Opposition to the first new deal (T2)

Question 1

What was the main reason for the right opposing the new deal?

Answer 1

It was too radical

Question 2

What was the main reason for the left opposing the new deal?

Answer 2

It wasn’t radical enough

Question 3

Who turned against Roosevelt in the new deal?

Answer 3

Many of the wealthy who had supported Roosevelt in days of the Depression

Question 4

Why did many of the wealthy turn against Roosevelt in the new deal?

Answer 4

• Increased taxing mainly affected them

- They felt the government had become too involved

Question 5

What issues were the Republicans facing at this time?

Answer 5

They were struggling to find a strong candidate for the 1936 election

Question 6

Why were the Republicans struggling to gain support?

Answer 6

They were still associated with their failures in the 1930s with Hoover

Question 7

When was the Liberty League organised?

Answer 7

April 1934

Question 8

Who was the Liberty League set up by?

Answer 8

Many conservative Democrats as well as Republicans

Question 9

What was the role of the Liberty league?

Answer 9

To promote private property and enterprise unregulated by the law

Question 10

How did the Liberty League form an opposition to Roosevelt?

Answer 10

They attacked Roosevelt throughout the New Deal years - they formed the basis of right-wing opposition to him

Question 11

By July 1936 how many members did the Liberty League have?

Answer 11

125,000

Question 12

After Roosevelt’s victory in 1936, what was membership of the Liberty League like?

Answer 12

It became less significant after Roosevelt won the election

Question 13

Which opposition was Roosevelt most concerned about at this time?

Answer 13

Opposition from the left

Question 14

Why did Roosevelt feel particularly threatened by the left wing opposition?

Answer 14

He feared they would join together to form a third party to challenge him in the next election

Question 15

What were some of the main threats to Roosevelt from the left?

Answer 15

• Huey Long
• Father Charles Coughlin
• Old Age Revolving Pensions

Question 16

What was EPIC?

Answer 16

End Poverty In California

Question 17

Who came up with the EPIC scheme?

Answer 17

The novelist Upton Sinclair

Question 18

What would happen in the EPIC scheme?

Answer 18

• The unemployed would be put to work in state-run co-operatives
• They’d be paid in currency
• They could spend this other co-operatives

Question 19

How successful was the EPIC scheme?

Answer 19

For a time they gained credibility and proved useful recruits for more serious alternative movements

Question 20

Who set up ‘share our wealth’?

Answer 20

Huey Long

Question 21

When was ‘share our wealth’ set up?

Answer 21

February 1934

Question 22

What was ‘share our wealth’?

Answer 22

All private fortunes over $3 million should be confiscated and should be shared amongst the poorer people

Question 23

In ‘share our wealth’, what did Huey Long suggest every family should be given enough money to buy?

Answer 23

• A house
• A car
• A radio

Question 24

What was another factor of ‘share our wealth’ that Huey Long suggested?

Answer 24

• Old age pensions
• Minimum wage
• Free college education (for suitable candidates)

Question 25

What did the minimum wage in the 'share our wealth' scheme guarantee?

Answer 25

Every family would have $2,000 - $3,000 per year

Question 26

How many 'share our wealth' clubs were there across the USA?

Answer 26

27,431

Question 27

How many members of share our wealth schemes were there?

Answer 27

4.6 million

Question 28

Who was Huey Long?

Answer 28

An energetic governor of Louisiana

Question 29

What had Huey Long ordered as a governor of Louisiana?

Answer 29

Massive public works programmes

Question 30

How many miles of public paved highways were built due to Huey Long's public works schemes?

Answer 30

Over 3,000 miles between 1928 and 1933

Question 31

What was achieved from Huey Long's public works schemes?

Answer 31

- New public buildings - New airport in New Orleans - Ambitious adult literacy schemes

Question 32

What was an issue with the way Huey Long governed?

Answer 32

He governed as a dictator and opponents were treated quite brutally by his bully boys

Question 33

Why did Long propose joining forces with other radicals?

Answer 33

They began to talk about forming a third party which would oppose Roosevelt in the 1936 election

Question 34

What happened to Long in 1935?

Answer 34

He was assasinated

Question 35

Give an example of Long's populrity

Answer 35

In 1935 a secret poll was taken to test Long's popularity - up to 4 million people might vote for Long in 1936

Question 36

What were the rumours around Long's death?

Answer 36

That Roosevelt's hand was somehow behind the assasination

Question 37

How did Roosevelt feel about Long's assassination?

Answer 37

Relieved as his main competitor was no longer alive

Question 38

Who advocated the old age pensions?

Answer 38

Francis Townsend

Question 39

Who was Francis Townsend?

Answer 39

A retired doctor who advocated old age pensions with a difference

Question 40

What did Francis Townsend argue pensioners should receive?

Answer 40

Everyone over 60 who was not in paid employment should receive $200 per month as long as it was all spent (not a cent saved)

Question 41

How did the pension scheme which Francis Townsend proposed aim to help the economy?

Answer 41

It would pull the USA out of the Depression as it would boost consumption

Question 42

How did the pension scheme that Francis Townsend proposed aim to help unemployment?

Answer 42

If people retire at 60 - it provides more jobs for the young

Question 43

How many members did Townsend clubs have?

Answer 43

500,000 members - congress was being lobbied to put the plan in place

Question 44

How was the pension scheme proposed by Townsend impractical?

Answer 44

- Payments of recipients would have been 50% of national income - Would need an army of bureaucrats to check all money was spent

Question 45

Who was Father Charles Coughlin?

Answer 45

A priest whose radio programme was extremely popular and very influential during the 1930s

Question 46

What was Father Charles Coughlin's radio programme called?

Answer 46

'The golden hour of the little flower'

Question 47

What was the audience of Father Charles Coughlin's radio show?

Answer 47

It regularly commanded an audience of 30-40 million

Question 48

How much did the listeners of Father Charles Coughlin's show contribute to his parish per year?

Answer 48

$5 million a year to his parish in Detroit

Question 49

What did Coughlin start in 1934?

Answer 49

The National Union for Social Justice

Question 50

What was the aim of the National Union for Social Justice?

Answer 50

The aim of monetary reform and redistribution of wealth

Question 51

Why was Roosevelt particularly afraid of Coughlin?

Answer 51

He had much influence and could have formed a possible alliance with Long

Question 52

Why did Coughlin lose popularity?

Answer 52

He became increasingly anti-semitic --> blaming Jews for both the New Deal and control of Wall St.

Question 53

What was thunder on the left?

Answer 53

The name given to various political developments that are credited with moving Roosevelt and the New Deal further to the left in 1935 and 1936

Question 54

Give an example of someone from Thunder on the left

Answer 54

Governor Floyd B. Olson of Minnesota led the Farmer-Labour Party - proposed far reaching economic reforms

Question 55

What were the results of the 1934 mid-term congressional elections?

Answer 55

The Democrats won 69 out of 96 seats in the Senate

Question 56

What was important about the results of the 1934 mid-term elections?

Answer 56

It is the biggest Democratic majority to date

Question 57

What was Roosevelt influenced by when deciding on his second new deal?

Answer 57

The increasing opposition to bid business to his measures, the more radical demands of left wing politicians