FDR and the New Deal- American Nation Textbook, Chapter 26, Section 2 Summary
1. a) Franklin Roosevelt: He grew up in a wealthy family and attended Harvard University and Columbia Law
School. His role was as an assistant secretary to the navy in WWI. He was elected as New York’s governor in
1928 and he became the Democratic party’s presidential candidate in 1932. He won the election and created the
“New Deal” to help solve the economic issues created by the Depression.
b) Hundred Days: This was the name given to FDR’s first three months in office. He sent many bills to
Congress during this period and passed 15 new laws. One of these bills was the Emergency Banking Relief Act.
Only banks who had enough money to meet depositors’ demands could reopen after the bank holiday under
this act.
c) New Deal: This was a name that Roosevelt’s bills that covered programs that helped solve problems like
unemployment. The “New Deal” included three major objectives. These three objectives were plans for recovery
of the economy, reforms to prevent a repeat of the depression, and relief for the unemployed.
d) Civilian Conservation Corps: This was one of the first “New Deal” programs. It hired jobless men who were
between the ages of 18 and 25. They received $1 a day to develop new parks, built bridges, plant trees, and
worked on flood-control projects. It served a double purpose—which were to employ young people and
conserve natural resources.
e) National Recovery Administration: This was set up by Congress to enforce the National Industrial Recovery
Act, which had each industry write a set of rules/standards, for wages, productions, working conditions, and
prices. Companies and businesses that followed the NRA codes had a blue eagle stamp on their products. The
government encouraged citizens to only support companies with the blue eagle on their products. However,
many companies disregarded the codes and small businesses felt that the NIRA codes favored the larger firms.
f)Tennessee Valley Authority: This was a program of the Hundred Days. Its purpose was to recreate the
Tennessee River Valley. This large area often suffered from horrible flooding. Over 50% of the region’s families
were on relief, for the farmland was so poor. In an effort to control the flooding, engineers constructed 49 dams
across 7 states. In addition, the dams provided cheap electric power. Also, the TVA deepened river channels for
shipping. It developed new fertilizers to improve farmland and planted new trees/forests to conserve soil. The
TVA set up schools and health centers as well. However, the TVA caused a controversial debate. Those on the
opposing side argued that the government had no rights to steal business from private companies in the area.
Power companies in this regions were especially mad. They made the point that the government, who wasn’t
required to make a profit for shareholders, could provide electric energy for cheaper than a private company and
then cause the private companies to go out of business. Those who supported the TVA illuminated how the
government could utilize its resources to assist private companies. The program ended up creating an area of
prosperity out of a desperate and poor region.
2. a) Polio-A disease caused by a virus.
b) Bank holiday-When Roosevelt closed every bank across the country for 4 days.
c) Fireside chat-The name given to the radio speeches FDR gave while in office because he sat in a chair near a
fireplace while he spoke.
1. a) Franklin Roosevelt: He grew up in a wealthy family and attended Harvard University and Columbia Law
School. His role was as an assistant secretary to the navy in WWI. He was elected as New York’s governor in
1928 and he became the Democratic party’s presidential candidate in 1932. He won the election and created the
“New Deal” to help solve the economic issues created by the Depression.
b) Hundred Days: This was the name given to FDR’s first three months in office. He sent many bills to
Congress during this period and passed 15 new laws. One of these bills was the Emergency Banking Relief Act.
Only banks who had enough money to meet depositors’ demands could reopen after the bank holiday under
this act.
c) New Deal: This was a name that Roosevelt’s bills that covered programs that helped solve problems like
unemployment. The “New Deal” included three major objectives. These three objectives were plans for recovery
of the economy, reforms to prevent a repeat of the depression, and relief for the unemployed.
d) Civilian Conservation Corps: This was one of the first “New Deal” programs. It hired jobless men who were
between the ages of 18 and 25. They received $1 a day to develop new parks, built bridges, plant trees, and
worked on flood-control projects. It served a double purpose—which were to employ young people and
conserve natural resources.
e) National Recovery Administration: This was set up by Congress to enforce the National Industrial Recovery
Act, which had each industry write a set of rules/standards, for wages, productions, working conditions, and
prices. Companies and businesses that followed the NRA codes had a blue eagle stamp on their products. The
government encouraged citizens to only support companies with the blue eagle on their products. However,
many companies disregarded the codes and small businesses felt that the NIRA codes favored the larger firms.
f)Tennessee Valley Authority: This was a program of the Hundred Days. Its purpose was to recreate the
Tennessee River Valley. This large area often suffered from horrible flooding. Over 50% of the region’s families
were on relief, for the farmland was so poor. In an effort to control the flooding, engineers constructed 49 dams
across 7 states. In addition, the dams provided cheap electric power. Also, the TVA deepened river channels for
shipping. It developed new fertilizers to improve farmland and planted new trees/forests to conserve soil. The
TVA set up schools and health centers as well. However, the TVA caused a controversial debate. Those on the
opposing side argued that the government had no rights to steal business from private companies in the area.
Power companies in this regions were especially mad. They made the point that the government, who wasn’t
required to make a profit for shareholders, could provide electric energy for cheaper than a private company and
then cause the private companies to go out of business. Those who supported the TVA illuminated how the
government could utilize its resources to assist private companies. The program ended up creating an area of
prosperity out of a desperate and poor region.
2. a) Polio-A disease caused by a virus.
b) Bank holiday-When Roosevelt closed every bank across the country for 4 days.
c) Fireside chat-The name given to the radio speeches FDR gave while in office because he sat in a chair near a
fireplace while he spoke.
