social studies

FDR's Inauguration Day

March 4, 1933; FDR inspired Americans during the Great Depression with his famous line: 'The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.'

Banking Holiday

March 6–10, 1933; closed all banks temporarily to restore public confidence.

Hundred Days Congress

March 9–June 16, 1933; Congress passed significant New Deal legislation focusing on Relief, Recovery, and Reform.

Three Rs

Relief, Recovery, Reform - aims of the New Deal to provide immediate help, economic recovery, and systemic reforms.

Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC)

Hired 3 million young men for outdoor work, contributing to reforestation and flood control.

Emergency Banking Relief Act

1933 law passed in 8 hours giving the president control over banking transactions.

Fireside Chats

Radio broadcasts by FDR to reassure Americans that their banks were safe.

Glass-Steagall Banking Reform Act

Created the FDIC, insuring deposits up to $5,000 and ending widespread bank failures.

Gold Policy

FDR took the U.S. off the gold standard and exchanged gold for paper money.

Agricultural Adjustment Act (AAA)

Paid farmers to reduce crop acreage to combat overproduction and low prices.

Works Progress Administration (WPA)

Created jobs for 9 million people and built public infrastructure.

Fair Labor Standards Act

Set minimum wage and maximum workweek, and banned child labor under 16.

Social Security Act

Created a system for unemployment insurance and old-age pensions, marking a shift in governmental responsibility for welfare.

National Recovery Administration (NRA)

Aimed to help industry, labor, and the unemployed; established codes of fair competition.

Public Works Administration (PWA)

Funded large infrastructure projects led by Harold Ickes.

Dust Bowl

A period of severe dust storms in the 1930s due to drought and poor farming practices.

Indian Reorganization Act

1934 act restoring tribal self-government and preserving native culture.

Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)

Regulated the stock market to prevent fraud and insider trading.

Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)

Addressed poverty and erosion in the Tennessee River Valley through various public works.

Resettlement Administration

Moved struggling farmers to better land during the Dust Bowl era.

Hatch Act

1939 legislation banning most federal employees from active political campaigning.

Criticism of the New Deal

Conservatives accused it of waste, corruption, and socialism.

Keynesian Economics

Economic theory advocating deficit spending to stimulate the economy.

Reorganization Act (1939)

Expanded presidential administrative power by creating the Executive Office of the President.

Father Charles Coughlin

Catholic priest who preached social justice but became anti-Semitic.

Dr. Francis Townsend

Proposed $200 monthly pensions for those over 60 years of age.

Senator Huey Long

Promoted the 'Share Our Wealth' program promising every family $5,000.

'Roosevelt Recession'

Economic downturn in 1937 that saw rising unemployment.

The Wagner Act

Guaranteed workers' rights to organize and bargain collectively.

Minimum Wage

Set by the Fair Labor Standards Act at 40¢/hour.

Federal Housing Administration (FHA)

Stimulated home construction through small loans to homeowners.

Unemployment Insurance

Part of the Social Security Act, providing benefits for the jobless.

'The Grapes of Wrath'

Novel by John Steinbeck depicting Dust Bowl migrants.