Finish up the Great Depression

The New DealReeling from the economic downturn and angry about President Hoovers refusal to use the government to relieve the suffering of the people many Americans looked to the upcoming Presidential election in 1932 as a way to change their circumstances. The 1932 election changes everythingHerbert Hoovers efforts to combat the effects of the Great Depression were viewed by the public as too little too late. His chances for re-election were not good.

His opponent, Franklin Roosevelt, was a cousin of Theodore Roosevelt and a member of one of the wealthy families on the East Coast.The 1932 election changes everythingFDR campaigned as someone who knew the problems of average people and pledged that he would help them.

The combination of Roosevelts charm and humor and the public dissatisfaction with the Republican Hoover administration meant FDR won the election easily.Right from the start its obvious the new president intends to act quickly..The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.

The First 100 DaysOnce he was President Franklin Roosevelt moved quickly to counteract the problems caused by the Depression

A desperate Congress supported Roosevelts efforts and rubber-stamped his proposals in order to expedite the reforms.

During the first 100 days of his presidency, a never-ending stream of bills was passed, to relieve poverty, reduce unemployment, and speed economic recovery. The First 100 Days (cont)His first act as president was to declare a four-day bank holiday, during which time Congress drafted the Emergency Banking Bill of 1933.

This stabilized the banking system and restored the public's faith in the banking industry by putting the federal government behind it.

Three months later he signed the Glass-Steagall Act which created the FDIC, federally insuring deposits, so people could put their money in the bank with confidence.

The First 100 Days (cont)The Civil Conservation Corps (CCC) was one of the New Deal's most successful programs.

It addressed the pressing problem of unemployment by sending 3 million single men from age 17 to 23 to the nations' forests to work. Living in camps in the forests, the men dug ditches, built reservoirs and planted trees. The men, all volunteers, were paid $30 a month, with two thirds being sent home.

The Public Works Administration (PWA),and in the Second 100 Days the Works Progress Administration (WPA) Roosevelt's major work relief program, would employ more than 8.5 million people to build bridges, roads, public buildings, parks and airports.

The First 100 Days (cont)The National Industrial Recovery Act (NIRA) and the National Recovery Administration (NRA) were designed to address unemployment by regulating the number of hours worked per week and banning child labor.

The Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA), created in 1933, gave $3 billion to states for work relief programs.

The Agricultural Adjustment Act subsidized farmers for reducing crops and provided loans for farmers facing bankruptcy.

The Home Owners' Loan Corporation (HOLC) helped people save their homes from foreclosure.

The First 100 Days (cont) While they did not end the Depression, the New Deal's experimental programs helped the American peoples spirits by taking care of their basic needs and giving them the dignity of work, and hope.

Repeal of 18th AmendmentRoosevelt had long felt that Prohibition was detrimental to the economy and society in general.

With FDRs support Prohibition was repealed December 5, 1933 with the ratification of the 21st Amendment to the Constitution.Native Americans and the New DealIn 1924 all Native Americans were finally made full citizens of the U.S. through the Indian Citizenship Act.

In 1933 FDR appointed John Collier as Commissioner of Indian Affairs. Collier helped to create the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934Indian Reorganization Act of 1934Marks an abrupt shift in policy from the previous drive for total assimilation of native people, and supports a return to autonomous tribal control.

The act restored some reservation lands to tribal ownership that had been lost during the days of the Dawes Act.Dawes ActAn attempt to force the Native nations to be more like the dominant culture this act divided up reservation lands and gave them to individuals as private property.In most cases these lands ended up in the hands of people outside the Native communityfurther reducing the territory controlled by indigenous people.Change was mandated in 3 areasEconomic Native American lands would now return to tribal ownership. Cultural the number of boarding schools for Native American students would be reduced and schools created on the reservations.Political tribes could elect tribal councils and govern reservations directly

Most traditional people felt this was a step forward.

But Native Americans who were more assimilated into the larger society and had become individual landholders through the Dawes Act resented yet more white interference in their affairs.FDR is re-elected in 1936Mostly through the support of Urban peopleEthnic minoritiesWomen votersHe was not as well-liked in rural areas, or by the traditional elites.Culture in the 1930sFDR had a weekly radio Fireside Chat that made most people feel very connected with their government in Washington D.C.

Escapist movies and radio entertainment were extremely popular, and helped people forget their cares during very tough times.

