The Great Depression and the New Deal, 1929–19411
Chapter 25
The Great Depression and the New Deal,
1929–1941
Learning Objectives
After you have studied Chapter 25 in your textbook and worked through this study guide chapter, you should be able to:
1.Discuss the impact of the Great Depression on the American economic system and on city dwellers, farmers, marriage patterns, and family life.
2.Examine how and why Americans responded to the Great Depression as they did.
3.Explain and evaluate the Hoover administration’s attempts to deal with the economic and human crises posed by the Great Depression.
4.Examine the issues and personalities and explain the outcome of the 1932 presidential and congressional elections.
5.Discuss the impact of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s personal and professional experiences prior to 1932 on his political, social, and economic views, and examine the relationship between his political, social, and economic views, and his handling of the Great Depression.
6.Explain the practical and theoretical basis for the legislative enactments of the First New Deal (l933–1934), and evaluate the effectiveness of the First New Deal in solving the problems of the depression.
7.Examine the variety of criticisms leveled against the New Deal, and discuss the alternatives proposed.
8.Contrast the Supreme Court’s reaction to New Deal legislation before and after 1937, and explain the reasons for the shift.
9.Explain the practical and theoretical basis for the legislative enactments of the Second New Deal (1935–1939), and evaluate the effectiveness of the Second New Deal in solving the problems of the depression.
10.Identify the components of the New Deal coalition, and examine the impact of this coalition on the 1936 presidential election.
11.Examine the problems encountered by President Roosevelt during his second term.
12.Examine the power struggle between craft unions and industrial unions during the New Deal era; discuss the victories and defeats of organized labor during this period; and assess the overall impact of the New Deal era on organized labor in the United States.
13.Examine the impact of the Great Depression and the New Deal era on African Americans, American Indians, Mexican Americans, and women, and explain the responses of these groups to the obstacles they faced.
14.Discuss the issues and personalities and explain the outcome of the 1940 presidential election.
15.Discuss the legacy of the New Deal.
Thematic Guide
Chapter 25 opens with a discussion of the Great Depression’s impact on people’s lives. The human story includes the increase in malnutrition and disease, the sufferings of drought- and debt-ridden farmers, descriptions of hobo towns, altered marital patterns, and changes to family life.
In the midst of the depression, few Americans thought in radical, revolutionary terms. Many accepted the traditional American belief in the self-made man and blamed themselves for the depression. The protests that emerged were relatively mild, the most spectacular being the Bonus March. Furthermore, in the case of the Bonus March, it was the government, not the people, that overreacted.
Hoover’s response to appeals from the people that the government extend aid was at first defensive. Hoover was convinced that self-help was the solution, not government aid. As the depression deepened, Hoover reluctantly began to energize the government. But at the same time he pursued policies that caused further deterioration of the economic situation.
An understanding of Franklin Roosevelt’s background, his perception of himself, his society, and American government is important to an understanding of his approach to the Great Depression. That background and Roosevelt’s frame of reference are outlined as part of the discussion of the presidential election of 1932. Moreover, the authors explain the reasons for Roosevelt’s victory and reveal that in spite of a deepening crisis Americans did not adopt radical solutions. Instead, they continued to follow tradition by peacefully exchanging one government for another.
With the aid of the “Brain Trust,” Roosevelt adopted a theoretical basis for the New Deal he promised to the American people. Roosevelt believed that government could act as a positive force in American society. In deciding how it should act, he was a pragmatist and thus willing to experiment. At first he accepted the idea that government could and should effectively regulate big business. He accepted the idea that centralized planning by the federal government could solve some of the problems associated with the depression, and he was willing to have government engage in direct relief to alleviate the distress of the nation’s citizens. Furthermore, the first New Deal was based on the assumption that overproduction was the underlying problem.
Roosevelt’s initial actions, outlined in “Launching the New Deal and Restoring Confidence,” demonstrate both the conservative nature of his approach and his realization that the psychology of pessimism within the country was as great an enemy as the depression itself. The legislation that was passed, as well as the fireside chats, provided a sense of movement that helped break the mood of pessimism.
An attempt to solve the problem of overproduction through centralized planning provided the theoretical framework for passage of the AAA, the NIRA, and the TVA. Belief in giving direct relief to states and to individuals may be seen in acts such as the Federal Emergency Relief Act and the CCC. The authors consider these and other measures passed during the Hundred Days, and they also discuss the concept of interest-group democracy, which is important for understanding the politics of the New Deal and the Democratic coalition that emerged.
The statistics provided show that the New Deal was not a cure-all and help explain the emergence of opposition to it. The range of criticism indicates that Roosevelt was a political moderate in the route that he chose. Furthermore, the kind of opposition from popular critics like Huey Long, as well as Supreme Court decisions against the AAA and the NIRA, help explain the launching of the Second New Deal.
The Second New Deal stemmed from the view that underconsumption was the nation’s basic problem, that business and banking interests had to be regulated more closely, and that the government had a responsibility to the aged and the needy in American society. These assumptions were behind the Emergency Relief Appropriation Act and five other major pieces of legislation passed during the Second Hundred Days.
