APUSH New Deal IDs

What was the Emergency Banking Act?

An act passed by FDR immediately after taking office. It declared bank holiday to prevent people from taking their money out of banks, allowed government inspection, and reopened those judged to be stable. This helped stabilize the banking system almost immediately, and began to restore people’s faith in banks.

What was the Agricultural Adjustment Act?

A 1933 plan that would pay farmers not to grow things in an attempt to lower inflation by lowering surplus. Many farmers joined, and farm income rose by 50% in one year, but it mostly favored larger farms and ignored tenant farmers.

What was the Wagner Act?

Part of the National Labor Relations Act, and attempted to prevent unfair practices, such as blacklisting of unionized workers.

What was the Social Security Act?

A 1935 act that provided relief for older Americans, the unemployed, blind people, and people with children, inspired by the Townsend plan.

What was the National Recovery Administration?

The NRA worked with businesses to regulate prices, and prevent cutthroat competition practices, like child labor, as well as guarantee labor’s right to organize and bargain collectively, as stated in Section 7a. However, businesses routinely ignored the codes and unions gained legitimacy, but were still often ignored. Ultimately, the Supreme Court declared it unconstitutional in 1935 and shut it down.

What was the Tennessee Valley Authority?

The TVA delivered jobs, power, and flood control to the Tennessee Valley Watershed by building dams. However, they displaced many farmers in the region so they could use the land.

What was the “Court Packing” scheme?

A proposal by FDR that he would appoint a new justice to the supreme court for every current justice over the age of 70. This stemmed from FDR’s frustration with the court for striking down some of his agencies, and his fear that they would get rid of them all, thus putting the country back at square one.

What was the Washington Naval Conference?

A conference in DC after World War 1 between the US, UK, Japan, Italy, France, and a few others which attempted to limit a possible arms race. They agreed on sanctions for Navies (the Five-Power Treaty), the US, UK, Japan, and France agreed to respect each other’s Pacific territories (the Four-Power Treaty), and the Nine-Power Treaty affirmed China’s sovereignty and continued a policy of equal trade access.

What were the Neutrality Acts?

A series of laws passed in the 1930s after WW1 to keep the US out of foreign wars.

What was the “America First” Committee?

An isolationist organization that opposed US involvement in the war in Europe (WW2). They opposed sending aid to Britain and believed that the US should focus on defending their own boarders. It dissolved after Pearl Harbor.

What was the Lend Lease Act?

A 1941 law passed to allow the US to lend or lease (rather than sell) weapons and equipment to countries fighting in World War 2 without getting involved directly.

What was the “Arcadia” Conference?

The first wartime conference of World War 2, which took place in December of 1941 to January of 1942 between the United States and Great Britain. Together, they decided to combine resources to create the European Theater of Operations and invade North Africa.

What was Executive Order 9066?

FDR’s 1942 executive order allowing the army to detain and intern Japanese-Americans. The idea stemmed from rumors flying that they were conspiring to help Japan invade California, and forced Japanese-Americans, many of whom were citizens of the United States, to sell their belongings and relocate to internment camps in the desert.

What was Operation OVERLORD?

The Allied invasion of Western Europe in World War 2, colloquially called D-Day. This was essentially the beginning of the end of the war. Allies stormed the beaches of Normandy and pushed the Germans back to the Franco-German border, taking Paris within six weeks. The war ended just under a year later.

Who was Huey Long?

A Louisiana senator. He proposed a “Share Our Wealth” plan, which would heavily tax the rich and provide everyone with a $5k homestead and a guaranteed income of $2k a year.

Who was Dr. Townsend?

A California physician who attacked FDR for neglecting the elderly. He proposed his own plan, called the Townsend plan, to provide relief for older Americans. His idea eventually became the foundation of the Social Security Act.

Who was Father Coughlin?

A Detroit radio pastor with an extensive following. He believed that “Free Silver” was the solution the the Depression