FDR/New Deal/WWII Study Guide

A series of vocabulary flashcards covering key terms, events, and figures related to FDR, the New Deal, and World War II.

Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR)

32nd President (1933–1945) who led the U.S. through the Great Depression & most of WWII.

Eleanor Roosevelt

First Lady and social reformer who advocated for women, African Americans, and the poor.

Twentieth Amendment (1933)

Known as the 'Lame Duck Amendment', moving inauguration to January 20.

New Deal

FDR’s program to fight the Great Depression, focusing on Relief, Recovery, and Reform.

Brain Trust

A group of FDR advisors, including academics and economists, who crafted New Deal programs.

Hundred Days

The intense legislative period (March-June 1933) aimed at stabilizing the economy.

Emergency Banking Relief Act (1933)

Closed banks to inspect their finances, allowing only solvent banks to reopen.

Glass-Steagall Banking Reform Act (1933)

Created the FDIC to insure deposits and separated commercial and investment banking.

Bank Holiday

All banks temporarily closed in March 1933 for inspection.

Fireside Chats

FDR's radio addresses that explained policies in plain language to build public trust.

Harold Ickes

Secretary of Interior who ran the Public Works Administration (PWA) to create jobs.

Frances Perkins

First female Cabinet member (Labor Secretary) who helped create the Social Security Act.

Schechter v. U.S. (1935)

Supreme Court case that ruled the National Industrial Recovery Act unconstitutional.

Harry Hopkins

FDR advisor who ran the Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA) to aid the unemployed.

Father Charles Coughlin

Catholic priest who was an early FDR supporter but later criticized his policies.

Francis Townsend

Proposed monthly pensions for the elderly, influencing the Social Security Act.

Huey Long

Louisiana Senator and 'Kingfish' who advocated for income redistribution through Share Our Wealth.

Dust Bowl (1930s)

A severe drought combined with poor farming practices that caused massive dust storms.

Okies and Arkies

Migrants from Oklahoma and Arkansas who moved to California seeking work during the Dust Bowl.

The Grapes of Wrath (1939)

Novel by John Steinbeck telling the story of a Dust Bowl family migration.

Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO)

Organized industrial workers and was led by John L. Lewis before merging with the AFL.

Payroll Tax

Introduced in 1935 to fund the Social Security program.

Court Packing Plan (1937)

FDR's attempt to add 6 new Supreme Court justices, criticized as a power grab.

Roosevelt Recession (1937–1938)

A downturn caused by cutting federal spending too soon.

Deficit Spending – Keynesian Economics

John Maynard Keynes' principle that governments should spend during economic downturns.

London Economic Conference (1933)

FDR withdrew the U.S. from this conference to focus on domestic recovery.

Tydings-McDuffie Act (1934)

Initiated a 12-year transition for Philippine independence.

Good Neighbor Policy

Promoted non-intervention and improved diplomacy in Latin America.

Reciprocal Trade Agreement (1934)

Allowed FDR to negotiate lower tariffs to encourage exports.

Benito Mussolini (Italy, 1922–1945)

Fascist dictator who invaded Ethiopia in 1935.

Recognition of USSR (1933)

FDR formally recognized the Soviet Union to open trade and counteract aggression.

Rome-Berlin Axis (1936)

Alliance between Italy and Nazi Germany leading to WWII.

Invasion of Ethiopia (1935)

Italy’s attack that the League of Nations failed to stop.

Johnson Debt Default Act (1934)

Prevented nations that defaulted on WWI debts from borrowing from the U.S.

Neutrality Acts – 1935, 1936, 1937

Legislation aimed at keeping the U.S. neutral by banning arms and loans to belligerents.

Francisco Franco

Fascist leader in Spain during the Spanish Civil War, supported by Hitler and Mussolini.

Abraham Lincoln Brigade

Group of American volunteers who fought against Franco in Spain.

Marco Polo Bridge Incident (1937)

Japanese invasion of China which began the Second Sino-Japanese War.

Quarantine Speech (1937)

FDR's address urging the world to apply economic pressure on aggressive nations.

The Panay (1937)

Japanese attack on a U.S. gunboat with no subsequent retaliation.

Hitler named Reich Chancellor (1933)

Marked the start of Nazi dictatorship in Germany.

Rhineland (1936)

Area remilitarized by Hitler, with no response from France or Britain.

Anschluss (1938)

Germany's annexation of Austria, met with European appeasement.

Kristallnacht (1938)

Nazi pogrom against Jews resulting in destruction and many deaths.

Appeasement

The policy of giving in to the demands of Hitler to avoid conflict.

Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact (1939)

Secret agreement between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union to divide Poland.

Invasion of Poland (Sept 1, 1939)

Germany's attack that sparked the beginning of WWII.

Neutrality Act of 1939

Enabled cash-and-carry for Allies to buy weapons.

St. Louis (1939)

Jewish refugees denied entry to the U.S., many of whom later perished in the Holocaust.

War Refugee Board (1944)

U.S. program aimed at saving Jews from Nazi persecution.

Phony War (1939–1940)

Period of inactivity following Germany's invasion of Poland.

Dunkirk (1940)

The evacuation of Allied troops from France.

Battle of Britain (1940)

Britain successfully withstands the German air assault.

Fortress America

Isolationist sentiment focused on defending the U.S.

Committee to Defend America

Advocated for aiding Allies while maintaining U.S. neutrality.

America First Committee

Isolationist group led by Charles Lindbergh.

Selective Service Act (1940)

Established the first peacetime draft in the U.S.

Destroyers-for-Bases Deal (1940)

Deal where the U.S. gave destroyers to Britain in exchange for Caribbean bases.

All aid short of war

Support for Allies via weapons and supplies without direct combat involvement.

Wendell Willkie (1940)

Republican candidate who lost to FDR in the 1940 election.

Two-Term Tradition

Precedent established by Washington that FDR broke by running for a third term.

Arsenal of Democracy (1940)

FDR's speech advocating arms supply to Allies.

Lend-Lease Bill (1941)

Congress authorization for lending or leasing weapons to Allies.

Atlantic Charter (Aug 1941)

FDR and Churchill's statement on postwar goals of free trade and democracy.

USS Greer Incident (Sept 1941)

German U-boat attack on a U.S. ship leading to FDR's 'shoot-on-sight' order.

Pearl Harbor (Dec 7, 1941)

Japanese attack that led to U.S. entry into WWII, resulting in 2,400 deaths.

Shoot-on-sight

Rozevelts’s order to the US navy to shoot U-boats on sight

three R’s

Relief: immediate aid for the needy

Recovery: economic programs to restart the economy

Reform: long-term changes to prevent future depressions)