The 2nd New Deal, Minorities, and FDR's Impact

DIRECTIONS: Read, Chapter 23-2, which is about President Roosevelt’s Second New Deal, and then summarize the following important legislative acts. Make sure you include significant details in your summary.

1. What was the Works Progress Administration?
The Works Progress Administration was an organization that focused on giving work to many unskilled workers that could not find employment elsewhere. It was similar to the Public Works Administration in that it helped create lasting infrastructure and aid, such as schools and roads. The WPA also helped keep a history of slavery in America by interviewing former slaves. Many accused the WPA of being a make-work project, nevertheless it lowered unemployment.



2. How did the New Deal help labor? (Hint: Wagner Act)
The Second New Deal helped labor by reestablishing collective bargaining and other rights stripped by the Supreme Court. The Wagner Act set the maximum number of hours in the work week and set the first minimum wage in America, $.25 an hour. This act also set rules on child labor regarding people under 16 and people under 18. Part of the Wagner Act was setting up the National Labor Relations Board, which helped to get rid of unfair practices by employers.



3. What benefits did the Social Security system provide?
Social Security provided a small amount of money for retirees 65 years or older so that they would be sure to have a certain standard of living. It also provided some money to unemployed people to help keep them afloat while they searched for jobs. Social Security provided a weekly sum of money to those with dependent children or the disabled to help support these people who could not work.


Read pages 710 to 713 in Chapter 23-3 (The New Deal Affects Many Groups) and answer the following questions:


4. Why was the “Black Cabinet” important to the Roosevelt administration?
The “Black Cabinet” was important to the Roosevelt administration because it helped to gain him support among the black population of America. Although he did not fully support Civil Rights for African-Americans, he did do his best to promote more equality than there was. African-Americans recognized that he was appointing many more blacks into government than there had been before and respected his efforts. In general, blacks supported the New Deal.


5. Evaluate the actions and policies of the Roosevelt administration on civil rights.
For the most part, Roosevelt did not do much directly for civil rights. Although he made significant efforts to include blacks and Mexicans, most New Deal agencies ended up discriminating often. However, the New Deal did a lot for the Native Americans civil rights. It helped create more self-sufficient reservations that could govern themselves and have schools on the reservation. Overall, Roosevelt made steps forward in civil rights, but did not move very far.


6. What changes occurred for Native Americans as a result of the New Deal?
As a result of the New Deal, America was no longer attempting to assimilate Native Americans, but rather help them to live separately from many Americans, within their own culture. They were given reservations that definitely belonged to one tribe, as opposed to being up for selling by the government if they believed them abandoned. The Native Americans were also given the right to govern their own reservations how they wanted. They could also practice their own cultural practices as they pleased.


7. Why was the Wagner Act significant?
The Wagner Act was a huge help to organized labor in America. The Act helped increase union membership exponentially and give more power to unions. The act also created some of the first industry wide unions, as opposed to local unions. It helped with the creation of the Congress of Industrial Organization as well, which created large and powerful unions.




DIRECTIONS: Read, Chapter 23-5, which is about the impact of New Deal reforms, and take notes about the lasting effects of those reform on American society.

 8a. What were the New Deal Laws and Agencies created for LABOR? 8b. And, what were the lasting effects of these LABOR laws and agencies on American Government and Life?
Wagner Act
National Labor Relations Board
Fair Labor Standards Act


This legislation created limits and regulations on labor that still are in effect today. This was the first time child labor was actually banned in America. The minimum wage and limits on work weeks were set as well. This also helped to increased government's role in labor relations with granting all workers the right to collectively bargain.


9a. What were the New Deal Laws and Agencies created for AGRICULTURE AND RURAL LIFE? 9b. And, what were the lasting effects of these laws and agencies on American Government and Life?
Agricultural Adjustment Act
Commodity Credit Corporation


The government help to set prices for crops. It also helped to keep farmer's income more stead with loans from the Credit Commodity Corporation. These policies made government a larger part of the agricultural section of America's economy. Most of the practices were continued by the government up until the 2000s, and they helped agriculture to grow more in America.





  
10a. What were the New Deal Laws and Agencies created for BANKING AND FINANCE  10b. And, what were the lasting effects of these laws and agencies on American Government and Life?
Securities and Exchange Commission
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
Glass-Steagall Act


These acts and organizations helped to monitor the stock market and ensure consumer confidence, and are still in effect today. The Securities and Exchange Commission still monitors the stock market to make sure prices don't get too high or low. FDR used the FDIC to help rebuild consumer confidence by insuring everyone's bank accounts for up $2500. Nowadays, accounts are insured for up to $100,000.




11a. What were the New Deal Laws and Agencies created for SOCIAL WELFARE  11b. And, what were the lasting effects of these laws and agencies on American Government and Life?
Social Security Act


Social welfare in America was improved by far by Social Security. Of all the effects of the New Deal, this one has endured the best of all. People still pay into Social Security every month from their pay checks. It continues to help modern Americans, as it did during the Great Depression, by providing old age insurance, unemployment insurance, and disabled insurance.





