Franklin Delano Roosevelt

Who was the Democratic candidate in the 1932 election?

Franklin Roosevelt; popular figure, third cousin of Theodore Roosevelt; campaign slogan “Happy Times are Here Again”; Polio survivor

What was FDR’s New Deal and what were some key aspects?

FDR’s plan to pull the nation put of the depression

• War Powers to fight the Depression

• Bank Holiday

• Relief and Reform

• Fireside chats

What does it mean that FDR used “War Powers to fight the Depression”?

Congress “declares war” on a problem, creating laws, organizations, administrations, etc.; Push leadership to the president so FDR takes charge in “fighting the war”

What was the Bank Holiday of 1933?

4 day period in March 1933 in which banks cannot perform transaction over the period, ends runs on bank; Unclear if FDR had the power to declare the holiday, but he did it anyway and it worked, making him even more popular

What did FDR do for relief and reform efforts?

Reforms the US and existing relief efforts to create the modern welfare state; creates his Alphabet Soup

What were the “Alphabet Soup” organizations?

Organizations tasked with specific issues created by Congress and directed by the president

• CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) — put people to work

• NRA (National Recovery Administration)

• SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) — designed to regulate the stock market

• SSA (Social Security Administration) — note that it was successful politically

• WPA (Works progress Administration) — Mix of relief and reform

• TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority) — Brings electricity to remote areas

• FDIC (Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation) — organization that protects people’s deposits in the bank; federal government guarantee

• AAA ( Agricultural Adjustment Administration)

• NLRB (National Labor Relations Board)

What were FDR’s Fireside Chats?

Every few weeks FDR would talk informally to the American People; Explained what they were doing and why; Gave Americans people to blame

What was significant about FDR’s first 100 days?

Considered the First New Deal; Passes so much legislation, creates the CCC, FDIC, AAA, and NRA; Gets Congress to move quickly; Sets the precedent of first 100 days in office milestone

Who won the 1936 election and how?

Landslide victory for FDR with over 98% of the electoral votes; Wins because of the New Deal’s success, including Social Security and the Wagner Act ( changes the role of labor unions and creates the NLRB)

What is the Executive office of the Presidency?

A permanent White House bureaucracy out of the West Wing that works directly with the president and is not voted on; Running legislative created administrations; takes power from Congress by delegating legislative powers to the president, but Congress just let the president deal with it

What was the first road block of the New Deal?

1937 National Industrial Recovery Act; created the National Recovery Administration, with industry standards for output, prices, and working conditions; Supreme Court declared it unconstitutional and said Congress had delegated too much power to the president; NIRA followed in court by AAA with SS and Wagner on the docket

Explain FDR’s court packing.

5 of the 9 judges were Republican judges; FDR goes to Congress and asks them to pass a law to appoint a judge to sit with every justice over 70 until he retires, know as the Court Packing Plan; Seen as FDR’s first political misstep and does not pass despite Democratic Congress

Who won the election of 1940?

FDR but not by as significant of a landslide; Largely ran/won because of threat of WWII; FDR enjoyed being president and felt he had a duty to lead American through this period of war

What was the US’s initial stance regarding WWII?

Neutrality through the Neutrality Acts of 1935 and 1937; Aided allies through the Destroyers for Bases (1940) and the Lend-Lease Program (1941)

What were the Destroyers for Bases and the Lend-Lease programs?

• Destroyers for Bases — 1940, Gives destroyers to the UK in exchange for island bases

• Lend-Lease Program — 1941, Givers the president the power to lend/lease weapons to anyone he deems necessary to the survival of the US (UK and USSR)

What was ruled in US v Curtis-Wright, 1937?

Upheld President’s authority in foreign affairs; allowed FDR to decide whether or not he could sell arms to foreign nations; Result of a smaller conflict but affected WWII

How does presidential power change during wartime?

Deference to president; Increased power and in a position to know more when making decisions; US has not declared war since WWII because of increased presidential power

What was the outcome of Ex Parte Quirin, 1942?

Supreme Court rules that a military tribunal is allowed in a time of war

What was executive order 9066?

Japanese-Americans were excluded from the West coast and relocated to interior camps; Sanctioned by the US Supreme Court

What was the outcome of Korematusu v US, 1944?

Supreme court defers to the president; Congress says it must be temporary