Wallace Beery & Jean Harlow in Dinner At Eight (1933) Novelists like Richard Wright and John Steinbeck won awards for their realistic portrayals of the human drama of life during the Depression books like The Grapes of Wrath (Steinbeck) and Native Son (Wright)

Thousands of artists, writers and photographers were put on the government payroll through the Works Progress Administration. When federal support of artists was questioned, Director of the WPA Harry Hopkins answered, "Hell! They've got to eat just like other people."

The WPA supported tens of thousands of artists, by funding creation of 2,566 murals and 17,744 pieces of sculpture that still decorate public buildings nationwide.

Grant Woods American Gothic

The federal art, theater, music, and writing programs, while not changing American culture as much as their adherents had hoped, did bring more art to more Americans than ever before or since.

The WPA program in the arts led to the creation of the National Foundation for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities which still offers support for artists and art projects of all kinds throughout the United States.

This photograph, known as Migrant Mother, is probably WPA photographer Dorothea Lange's most famous. It depicts destitute pea pickers in California, centering on a mother of seven children, age thirty-two, in Nipomo, California, March 1936. The woman in the picture is Florence Owens Thompson, whose partner and sons had gone to get help for their broken down car.

This WPA mural "Parks, the Circus, the Klan, the Press"by Thomas Hart Benton is located in Woodburn Hall, Indiana University-Bloomington Campus

Another Thomas Hart Benton WPA mural --"Electric Power, Motor-Cars, Steel"also located in Woodburn Hall, Indiana University-Bloomington Campus This Land is Your Land Woody GuthrieThis land is your land, this land is my land From California, to the New York Island From the redwood forest, to the gulf stream watersThis land was made for you and me

As I went walking that ribbon of highway I saw above me that endless skyway I saw below me that golden valley This land was made for you and me (chorus)

This song is considered bymany people to be the truestexpression of the Americanspirit.but you have to wonderif theyve heard the whole thing.

As I was walkin' I saw a sign there And that sign said no tresspassin But on the other side .... it didn't say nothin! Now that side was made for you and me! (Chorus)

In the squares of the city In the shadow of the steeple Near the relief office I see my people And some are grumblin' and some are wonderin' If this land's still made for you and me. (Chorus)

Woody Guthrie wrote manyprotest songs about ordinarypeople and their struggles during the Depression -- these lyrics, rarelyheard, are very typical of his viewof the world.How do we pay for the New Deal?The federal government was not bringing in enough tax dollars to cover the costs of all of the New Deal programs.

Money was needed to fund all of the recovery and relief efforts being introduced.

Some felt the answer was in the economic theories of John Maynard Keynes.

How do we pay for the New Deal?The answer was something called deficit spending meaning that the government would go into debt to bring the economy out of the emergency by putting money into the hands of people and thereby spark a recovery.

John Maynard KeynesJohn Maynard Keynes This British economist thought government should spend its way out of a depression. Keynes believed that if the government put money into the hands of consumers, and they will buy goods and services.

This, Keynes thought, will fuel economic growth.

So, even if government has to go deeply into debt it should spend whatever it takes to get the economy going again. Deficit spending is not popularFDR didnt like the idea. He felt it may be a necessary evil at a time of extreme crisis and agreed to try it. When it did not produce the immediate economic miracle many people expected there was protest.

Liberal critics felt the program did not go far enough to help the poor, and bring about success.Conservative critics felt that too much direct relief was creating a socialist state.The Supreme Court and the New DealThe Court declares that the NIRA and the AAA violate the Constitution.

FDR doesnt like the Court interfering with New Deal programs

He responds by trying to get Congress to expand the Supreme Court from nine members to fifteen. He is not successful.

National Industrial Recovery Act included the Public Works Administration they provided money to states to bulid schools and other community buildings, and later the Civil Works Administration provided 4 million jobs almost immediately they built 40,000 schools and paid the salaries of 50,000 schoolteachers in rural areas. They built 500,000 miles of roads. The NIRA tried to promote codes of fair practice for industries, and through the NRA (National recovery Administration) set prices for goods and set standards for manufacture, and tried to promote recovery by stopping wage cuts, falling process, and layoffs. The NRA also guaranteed workers rights to unionize and bargain collectively. The AAA (Agricultural Adjustment Act) tries to lower crop production to raise the price farmers could get from their crops, and to leave a portion of every acre unseeded. Livestock was purchased and slaughtered, crops were bought and plowed under many protested as so many were hungry but it did bring up the prices for farm products. The court claimed that NIRA overreached, and the AAA interfered with agriculture which should be left to local authorities.