12a. What were the New Deal Laws and Agencies created for ENVIRONMENT  12b. And, what were the lasting effects of these laws and agencies on American Government and Life?
Civilian Conservation Corps
Soil Conservation Service
Taylor Grazing Act
Tennessee Valley Authority


The Civilian Conservation Corps planted thousands of trees and built many hiking trails throughout America that still stand and are being used today. Both the Soil Conservation Service and the Taylor Grazing Act helped to encourage farmers to use safer practices, mainly that would prevent something like the dust bowl from happening again. The Tennessee Valley Authority helped build dozens of dams in the Tennessee Valley area that prevented floods and gave the rural, isolated area electricity.

FDR and the New Deal

1. What plans did Roosevelt make in the four months while he waited to take office?        
When Roosevelt was elected in 1932, he immediately began formulating policies with his advisors so that as soon as he was inaugurated he could start reforming right away. These policies became the New Deal when he was in office. He formed plans to heavily expand the federal government’s role in the economy, particular with financial reform. The other two major points the New Deal focused on were relief for the needy and economic recovery.



2. How successful were FDR's fireside chats?       
FDR’s fireside chats were very successful. A major cause of the depression was people being extremely confused by what was happening and in a panic doing what everyone else was, and at this time that was withdrawing your life savings. With Roosevelt explaining in easy to understand terms how the banks worked and why they were failing, more people trusted banks. They soon felt confident enough to deposit money again.



3. How did New Deal programs affect various regions of the United States?       
In areas that were mostly agricultural, New Deal legislation helped raise crop prices by paying farmers to grow less. In hard hit parts of Tennessee, Roosevelt created thousands of jobs fixing and building dams to help prevent floods and give energy to the region. Throughout the country, there were jobs made building roads, bridges, and other infrastructure. There were also thousands of schools built for better education and thousands of trees planted to prevent another dust bowl.

4. How did liberal and conservative critics differ in their opposition to the New Deal?            

  Conservatives in America believed that the New Deal had gone too far into controlling agriculture and industry. They believed FDR was too close to socialism with this legislation. Liberals, on the other hand, believed he had not gone far enough. They believed the federal government should control more parts of the economy and that he should have spent more on direct relief for the needy.

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.      

Yes, I think Roosevelt overstepped his boundaries in regards to presidential power with this bill. However, I believe that this wrong was necessary at the time. Without this bill, the New Deal would not have been able to continue helping millions of Americans throughout the country. FDR’s reasoning for the bill was right, but the only way to see out this reasoning was with a wrongful method.




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  

I think the Public Works Administration was the most important program in the New Deal. It offered a wide variety of jobs throughout the country. Most of these jobs were in building schools, community buildings, and roads, all of which have had a lasting effect, still being used today. This legislation also created thousands of immediate jobs in building them, as well as long lasting jobs for school teachers in the new schools.    

Hardship and Suffering During the Depression

1. What were some of Hoover's key convictions about government?        
Hoover was very conservative with his convictions about government. His main belief was that government should never be directly involved, just help as guidance. He believed the government should help cooperation with business and labor, not directly intervene. He also believed the government should support charities, but not directly help the needy.



2. What did President Herbert Hoover say and do in response to the Great Depression?       
He brought together heads of the largest parts of America’s economy and asked them to do certain things that would help consumer confidence once again. However, none of these measures worked particularly well. He did help authorize the building of the Hoover Dam, which created many jobs and provided a source of water for farmers in the area.



3. Why do you think people blamed Hoover for the nation's difficulties?       
Hoover’s policy on government aid led him to a lot of unpopularity in America. Although he tried to help with the conditions, his methods were no good. His lack of support for directly supporting the needy seemed mean and draconian. Not to mention, in a time like this everyone wanted a scapegoat, and the head of the country is the easiest target.

4. How did Hoover's belief in "rugged individualism" shape his policies during the Great Depression.

Think About:

• what his belief implies about his view of people

• how that translates into the role of government

• Hoover’s policies (How effective were they?)       

Hoover’s belief of “rugged individualism” made him believe that people, especially Americans, are strong enough to survive even in adverse conditions. To him this means the government should not directly help the people who are in trouble, as they can do it themselves. This didn’t mean that the government couldn’t help directly though, as they could support charities that were helping the needy. This indirect help was not as effective as direct help would have been.



5. What did the Bonus Army want and how did Hoover respond?      
The Bonus Army was a group of World War I veterans demanding a bonus since they were not adequately compensated after the war. This bonus was in the form of the Patman Bill. Hoover denied this bill and ordered the marchers to leave promptly. When a couple thousand weren’t left, he sent in 1,000 troops under MacArthur and Eisenhower to disband them forcefully, including using gas.

6. When Franklin Delano Roosevelt heard about the attack on the Bonus Army, why was he so certain that he would defeat Hoover?

Think About:

• the American public’s impression of Hoover (See your answer to No. 3)

• Hoover’s actions to alleviate the Great Depression (see your answer to No. 4)

• how people judged Hoover after the attack.       

Franklin Delano Roosevelt knew he would win because at this point the public opinion regarding Hoover was already very very low. Americans seeing Hoover forcefully attack veterans degraded this image even further. Not to mention, Hoover had created a shantytown for the marchers, helping to add to his image of creating shantytowns, then destroyed it. To most Americans, this was quintessential Hoover, making a sad place then doing the opposite to rectify it.