Chapter 18 Activities
Roosevelt and the New Deal
Activity 1: Study the picture on page 555 and answer the following questions.
1. What problems had made the nation anxious and fearful?
2. What did the president mean when he said, “the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”
Activity 2: Discuss whether it is a citizen’s duty to follow the suggestion of the president such as
Roosevelt’s to redeposit money in the banks. Has a president made a similar request during your
lifetime?
Activity 3: Study the chart on page 561 and answer the following questions.
1. Which of the programs listed was cancelled the year after it was established?
2. What steps did the AAA take to ensure its listed function?
3. How much money did the FERA spend?
4. How did the various agencies listed change the historical role of the federal government?
Activity 4: Study the chart on page 567 and answer the following questions.
1. What did the Resettlement Act try to accomplish?
2. Who did these acts create a safety net for American citizens?
3. What problems did the Rural Electrification Administration address?
Activity 5: Study the graph on page 568 and answer the following questions.
1. Approximately how many people were union members in 1936?
2. Why did union membership increase steadily after 1936?
3. What was the approximate increase in labor membership between 1933 and 1943?
4. How did successful strikes such as the sit-down strikes shown in the photograph lead to a rise in
union membership?