The Second New Deal and the forging of the New Deal coalition carried Roosevelt to victory in the 1936 election. Mistakes and political reality meant that Roosevelt did not enjoy successes during his second term like those experienced in his first. He made a political and tactical mistake in his request for a restructuring of the Supreme Court. His dislike of deficit spending and desire for a balanced budget led to drastic cuts in federal spending, which in turn led to a new recession in 1937 and to a renewal of deficit spending. Such mistakes undercut some of Roosevelt’s charisma, and with the passage of a new Agricultural Adjustment Act and the Fair Labor Standards Act, the last reforms of the New Deal were enacted.
Having discussed the reforms of the New Deal, the authors consider the impact of the New Deal era on organized labor, nonwhites, and women. Organized labor benefited from both Section 7(a) of the NIRA and the Wagner Act. Therefore, despite determined resistance by management and a division within the labor movement that led to the creation of the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO), the union movement made impressive gains during the 1930s.
Although passage of the Indian Reorganization Act indicates a more enlightened governmental approach to American Indians, the experience of African Americans and Mexican Americans demonstrates that racism continued as a force detrimental to the lives of nonwhites. The Scottsboro case serves as a symbol of the “ugliness of race relations in the depression era.” Furthermore, despite the presence of the Black Cabinet, President Roosevelt was never fully committed to civil rights for blacks, and some New Deal measures functioned in a discriminatory way. However, there were some indications that change was on the horizon.
First, in relation to cases arising out of the Scottsboro trial, the Supreme Court ruled that the due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment made the criminal protection procedures (the right to adequate defense counsel and the right to an impartial jury) of the Sixth Amendment applicable to the states. Second, Roosevelt created the Black Cabinet and had within his administration people committed to racial equality. Furthermore, African Americans continued, as they had throughout their history, to work in their own behalf to overcome the injustices and abuses associated with white racism. The March on Washington Movement and Roosevelt’s subsequent issuance of Executive Order No. 8802 can be seen in this light.
Like blacks, women continued to suffer discrimination during the depression era. Although their contributions to the family increased, their status within the family remained unchanged. As more women entered the work force, they continued to face hostility, wage discrimination, and limited employment choices because of sex-typed occupations. Women participated in the shaping and execution of the New Deal through the “women’s network” and through formal appointment to governmental posts, but the fact remained that much New Deal legislation either discriminated against or excluded women.
The chapter ends with a discussion of the presidential election of 1940 and the way in which historians view the legacy of the New Deal.
Building Vocabulary
Listed below are important words and terms that you need to know to get the most out of Chapter 25. They are listed in the order in which they occur in the chapter. After carefully looking through the list, refer to a dictionary and jot down the definition of words that you do not know or of which you are unsure.
severance
specter
moratorium
ingratiating
penchant
analogue
solvent
deflation
vehement
auspices
demagogue
fiscally
regressive
disparate
ironic
intimidate
astute
docile
maxim
preempt
coherent
pragmatist
ameliorate
Identification and Significance
After studying Chapter 25 of A People and a Nation, you should be able to identify fully and explain the historical significance of each item listed below.
1.Identify each item in the space provided. Give an explanation or description of the item. Answer the questions who, what, where, and when.
- Explain the historical significance of each item in the space provided. Establish the historical context in which the item exists. Establish the item as the result of or as the cause of other factors existing in the society under study. Answer this question: What were the political, social, economic, and/or cultural consequences of this item?
Marvin Montgomery
Identification
Significance
“Hoovervilles”
Identification
Significance
the Farmers’ Holiday Association
Identification
Significance
the Bonus Expeditionary Force
Identification
Significance
Herbert Hoover
Identification
Significance
the President’s Organization on Unemployment Relief
Identification
Significance
the Federal Farm Board
Identification
Significance
the Reconstruction Finance Corporation
Identification
Significance
the Hawley-Smoot Tariff
Identification
Significance
the Revenue Act of 1932
Identification
Significance
the Twenty-First Amendment
Identification
Significance
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Identification
Significance
Eleanor Roosevelt
Identification
Significance
the Brain Trust
Identification
Significance
the economics of scarcity
Identification
Significance
the 1932 presidential campaign and election
Identification
Significance
Roosevelt’s first inaugural address
Identification
Significance
national bank holiday
Identification
Significance
the Emergency Banking Relief Bill (March 9, 1933)
Identification
Significance
Roosevelt’s fireside chats
Identification
Significance
the Beer-Wine Revenue Act (March 22, 1933)
Identification
Significance
the Agricultural Adjustment Act (May 12, 1933)
Identification
Significance
the Farm Credit Act (June 16, 1933)
Identification
Significance
the Civilian Conservation Corps (March 31, 1933)
Identification
Significance
the Federal Emergency Relief Act (May 12, 1933)
Identification
Significance
the National Industrial Recovery Act (June 16, 1933)
Identification
Significance
the Public Works Administration
Identification
Significance
the National Recovery Administration
Identification
Significance
Section 7(a) of NIRA
Identification
Significance
the Federal Securities Act (May 17, 1933)
Identification
Significance
the Banking Act of 1933 (June 16, 1933)
Identification
Significance
the Tennessee Valley Authority (May 18, 1933)
Identification
Significance
the First Hundred Days
Identification
Significance
the Grazing Service
Identification
Significance
interest-group democracy
Identification
Significance
the American Liberty League
Identification
Significance
the “Okies” and “Arkies”
Identification
Significance
the Dust Bowl
Identification
Significance
Father Charles Coughlin
Identification
Significance
Dr. Francis E. Townsend
Identification
Significance
Huey Long
Identification
Significance
the Communist Party of the United States of America
Identification
Significance
Schechter v. U.S. and U.S. v. Butler
Identification
Significance
the Second New Deal
Identification
Significance
the Emergency Relief Appropriation Act (April 8, 1935)
Identification
Significance
the Works Progress Administration
Identification
Significance
the Federal Theater, Federal Arts, Federal Music, and Federal Writers Projects
Identification
Significance
the Second Hundred Days
Identification
Significance
the National Labor Relations (Wagner) Act (July 5, 1935)
Identification
Significance
the Social Security Act (August 15, 1935)
Identification
Significance
the Wealth Tax Act (August 30, 1935)
Identification
Significance
the 1936 presidential election
Identification
Significance
the New Deal coalition
Identification
Significance
the Judiciary Reorganization Bill of 1937
Identification
Significance
NLRB v. Jones and Laughlin Steel Corp.
