During the four months while FDR waited to take office, he began to formulate new policies which later became known as The New Deal. The policies of the New Deal aimed for three major goals; relief for the needy, economic recovery, and financial reform.
2. How successful were FDR's fireside chats?
FDR's fireside chats were really successful. Roosevelt explained why the nation's welfare depended on the public's support for the government and the banking system. The fireside chats made it feel as if Roosevelt was speaking directly to American citizens. Roosevelt explained that banks would fail when too many people demanded their savings in cash. Over the next few weeks, many Americans began to return their savings back to the banks.
3. How did New Deal programs affect various regions of the United States?
One of the policies of the New Deal Act was the AAA (Agriculture Adjustment Act). This act sought to raise crop prices by lowering production. The government paid cotton growers 200 million dollars to plow 10 million acres of their crops. The government also paid hog farmers to slaughter 6 million pigs which upset the general public who protested against it. The policy however, left more money in farmer's pockets and helped to raise farm prices. Another act was the Tennessee Valley Authority. The TVA renovated 5 existing damns and constructed 20 new ones. This provided flood control, hydroelectric power, and created thousands of jobs for an impoverished region.The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) put young men to work building roads, developing parks, planting trees, and helping in flood-controlled projects.The Public Works Administration provided money to states to create jobs helping to build schools or other community projects. To help these programs, Roosevelt established the Civil Works Administration which provided 4 million immediate jobs during the winter of 1933. As a result, the CWA build 40,000 more schools, paid the salaries of 50,000 school teachers in rural areas, and build more than half a million miles of road.
4. How did liberal and conservative critics differ in their opposition to the New Deal?
Liberal's argued that the New Deal did not go far enough to help the poor and to reform the nation's economic situation. Conservative's argued that Roosevelt was spending too much money on direct relief to the poor and was using the policies of the New Deal to control business and socialize the economy. The AAA and the National Industrial Recovery Act angered the conservative critics because they believed it gave the government too much control over industry and agriculture. They believed the New Deal interfered with the workings of a free-market economy.
5. Do you think Roosevelt was wrong to try to "pack" the Supreme Court with those in favor of the New Deal? Explain your answer.
No, I do not believe Roosevelt was wrong to try to "pack" the Supreme Court with those in favor of the New Deal. Many Americans were benefiting from the policies of the New Deal and Roosevelt feared that further court decisions could break down the New Deal. Of course the President would want the majority of the Supreme Court to be in favor of his policies. With the state of the nation improving and the benefits of the New Deal, Roosevelt wasn't wrong in trying to "pack" the Supreme Court with those in its favor.
6. Of the New Deal programs discussed in this section, which do you consider the most important?
Explain your choice. Think About:
• the type of assistance offered by each program
• the scope of each program
• the impact of each program
While all of the policies of the New Deal were important and beneficial, I would consider the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) to be the most important out of the New Deal programs discussed in this section. The CCC provided young men with immediate jobs. The CCC put men aged 18-25 with jobs building roads, developing parks, and planting trees. By the time the CCC ended, almost 3 million men had passed through. The CCC paid a small wage, 30 dollars a month, 25 dollars was automatically sent home to their families. This gave the men a job while sending money home to help their families who were still unemployed. The CCC supplied the men with free food, uniforms, and shelter. Although most of the camps were segregated, the CCC gave jobs to both whites and African-Americans. The CCC provided employment and money which was desperately needed by millions of Americans and had tremendous accomplishments such as the planting of 3 billion trees, the building of 46,000 bridges, and developing 800 state parks.
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