Topic 1.1
The Changing Politcal Environment 1917-80
How did the Presidency change from 1917-80?
Background
US System of Government
It had three levels, Federal, State and Local
Each level had three sectonss Executve (President/Governor/Mayor), Legislature
(Congress/State Legislature/Local Council) and Judiciary (Supreme Court/Supreme
State Court/ Trail Courts)
The idea is to have a separaton of power, the President is the head of state, the
Congress makes the laws and the Courts uphold them
Electons held for everything and Presidental and Congressional electons are done
separately
The success of the President to achieve his aims depends on his relatonship with
the other two branches of Government
Republicanism
Background
Wilson the second Democrat since the Civil War and many felt he took too much
control of the government
He made laws and expected Congress to fall in line with what he wanted
Appeal of Republicanism
These actons and WWI caused a backlash against the Democrats and people voted
for the Republican Harding
He believed in laissez-faire, allowing business to get on without interference from
the government, their responsibility was to maintain order and to keep their
spending under control
Harding was a hands-of President, he let business and Congress get on with their
jobs without interference
He wasn’t corrupt, but many of his cabinet were making the administraton look bad
However the Democrats couldn’t agree on a candidate and Hardings VP, Coolidge
won
He brought a greater sense of morality to laissez-faire and didn’t interfere with
Congress, under Coolidge America entered a boom era
However when Hoover became President the economic and social problems began
to appear
These would eventually lead to the decline of Republicanism and the rise of FDR
FDR and New Dealism
Background
When FDR was elected in 1932 the USA was at the height of the Great Depression,
Hovers attempts to stop it had failed
FDR ofered a new strategy of government interventon called the New Deal to fx
the problems
FDR’s Presidency
Charming, charismatc and persuasive; FDR was willing to work with anyone to get
things done and mainly wished to restore confdence in the American people
He did this through many well-written speeches and managed to get both the
people and Congress behind him
He got his frst banking bill with such ease that in the frst 100 days he made lots of
new legislaton to deal with the crash
He greatly increased White House staf for increased Federal Interventon
Set up the Executve Oce of the President and freely used executve orders to get
things done
The Changing Politcal Environment 1917-80
How did the Presidency change from 1917-80?
Background
US System of Government
It had three levels, Federal, State and Local
Each level had three sectonss Executve (President/Governor/Mayor), Legislature
(Congress/State Legislature/Local Council) and Judiciary (Supreme Court/Supreme
State Court/ Trail Courts)
The idea is to have a separaton of power, the President is the head of state, the
Congress makes the laws and the Courts uphold them
Electons held for everything and Presidental and Congressional electons are done
separately
The success of the President to achieve his aims depends on his relatonship with
the other two branches of Government
Republicanism
Background
Wilson the second Democrat since the Civil War and many felt he took too much
control of the government
He made laws and expected Congress to fall in line with what he wanted
Appeal of Republicanism
These actons and WWI caused a backlash against the Democrats and people voted
for the Republican Harding
He believed in laissez-faire, allowing business to get on without interference from
the government, their responsibility was to maintain order and to keep their
spending under control
Harding was a hands-of President, he let business and Congress get on with their
jobs without interference
He wasn’t corrupt, but many of his cabinet were making the administraton look bad
However the Democrats couldn’t agree on a candidate and Hardings VP, Coolidge
won
He brought a greater sense of morality to laissez-faire and didn’t interfere with
Congress, under Coolidge America entered a boom era
However when Hoover became President the economic and social problems began
to appear
These would eventually lead to the decline of Republicanism and the rise of FDR
FDR and New Dealism
Background
When FDR was elected in 1932 the USA was at the height of the Great Depression,
Hovers attempts to stop it had failed
FDR ofered a new strategy of government interventon called the New Deal to fx
the problems
FDR’s Presidency
Charming, charismatc and persuasive; FDR was willing to work with anyone to get
things done and mainly wished to restore confdence in the American people
He did this through many well-written speeches and managed to get both the
people and Congress behind him
He got his frst banking bill with such ease that in the frst 100 days he made lots of
new legislaton to deal with the crash
He greatly increased White House staf for increased Federal Interventon
Set up the Executve Oce of the President and freely used executve orders to get
things done
