FDR EXAM ESSAY!!!!!!

Jun 13, 2005 17:53

Alice Scotti
12 June 2005
US History Exam Essay

Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the thirty-second president of The United States, was elected in 1933, four years after the stock market crash. When he was elected the whole country was still deep in economic depression. One of Roosevelt's campaign promises was the New Deal. this was his plan for recovery and relief from the depression.
Within the first hundred days he was in office Roosevelt was already pushing programs to create jobs and provide relief. The first thing he did was to order all banks to close for four days. Next he passed the Emergency Banking Act, which allowed all banks to be inspected by government officials. Banks with problems remained closed while safe banks were able to reopen. This Act helped to restore the nation's faith in banks. Before the Emergency Banking Act Americans were fearful that they would lose all their money if they put it into banks. With renewed faith in the banking system Americans bagan to put their savings back into banks, helping to stimulate the economy. In June 1933 the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) was established to insure all bank deposits up to $2,500. (Later this amount was raised to $5,000). This was another step towards restored faith in banks.
After passing legislation to help banks, Roosevelt's next step was to create jobs. To do this he first developed the Federal Emergency Relief Administration, which would send government funds directly to relief agencies. Roosevelt then set up public works programs to provide jobs for the unemployed. One of the programs started was the Civil Works Administration (CWA). Some jobs provided by the CWA were the building of roads, public parks and airports. Over four-million people were employed by the CWA. The creation of new jobs did a great deal to boost the morale of Americans.
In1935 Roosevelt launched the Second New Deal. This included more social welfare benefits, stricter business controls, more union support, and increased taxation on the wealthy. Also established in 1935 was the Works Progress Administration. This agency provided jobs such as the construction or improvement of playgrounds, schools and hospitals. A third act passed in 1935 was the Social Security Act which established the social security system. Through this system people could be provided with support in the form of regular payments from the government, if they met certain criteria.
Roosevelt was reelected in 1936 with a landslide victory, winning 523 to 8 in the electoral college. Although his proves that he was popular amongst the American people, Roosevelt still had many critics. Many were upset at the limits of his legislation, while others felt it went too far. Still others were angry at the lack of support for women and African Americans. Many also opposed the high taxation of the wealthy.
Even in the early stages of World War Two, Roosevelt knew that US involvement was inevitable. He began to build up the naval fleet in he Pacific. Congress passed several neutrality acts, allowing nations to pay cash for war supplies purchased from the US. A peacetime draft was issued. In 1941 the Lend-Lease Act was passed, authorizing the President to aid any nation who's defence was deemed vital to American security. On December 7, 1941 Japan attacked the American naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The next day Roosevelt declared was on Japan. Three days later Germany and Italy declared was on the united States.
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