Chapters 22-23: The Great Depression and New Deal - Study Guide

How did the Great Depression affect employment, living conditions, and other aspects of American life?

Unemployment reached about 25% (1 in 4 workers)

Millions lost homes,  Hoovervilles, shantytowns

Soup kitchens and breadlines became common

Banks failed,  people lost life savings

Farmers lost land; Dust Bowl destroyed crops

Families delayed marriage, had fewer children, relied on charity

 What led to President Roosevelt’s election in 1932? How did his approach/response to the Great Depression compare to that of President Hoover?

Americans blamed Hoover for doing too little

Hoover believed in limited government and volunteerism

FDR promised active government involvement

FDR inspired confidence with optimism and leadership

Used fireside chats to reassure the public

What was the New Deal, and what were its main goals?

A series of programs created by FDR to fight the Depression

Three main goals:

Relief – help the unemployed and poor

Recovery – restart the economy

Reform – prevent future economic crashes

How did the New Deal attempt to provide direct relief to the American people?

CCC – jobs for young men (parks, trees, roads)

WPA – jobs building roads, schools, bridges

FERA – direct money for food and clothing

CWA – short-term emergency jobs

Relief focused on work programs instead of handouts

How did the New Deal affect different parts of the economy like banking, farming, finance, and labor?

Banking: FDIC insured deposits; bank holiday restored trust

Finance: SEC regulated the stock market

Farming: AAA paid farmers to limit production

Labor: Wagner Act protected unions and collective bargaining

What impact did the Supreme Court have on the New Deal programs?

Struck down major programs:

NIRA (1935) – unconstitutional

AAA (1936) – federal overreach

FDR proposed court-packing (failed politically)

Later rulings became more favorable after new justices

What were the main criticisms of the New Deal?

Conservatives: government too big, too much spending

Liberals: didn’t go far enough to help the poor

Business leaders opposed regulations

Some felt it threatened free-market capitalism

What long-lasting reforms did the New Deal create? Think about laws and government programs and agencies. 

Social Security Act – pensions, unemployment insurance

FDIC – bank deposit insurance

SEC – stock market regulation

Minimum wage & labor protections

Expanded role of federal government

How did the New Deal affect different minority groups like women, African-Americans, Mexican-Americans, and Native-Americans? Which group benefitted the most/least from the New Deal?

Women: gained government roles (Eleanor Roosevelt), limited benefits

African Americans: some jobs, but still faced discrimination

Mexican Americans: often deported or excluded

Native Americans: Indian Reorganization Act helped most

Most benefited: Native Americans (relatively)

Least benefited: Mexican Americans

Why did the arts flourish in the 1930s?

Government funding through the WPA

Artists documented real American life

Art boosted morale and national identity

Photography, murals, music, and theater expanded

What are the main political, social, and environmental effects of the New Deal?

Political: expanded federal power

Social: safety net for elderly, workers, unemployed

Environmental: conservation, parks, soil protection (CCC, TVA)

How successful was the New Deal in achieving relief, economic recovery, and long-term reform?

The New Deal was successful in providing relief by giving millions of Americans jobs, food, and financial help.

It helped the economy recover by restoring confidence in banks and businesses, but it did not fully end the Great Depression.

It was very successful in reform because it created lasting programs like Social Security, FDIC, and labor protections that still exist today.

Overall, the New Deal helped people survive the Depression and permanently changed the role of the federal government.