Unit 3 Lesson 5: THe New Deal's Legacy

Question 1

The legacy of the New Deal is in part seen in the vast increase in

Answer 1

national power

Question 2

What did Roosevelt veiw as the soultion to the nation’s financial woes

Answer 2

Roosevelt viewed increased spending as the core solution for the nation’s financial woes. The government itself became a much larger employer than it had been, as its various agencies needed staff to research and implement the spending.

Question 2

Rising stars of the conservative movement, starting with presidential candidate Barry Goldwater in 1964, have voiced opposition. What do people like him think of the things Roosvelt has done

Answer 2

They consider Roosevelt’s presidency as the start of a slippery slope toward entitlement and the destruction of individual responsibility—the “rugged individualism” Herbert Hoover embraced at the outset of the Great Depression. This debate about the role of government still exists today.

Question 3

How did the 1930s mark an unprecedented change in the federal government’s power?

Answer 3

The 1930s, with the policies of the New Deal, saw the federal government gain much more power than it had ever had.

Question 4

What were some long-term benefits of New Deal policies?

Answer 4

Social security, union contracts, and housing mortgage programs led to future economic stability. Several programs, such as the Social Security Administration and the TVA, still exist. And some policies benefited the environment.

Question 5

What were some downsides of the New Deal?

Answer 5

Unemployment was still high, and the national deficit grew. Also, some infrastructure projects damaged the environment.

Question 5

Explain the debate between liberals and conservatives regarding government spending in the years since the New Deal.

Answer 5

Many liberals after Roosevelt wanted to build upon his New Deal policies, using government spending to help the disadvantaged. Many conservatives, on the other hand, felt that this increased spending led to entitlement and the destruction of individual responsibility.

Question 6

One massive problem with the New Deal was its unequal treatment of different sections of the population. What was it like for Afircan Americans

Answer 6

African Americans in particular were left out of many of the New Deal’s benefits. Federal job programs, such as the CCC and WPA, practiced racial discrimination when hiring. AAA left tenant farmers and sharecroppers, many of whom were African American, with little or no support.

Question 7

Social Security and African Americans

Answer 7

Even Social Security originally excluded workers who cooked and cleaned in others’ homes. This was a common job for African American women, so it affected them unfairly.

Question 8

impact of the WPA project, Federal Project Number One (“Federal One” for short

Answer 8

One important WPA project, Federal Project Number One (“Federal One” for short), included a literacy program. This helped more than one million African Americans learn to read and write.

Question 8

Facing criticism, Roosevelt pushed for agencies to change their hiring practices. What did this lead to

Answer 8

Eventually, the WPA employed 350,000 African Americans each year, which was 15 percent of its workforce.

Question 9

New Deal practices also had a mixed effect on women of all races. ELaborate

Answer 9

Policies encouraged women to leave jobs open for men. Some federal relief programs specifically prevented husbands and wives getting jobs from the same agency.

Question 10

How did women feel about the new deal policies

Answer 10

Still, women in general supported New Deal policies.

Question 10

Were Widows, single women, and the wives of disabled husbands able to get jobs?

Answer 10

widows, single women, and the wives of disabled husbands were able to get jobs through the WPA.

Question 11

Was there wage discrimination

Answer 11

Wage discrimination was still common, however.

Question 12

Frances Perkins

Answer 12

A handful of women, such as Frances Perkins, the secretary of labor, who was the first female member of any presidential cabinet, also helped shape policies.

Question 13

Other communities of color also had mixed results with New Deal programs. What was it like for Mexican and Asain americans?

Answer 13

merican citizenship was required for participation in many of the programs. Unfortunately, this eliminated large numbers of Mexican and Asian Americans who did not qualify for citizenship under current laws, but there were still some benefits available to them.

Question 14

What was it liek for Americna Indians

Answer 14

American Indians fared somewhat better. As American citizens, they had more programs open to them. In addition, some of the programs funded improvements on reservations and promoted American Indian handicrafts.

Question 15

How did Eleanor Roosvelt use her postion

Answer 15

First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. Strong and opinionated, Eleanor Roosevelt worked by her husband’s side in a political partnership. She used her position as First Lady to champion causes for women, African Americans, and the rural poor.

Question 16

Franklin Roosevelt was limited by political pressures and his poor health. What did Eleanor Roosevelt do in return

Answer 16

Eleanor Roosevelt made regular public appearances around the country. She openly lobbied for bills, such as one against lynching.

Question 17

How do Elanor brake tradition for first ladies

Answer 17

Her active role in setting the direction for the nation broke tradition, as former First Ladies had taken on mostly social hosting responsibilities.

Question 18

Even her hosting responsibilities allowed her to make a statement. At the time, it was very unusual to invite African American guests to the White House. Who did Eleanor Roosevelt invite to dinner

Answer 18

Eleanor Roosevelt invited many prominent African Americans to dine with her and the president

Question 19

Who was Mary McLeod Bethune

Answer 19

In 1936, Franklin Roosevelt appointed Mary McLeod Bethune, an African American educator, to direct an African American division of the National Youth Administration. Bethune and Eleanor Roosevelt maintained a close friendship that set an example for the rest of the country.

Question 20

And when an organization called the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) refused to let famous black opera singer Marian Anderson sing in DAR Constitution Hall. What did Eleanor Roosevelt do?

Answer 20

Eleanor Roosevelt resigned her membership with the organization. She then arranged for Anderson to sing at a public concert at the Lincoln Memorial and attend a dinner at the White House with the king and queen of England.

Question 21

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How did the role of the federal government change during the New Deal?

Answer 21

The federal government’s role increased significantly during the New Deal. This caused a shift in how people viewed the role of the government.

Question 22

What are some lasting legacies of the New Deal?

Answer 22

Some agencies formed during the New Deal, such as the Social Security Administration and the TVA, are still around and have a major impact on Americans’ lives. Many examples of WPA architecture, murals, and writing projects are still available for people to enjoy. The CCC and other agencies put environmental and infrastructure projects in place that saved farmlands and made state and national parks accessible so that we still reap their benefits today.

Question 23

How were the results of New Deal policies both positive and negative for women and African Americans?

Answer 23

Women and African Americans could benefit from policies, but the way the policies were applied was unequal. For example, there was major hiring discrimination against African Americans for many jobs available through federal agencies. Policies were designed to encourage women to stay at home, and women also faced wage discrimination. Still, New Deal policies helped many African Americans learn to read, and they gave some women, especially widows, single women, and wives of disabled husbands, access to jobs.

Question 24

Identify some of Eleanor Roosevelt’s achievements.

Answer 24

Eleanor Roosevelt changed the role of the First Lady of the United States, as she was active in helping to shape policy. She made regular public appearances and lobbied for bills. She also pushed for social justice, inviting prominent African Americans to the White House. When opera singer Marian Anderson was denied a performance opportunity by the Daughters of the American Revolution, Roosevelt resigned her DAR membership and invited Anderson to sing at the Lincoln Memorial.