First New Deal Flashcards
1
Q
Why did Roosevelt win the 1932 presidential election?
- Roosevelt himself as factor?
A
- by far the strongest Democratic nominee for president
- Good relations with press (whilst Hoover’s poor)
- Exuded charisma (Hoover lacked)
- determined to win
- national radio address in April 1932 he called for the government to help “the forgotten man”
- used radio effectively
- above all americans voting for change
2
Q
Why did Roosevelt win the 1932 presidential election?
Hoover’s shortcomings?
A
- Hoover only possible Republican nominee
- too busy fighting Depression to campaign effectively
- poor relations with press
- lacked charisma
- most importantly expected to lose
3
Q
Why did Roosevelt win the 1932 presidential election?
What did Roosevelt promise/ or not promise?
A
- Roosevelt did not promise gov action to solve eco problems
- speech on 19 Oct attacked Hoover’s “extravagant government spending” + pledged 25% cut in fed budget
- many promises vague/ contradictory
- San Francisco advocated economic regulation as last resort
- Georgia spoke of “bold experimentation” to beat Depression + redistribution of national income
4
Q
Describe Roosevelt’s presidential win
A
- won biggest majority since Abraham Lincoln in 1864
- not overwhelming: 57% of popular vote
- no one really knew what he stood for
5
Q
How did the New Deal begin?
A
- following inauguration:
- Roosevelt called Congress into special session that lead to the 100 days and development of First New Deal
- this resulted in setting up many “alphabet agencies”
- measures intended to bring about “relief, recovery or reform”
6
Q
What were Roosevelts aim’s and how did he address these?
A
- create economic improvements + improve infrastructure
- ensure the system would be modern
- charismatic + used personality
- “fireside chats” explained his policies helped restore confidence
7
Q
Why was agriculture more important than industry?
A
- higher priority
- 30% of labour force worked in agriculture
- if they could afford to buy more, industry would be stimulated
8
Q
What acts did roosevelt pass in first new deal to help agriculture?
A
- Agricultural Adjustment Act, May 1933
- Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), May 1933
9
Q
What did the AAA do?
A
- Agricultural Adjustment Act
- 1933
- Overproduction greatest problem in agriculture
- Gov would subsidise farmers to reduce acreage and production voluntarily
- By producing less, cost of food would increase and also farmer’s income
- Agency set up: Agricultural Adjustment Administration:
- pay farmers to reduce prodution of “staple” items e.g corn, cotton, milk, tobacco and wheat
- programme self financing through tax placed on companies that processed food
10
Q
What was the effect of the AAA on cotton production?
A
- reduction of cotton production most pressing need
- 1933: unsold cotton in US exceeded average annual world consumption of A cotton
- paid to destroy basically
- 10.5 million acres of land ploughed under
- price of cotton rose 6.5 cents per pound in 1932 to 10 cents in 1933
11
Q
What was the effect of the AAA on food production?
A
- 6 million piglets bought and slaughtered
- many carcasses ed to unemployed
- public outcry enourmous
- Western ranchers sought to bring beef cattle under protection of AAA in 1934
- By Jan 1935: gov had purchased 8.3 mill head of cattle
- in return ranchers agreed to reduce breeding cows by 20% in 1937
12
Q
What was the effect of the AAA on crops?
A
- Drought helped make the 1933 wheat crop the poorest since 1896
- agreements reached to limit acreage in other crops in subsequent years
13
Q
How successful was the AAA?
A
- Total farm income rose from $4.5 billion in 1932 to $6.9 billion in 1935
- The percentage of farmers signing up high e.g 95% of Tobacco farmers
- Overall AAA effective to deal with crisis of overproduction, although there were problems
14
Q
What was the TVA?
A
- Tennessee Valley Authority 1933
- TVA set up to deal with underdevelopment and poverty in Tennessee Valley
- to harness power of River Tennessee which ran through seven of poorest states in US - the area had population of 2 million
- several major tasks:
- construct 20 dams to control floods
- develop ecological schemes such as tree planting to stop soil erosion
- to encourage farmers to use more efficient means of cultivation - e.g contour ploughing
- provide jobs by setting up fertiliser manufacture factories
- develop welfare and educational programmes
- produce hydro-electric power for area whose existing supplies of electricity limited to 2/ every 100 farms
15
Q
Was the TVA successful?
A
- largely responsible for the modernisation and improved living standards
- residents increased their average income by 200% in period 1929-1949