Many of the justices were appointed by Republicans and did not agree with New Deal programs. FDR felt he needed more friends on the Court and wanted to appoint enough new people that would take his side. A storm ensued as Congress fought the idea many felt that it violated the idea of separation of powers and judicial independence. In the end the retirement of a justice let FDR appoint the liberal justice Hugo Black and court decisions begin to favor FDRs side of things. More justices retire, and in the four years between 1937-1941 FDR has the chance to appoint seven new justices. 32Three critics challenge FDRFather Charles Coughlin supported FDR at first but later felt the New Deal did not go far enough. He favored a guaranteed income and nationalization of banks.

Roosevelt or Ruin! Coughlin was wild, passionate and sometimes not very coherent. His rambling passionate speeches were popular with his radio audience, and many people compared him to Hitler with his charismatic speaking style but his later anti Semitic (anti-Jewish) stances cost him popular support. 33Three critics challenge FDRDr. Francis Townsend felt that FDR wasnt doing enough to help the poor and the elderly.He devised a monthly payment plan that would help those disadvantaged groups

Dr. Townsend was a Long Beach California physician who saw the profound poverty that many elder Americans were struggling with. His plan was very popular and undercut FDRs support with the older and less fortunate voters. 34Three critics challenge FDR

The most serious challenger to FDRs office was Huey Long.

His Share the Wealth club had a plan to give money to every single person in the USHuey Long speaks about his ideas to Share the Wealth

The Kingfish was killed on September 10 1935Huey Long was extremely popular, and many felt he would challenge FDR for the presidency in 1936, but he was assassinated in 1935 by a lone gunman. 36The Second New DealThe programs of the Second New Deal built on the programs from the first New Deal

Some gains had been made but not as quickly as everyone had hoped.

FDR named his new program the Second Hundred Days and centered on further relief for the people who were still suffering from the depression. The First Lady was the inspiration for many programsEleanor Roosevelt traveled the country and could speak to the suffering and troubles of ordinary people across the nation. Mrs. Roosevelt also encouraged FDR to bring more women into the government

Frances Perkins is FDRs secretary of Labor the first woman to serve in a cabinet level position. 38An array of programs.A second round of agriculture bills addressed some of the problems that farmers were having. Soil conservation, and moving away from soil depleting crops would be supported by the government. Migrant workers, sharecroppers, and poor farmers were helped by the Resettlement Administration, and the Farm Security Administration provided loans for tenant farmers and migrant workers to get farms of their own The WPA gave millions jobs doing everything from building roads and airports to collecting oral histories. Women and minorities and young people especially benefitted from WPA employment.

The Wagner Act protected the rights of workers to organize unions and collectively bargain.

The Fair Labor Standards Act set maximum hours and minimum wages for workers; set rules for workers under 16, and banned hazardous work for those under 18.The Social Security Act 1935

Old age insurance for retirees 65 or older and their spouses

Unemployment compensation

Aid to dependent children and the disabledRural electrificationIn 1935 12.6% of American farms had electricity. With the REA electrical cooperatives to bring power to 90% of the farms and rural homes by 1949.The Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 outlawed ownership of utilities by multiple holding companies and though it was a good idea, it proved hard to enforce.The New DealBrought relief to the many people who suffered from the financial crisis of the Great Depression.Gave new opportunities to women and minorities Brought many reforms that made the banking and financial life of the United States more secure.Brought new art, art forms and literature to American society.Impact of the New DealExpands governments role in the economyPromotes workers rights, creates Social Security to Improved life in rural America with electrification, improved farming methods, soil conservation measuresEnvironmental improvements like flood control, creation of parks and conservation areas, reduced grazing on pubic lands, protection of natural resources.All of these actions as much as they helped people, could not end the Great Depression.

And New Deal programs, because they reflected the biases of 1930s American politics and culture, did not offer the same aid to all Americans

White men generally received better benefits than women, blacks, or Latinos.

Still, FDR did much to reshape the United States.

With FDR in the White House, the federal government played a greater role than ever before in managing the American economy and in protecting the welfare of the American people. In short, through his policies and attempts to end the Depression FDR oversaw major and important changes in American politics and governance that would define life in the United States for most of the twentieth century. So, what did end the Great Depression?American mobilization for the coming war in the early 1940s finally brought the United States out of its economic doldrums

but that is another story for another day..Thanks for your kind attention

This Land Is Your LandWoody GuthrieWoody GuthrieThe Asch Recordings, Vol. 1-4Singer/Songwriter1999-08-17T07:00:00Zchouxba@aol.com 1999 Smithsonian Folkways Recordings2013-12-10 01:48:57Asch Recordings, Vol. 1-4