FDR Takes Action
What were FDR’s radio addresses to the American people called?
Fireside Chats.
Which program provided jobs for young men planting trees, building parks, and conserving natural resources?
The Civilian Conservation Corps, or CCC.
What were the Three R’s of the New Deal?
Relief, Recovery, and Reform.
Which New Deal law protected workers’ rights to organize and join unions?
The Wagner Act.
Which branch of government ruled several New Deal programs unconstitutional?
The judicial branch, through the Supreme Court.
What was the period when FDR and Congress quickly passed many laws at the beginning of his presidency called?
The First Hundred Days.
Which agency protected bank deposits and helped restore confidence in banks?
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, or FDIC.
Which R meant providing immediate help to people suffering during the Depression?
Relief.
What does collective bargaining allow workers to do?
Negotiate as a group with employers over wages, hours, and working conditions.
What was FDR’s proposal to add more Supreme Court justices commonly called?
The Court Packing Plan.
What was the main purpose of the legislation passed during the First Hundred Days?
To address the Great Depression quickly through government action.
Which law established financial support for retired elderly Americans?
The Social Security Act.
Which R focused on getting the economy growing again? Give one program example.
Recovery. Examples include the AAA’s efforts to raise farm prices or the TVA’s efforts to encourage economic development.
Workers form a union and negotiate for safer conditions and higher wages. What New Deal issue does this illustrate?
Labor rights, including union organization and collective bargaining.
Why did FDR want to appoint additional Supreme Court justices?
He hoped to create a Court more likely to uphold New Deal legislation.
How did the Fireside Chats help FDR respond to the Depression?
They allowed him to explain policies directly to Americans, reassure the public, and build confidence.
Which program paid farmers to reduce production, and what was its economic goal?
The Agricultural Adjustment Act, or AAA. Its goal was to reduce crop surpluses and raise agricultural prices and farm income.
Why is the FDIC primarily an example of Reform?
It created lasting protection for bank deposits to reduce the damage caused by future bank failures and restore confidence.
How could protecting bank deposits help stabilize the banking system?
Depositors would have greater confidence that their insured savings were protected, making them less likely to rush to withdraw money.
Why did critics argue that the Court Packing Plan threatened checks and balances?
They feared the president could reshape the Court to support his policies, weakening its independence as a check on presidential and congressional action.
How did the New Deal change Americans’ expectations of the federal government?
Americans increasingly expected the federal government to help during economic hardship and provide protections for workers, savings, and retirement.
Which program built dams and provided electricity in the Tennessee River Valley? Explain how those projects could help the region’s economy.
The Tennessee Valley Authority, or TVA. The projects created jobs and supplied electricity that supported homes, farms, and businesses.
Explain how the CCC and Social Security illustrate different New Deal goals: immediate Relief and lasting Reform.
The CCC provided immediate jobs and income. Social Security established a lasting system of retirement protection and economic security.
Explain how the Wagner Act and Social Security both expanded the federal government’s role, even though they addressed different problems.
The Wagner Act established federal protections for workers’ organizing and bargaining rights. Social Security established federal responsibility for a lasting system of retirement support.
Give one argument a supporter could make for the Court Packing Plan and one argument an opponent could make against it.
Supporter: The Court was blocking programs needed to address the economic emergency. Opponent: Changing the Court to obtain favorable rulings could weaken judicial independence and concentrate power in the presidency. Accept other historically reasonable arguments.