 1932 Presidential Election

Question 1

Who was President of the USA from 1928 to 1932?

Answer 1

Herbert Hoover (Republican)

Question 2

What political party did President Hoover represent?

Answer 2

The Republicans

Question 3

What was President Hoover accused of being during the years of the depression?

Answer 3

A “do nothing” President

Question 4

What approach did President Hoover take to dealing with the depression?

Answer 4

Laissez-faire: As a Republican, he believed that the American economy would recover naturally, without government interference.

“Rugged individualism”: He believed that it is not the government’s responsibility to provide welfare and aid. Instead, people should look after themselves.

Question 5

What law did President Hoover introduce in 1930, which placed even higher tariffs on foreign imports coming into America?

Answer 5

The Hawley-Smoot Tariff Act

Question 6

When was the Hawley-Smoot Tariff Act introduced?

Answer 6

1930

Question 7

What evidence is there that the Hawley-Smoot Tariff Act worsened the depression?

Answer 7

Other countries retaliated to the high tariffs and added even higher tariffs to American goods, making US goods even harder to sell abroad.

Question 8

What bill did President Hoover block?

Answer 8

Garner-Wagner Relief Bill

Question 9

What would the Garner-Wagner Relief Bill have allowed Congress to do?

Answer 9

It would have given Congress permission to spend $2.1 billion on creating jobs.

Question 10

What was the name given to the group of 25,000 veterans who protested in Washington D.C. in the summer of 1932?

Answer 10

The Bonus Marchers

Question 11

Who were the Bonus Marchers?

Answer 11

25,000 war veterans who protested in Washington D.C. in the summer of 1932.

Question 12

What did the Bonus Marchers demand?

Answer 12

They demanded the bonus of $500 which they had been promised in 1924 (instead of receiving it in 1945).

Question 13

What did President Herbert Hoover accuse the Bonus Marchers of being?

Answer 13

Communists or criminals

Question 14

How were the Bonus Marchers eventually dealt with?

Answer 14

Hoover ordered the army to attack their camps, evict them, and drive them out of the city.

Question 15

What evidence is there that Hoover was not a “do nothing” President?

Answer 15

1. In 1930 and 1931, he ordered tax cuts to give people more disposable income.
2. He tried to persuade business leaders not to cut wages.
3. He set up the Reconstruction Finance Company, which worked to prevent banks from doing bankrupt.

Question 16

How did President Hoover’s actions during the years of the depression affect his reputation?

Answer 16

It weakened public support for Hoover and the Republican party, and showed him as an ineffective leader who was unable to deal with the effects of the depression.

Question 17

Who stood against President Hoover in the 1932 election?

Answer 17

Franklin D. Roosevelt

Question 18

What political party did Roosevelt represent?

Answer 18

The Democrats

Question 19

What did Franklin D. Roosevelt promise the American people during his election campaign?

Answer 19

He promised the American people a “New Deal” to get the USA out of the depression.

Question 20

What type of government did Franklin D. Roosevelt say he wanted to run if elected President?

Answer 20

He wanted to run an ‘active government’ which would interfere in the economy to improve the lives of ordinary people.

Question 21

What had FDR done as Governor of New York, which showed people that he would work to improve people’s lives?

Answer 21

He used taxes to develop work schemes to reduce unemployment.

Question 22

FDR ran an energetic election campaign. How far did he travel around America to win public support?

Answer 22

28,000 km

Question 23

How many major speeches did FDR make during his election campaign?

Answer 23

16 major speeches (and another 60 from the back of his train)

Question 24

How did FDR’s actions during the election campaign affect his reputation?

Answer 24

He offered hope to the American people, and an alternative vision to the Republicans. He demonstrated his commitment. He increased popular support for his presidency.

Question 25

Who won the 1932 presidential election?

Answer 25

Franklin D. Roosevelt

Question 26

By how many votes did Franklin D. Roosevelt win the 1932 election?

Answer 26

7 million votes

Question 27

Identify three reasons which explain why Franklin D. Roosevelt won the 1932 election.

Answer 27

1. FDR’s energetic election campaign.
2. FDR’s ideas and proposals for overcoming the depression.
3. Hoover’s ineffective policies in dealing with the effects of the depression.