New Deal & Great Depression

Characteristics of FDR
Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) was known for his charisma, optimism, and strong leadership during the Great Depression. He had a pragmatic, experimental approach to governance, using government intervention to address economic crises.

New Deal
A series of federal programs and policies introduced by FDR in response to the Great Depression, aimed at relief, recovery, and reform, shaping the modern welfare state and expanding federal government powers.

Brain Trust
A group of intellectuals and experts who advised FDR during his presidential campaign and early years in office. They were crucial in shaping the New Deal’s policies.

Hundred Days
The first 100 days of FDR’s presidency in 1933, during which he enacted a series of landmark legislation aimed at addressing the Great Depression, including the Emergency Banking Relief Act and the Agricultural Adjustment Act.

The R’s
Refers to the three key goals of the New Deal: Relief, Recovery, and Reform, aimed at providing immediate relief, promoting economic recovery, and preventing future depressions.

Glass-Steagall Banking Reform Act
A 1933 law that separated commercial and investment banking to prevent excessive risk-taking and protect depositors, also creating the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).

Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC)
A New Deal program that provided employment for young men in public works projects related to conservation and environmental preservation, such as reforestation and national park maintenance.

Agricultural Adjustment Act (AAA)
A New Deal law aimed at boosting farm prices by paying farmers to reduce production of certain crops and livestock, addressing overproduction and low prices.

Huey Long
A populist Louisiana governor and U.S. senator who challenged FDR from the left, advocating for wealth redistribution through his “Share Our Wealth” program, which proposed capping personal fortunes and guaranteeing income.

Dr. Francis Townsend
A California physician who proposed the Townsend Plan, which advocated for a monthly pension for all Americans over 60, influencing the creation of Social Security.

Works Progress Administration (WPA)
A New Deal agency that employed millions of Americans in public works projects, including infrastructure, arts, and education, to combat unemployment.

Beer Act
A 1933 law that legalized beer and wine with an alcohol content of up to 3.2%, a step toward ending Prohibition and helping to revive the economy.

Public Works Administration (PWA)
A New Deal agency that funded large-scale infrastructure projects, such as bridges, dams, and schools, to stimulate the economy and provide jobs.

Reciprocal Trade Agreements
A series of agreements that reduced tariffs between the U.S. and other nations in exchange for similar reductions, aiming to promote international trade during the Great Depression.

National Recovery Administration (NRA)
A New Deal agency that sought to stimulate industrial recovery by establishing codes of fair competition, setting minimum wages, and regulating prices.

Wagner Act
A 1935 law that protected workers’ rights to organize unions, engage in collective bargaining, and participate in strikes, significantly strengthening the labor movement.

Dust Bowl
A period of severe dust storms in the 1930s, caused by drought and poor farming practices, which devastated the Great Plains, leading to mass migration and federal aid programs.

Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)
A New Deal initiative that aimed to modernize the Tennessee Valley region by providing flood control, electricity, and economic development, particularly through the construction of dams.

Social Security Act
A 1935 law that established a system of pensions for the elderly, unemployment insurance, and welfare for disadvantaged groups, marking a major step in the development of the American welfare state.

Fair Labor Standards Act
A 1938 law that established minimum wage, maximum working hours, and banned child labor, improving working conditions and rights for American workers.

Congress of Industrial Workers
A labor union that organized workers in major industrial sectors, including steel and automobile manufacturing, and played a key role in the growth of organized labor in the 1930s.

Court Packing Scandal
A 1937 controversy in which FDR proposed expanding the Supreme Court to add justices sympathetic to his New Deal programs. The plan was widely criticized and led to a loss of political capital.

Keynesianism
An economic theory developed by John Maynard Keynes, advocating for government intervention in the economy, particularly deficit spending, to stimulate demand and pull economies out of recessions. FDR’s New Deal was influenced by Keynesian principles.