Identification
Significance
the recession of 1937–1939
Identification
Significance
the National Housing Act (September 1, 1937)
Identification
Significance
the Fair Labor Standards Act (June 25, 1938)
Identification
Significance
craft unions vs. industrial unions
Identification
Significance
John L. Lewis
Identification
Significance
the Congress of Industrial Organizations
Identification
Significance
the United Auto Workers’ strike of 1936
Identification
Significance
the Memorial Day Massacre
Identification
Significance
Judge John J. Parker
Identification
Significance
the Scottsboro trials
Identification
Significance
A. Philip Randolph
Identification
Significance
the Black Cabinet
Identification
Significance
the March on Washington Movement
Identification
Significance
Executive Order No. 8802 (June 25, 1941)
Identification
Significance
John Collier
Identification
Significance
the Indian Reorganization Act (June 18, 1934)
Identification
Significance
Mexican Americans and the Depression
Identification
Significance
the Farm Security Administration
Identification
Significance
It’s Up to the Women
Identification
Significance
the “women’s network”
Identification
Significance
the 1940 presidential election
Identification
Significance
Organizing Information
President and Mrs. Roosevelt engaged in such a flurry of activity to jump-start a nation in the throes of a deep depression and also to influence social attitudes that it is difficult to remember all they did to re-shape Americans’ concept of the federal government. To get a handle on the Roosevelt initiatives and programs and forms of social as well as political and economic leadership, complete the following two charts about New Deal achievements and then a third chart about how the roles of federal government evolved under the influence of the Roosevelts.
Achievements of the First and Second New Deals
The charts on the following pages include the major achievements of the First and Second New Deals discussed in Chapter 25. They are arranged in the same manner as in the chart on page 442 in the textbook. Use the charts to compile and organize information about New Deal achievements and categorize those achievements. Since some of the acts listed are not dealt with extensively in the text, your professor may want you to do some library research to better identify and explain the historical significance of each.
First New Deal Achievements
Labor /Agriculture / Business and Industrial Recovery /
Relief /
Reform
1933
Section 7A of NIRA
Identification
Significance / Agricultural Adjustment Act
Identification
Significance
Farm Credit Act
Identification
Significance / Emergency Banking Act
Identification
Significance
Beer-Wine Revenue Act
Identification
Significance
Banking Act of 1933
Identification
Significance
National Industrial Recovery Act
Identification
Significance / Civilian Conservation Corps
Identification
Significance
Federal Emergency Relief Act
Identification
Significance
Home Owners Refinancing Act
Identification
Significance
Public Works Administration
Identification
Significance
Civil Works Administration
Identification
Significance / TVA
Identification
Significance
Federal Securities Act
Identification
Significance
1934
National Labor Relations Board
Identification
Significance / Taylor Grazing Act
Identification
Significance / Securities Exchange Act
Identification
Significance
Second New Deal Achievements
Labor /Agriculture / Business and Industrial Recovery /
Relief /
Reform
1935
National Labor Relations Act
Identification
Significance / Resettlement Administration
Identification
Significance
Rural Electrification Administration
Identification
Significance / Works Progress Administration
Identification
Significance
National Youth Administration
Identification
Significance / Banking Act of 1935
Identification
Significance
Social Security Act
Identification
Significance
Public Utilities Holding Co. Act
Identification
Significance
Revenue Act
Identification
Significance
1937 / Farm Security Administration
Identification
Significance / National Housing Act
Identification
Significance
1938
Fair Labor Standards Act
Identification
Significance / Agricultural Adjustment Act
Identification
Significance
Evolving Roles of the Federal Government