Federal Reform

Question 1

Topic sentence

Answer 1

Some historians argue that FDR successfully reformed the role of the Federal Government to help people during the Great Depression.

Question 2

Background

Answer 2

Following the Great Depression, there was no system of federal relief and the nature of relief varied drastically because it was provided by states, local authorities or charities.

Question 3

Evidence 1

Answer 3

The Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA) was introduced in March 1933 and it provided relief for the unemployed e.g soup kitchens, money to cover clothing and schooling costs.

Question 4

Analysis 1

Answer 4

This helped reform the role of the federal Government to help people during the Great Depression as it set an example of the federal Governments giving direct funds for relief and many Americans thought that the Government was trying to help them.

Question 5

Counter Analysis

Answer 5

However, FERA wasn’t fully successful because in 1935, FERA paid $25 per month to an average family on relief while the minimum wage for subsidence was $100, meaning that it still left people struggling.

Question 6

Evidence 2

Answer 6

In addition, the social security act was passed in 1935 which provided for old-age pensions to be funded by employers and employee contributions.

Question 7

Analysis 2

Answer 7

This helped reform the role of the federal Government to help people during the Great Depression as the act was a leap forward because it provided a new state pension for old people and widows. It also provided help for disabled people and poor children.

Question 8

Counter Analysis 2

Answer 8

However, the social security Act was insufficient in meeting the needs of the poor and many employee groups like agricultural workers and those working for small-sea,e employers were excluded from the act.

Question 9

Evaluation

Answer 9

In evaluation, although the Federal Government had some success in reforming their role to support people during the Great Depression, there was still more that needed to be done to help certain groups in society as they were not included in some of the progressive legislation. This is again shown through Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) which was passed in 1933 with the aim to recruit unemployed young men aged 17-24 to work in national forests and parks and public lands. However the CCC was only primarily open to white men, leaving women and people of other races out from this act. This aspect of the New Deal was not as successful as economic recovery because economic recovery helped the USA get back up on their feet.