Tavish McGuire

Block 2

FDR's New Deal

In 1932 Franklin Delano Roosevelt was elected President, sparking the fire for a powerful and
radical idea within Roosevelt's mind. Immediate changes were set in effect after taking office a year
later, creating the New Deal policies in hopes of ending the Great Depression. It was such a radical
policy at the time because of the push that was given, and the effort involved by such a man. It
consisted of three main concepts; relief, recovery, and reform. Together these three concepts successful
improved the lives of Americans after the Great Depression, as well as changing the government's role
in society and their own interests.
The first set of improvement to American life came through in the form of relief. The Hundred
Days Congress Roosevelt had implemented created a system called the FERA, or Federal Emergency
Relief Administration. With this system in place, Roosevelt gave out an incredible sum of money to
states and local government, which in turn dispersed that money to their people. Another relief plan set
in place was the CWA, or Civil Works Administration. This system gave temporary work for people
that were in need.
The second set of improvements to American life came through in the form of recovery.
Roosevelt created the Civilian Conservation Corps, which in turn created millions of government
paying jobs. In 1933 the National Industrial Recovery Act in hopes of reviving production within the
economy, as well as stimulating the infrastructure. Within the NIR Act, the NRA and PWA were created
to help. The National Recovery Administration and the Public Works Administration limited goods
production in order to increase their prices, as well as aid in the physical improvements of the country's
infrastructure. With these systems in place a chance of long term economic recovery could take place.
The third set of improvements to American life came through in the act of reform. The
government set out to correct the previous habits and practices of America that had sent them in the
Great Depression. For example, the Glass-Steagall Banking Reform Act was set in place to help protect
the peoples savings deposits. The AAA, or Agriculture Adjustment Administration was created to end
the cycle of overproduction leading to overprices. This allowed farmers to harvest less, yet make more.
Many more systems were set in place to limit the possibility of another screw up of America's
economy.
With these three tactics of improvement, Franky Roose was able to bring immediate and long
term improvement to the lives of Americans. It allowed people to bounce back from the Great
Depression, and help them start to move forward again. The New Deals did not take away all the
problems in America, and did not make the Great Depression seem like it never happened, but they did
drastically help America in getting free from the Depression's grasp. Through relief, recovery, and
reform, Roosevelt was able to use a radical policy to help America.