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Section
2
Words to Know
who wants the government to do less for
its citizens
conservative
a person
liberal
a person
who wants the government to do more for
its citizens
Earrt tin Roosevelt's first plans to end the Great
Depression helped some people. However, after two years,
in serious trouble. Many
people were still unemployed. Roosevelt made even
stronger plans. Not everyone agreed with those plans.
the U.S. economy was still
Disagreement Over the New Deal
After two years of the New Deal, millions of
Americans were still jobless. Many people wondered
whether the United States would ever get out of the
Great Depression. Roosevelt decided to make further
plans. The economy remained in trouble and some
people began to attack Roosevelt's programs.
Conservatives felt Roosevelt was asking the government
to do too much. A conservative is a person who wants
the government to do less for its citizens. These are the
reasons conservatives did not like the New Deal.
L. The New Deal hurt businesses because the
programs raised taxes.
2. The New Deal interfered too much in people's
lives and in business.
3. The New Deal spent too much money to help
people without jobs.
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Chapter 20 . The New Deal
. 1933-1941 375
On the other hand, liberals felt that Roosevelt was
not asking the government to do enough. A liberal
is a person who feels the government must do more
for its citizens. These are the reasons liberals did not
like Roosevelt's New Deal.
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L. The New Deal was not strong enough to solve
the problems of the Great Depression
2. The New Deal was iust more of the same ideas
that had failed in the past.
Conservatives formed groups against Rooseveít.
Liberals spoke out about making a new system of
government that helped the average person.
In 1936, Roosevelt won another election by a
landslide. Although the problems of the Great
Depression remained, Roosevelt believed that the
American people were behind him.
President Roosevelt had already done a lot to help
the American people. He continued to work for
them. The chart on the next page shows some of the
programs that President Roosevelt and Congress put
into action.
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Why did conservatives and liberals disagree over
the New Deal?
Roosevelt and the Supreme Court
Most Americans supported President Roosevelt's
plans. However, the Supreme Court disagreed with the
President. It felt that the President's programs gave the
government too much power. It thought some New
Deal programs were against the Constitution.
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The opinion of Supreme Court members shocked
President Roosevelt. He decided to do something.
He said that the country needed more and younger
judges. Six of the nine judges had reached the age of
70. Roosevelt felt the President should have the power
376
Unit
6.
Years of Uncerlþinty
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Putpose
Yeor
Agency
Federol Deposit lnsuronce Corporotion (FDIC)
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To protect sovings in bonks
Home Owners Loon Corporolion (HOLC)
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933
To give
longlerm loons of low cost
to homeowners
Federol Communicotions Commission (FCC)
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934
To set rules for rodio, telephone, ond
telegroph systems
Securities ond Exchonge Commission
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934
To regulote stocks ond to give stock
Notionol Lobor Relotions Boord (NLRB)
r
935
To give workers lhe right to storl unions
Sociol Securily Boord
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935
To core for older Americons, disobled
informotion
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people, jobless people, ond children
who needed help through the Sociol
Security Act
Works Progress Administrotion (WPA)
r
935
To provide work relief on public projects,
especiolly fine ond performing orls
l.
Which ogency gove workers lhe right lo slotl unions?
2. Which lwo ogencies ossisled individuols who needed help?
to add six iudges to the Supreme Court. That would
make a total of 15 judges, up from nine.
Many Americans did not agree with President
Roosevelt's plan. They said he was "packing" the
Supreme Court. However, the Supreme Court began
to back many of his programs. Older iudges began to
retire. President Roosevelt was finally able to get judges
on the Supreme Court who believed in the New Deal.
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:'.'tâow did the Supreme Court feel about many of
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President Roosevelt's plans?
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Chapter 20 . The New Deal .
1933-1941
377
People and the Government
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As the 1930s came to an end, many of the problems
of the Great Depression remained. Howeve¡ the new
laws and programs of President Roosevelt gave the
government a new role in the lives of Americans. In
addition, some Americans played a larger role in
government than ever before.
1,.
Women had a larger part in political decisions.
Some became judges. Some also represented.the
United States in other countries.
2. African Americans were given new hope by
President Roosevelt. The President called together
a group of African Americans to advise him. The
group was called the Black Cabinet. Mary Mcleod
Bethune was a member of this group. The
Grcat Names in History
ELEANOR ROOSEVELT
Some people called First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt the
"eyes and ears" of the President. As the President's
wife, she traveled to many places. She went to areas
hit hard by the Great Depression. She visited coal
mines, factories, schools, and hospitals.
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ln the past, most First Ladies had quietly supported
their husbands. Eleanor Roosevelt, however, took an
active part in solving the problems of the American
people. She strongly believed in the equal treatment
of all people. She spoke out in favor of civil rights
laws and against racial segregation in public places.
Eleanor Roosevelt was one of the most active
reformers ever to live in the White House.
CriticalThinking Why do you think Eleanor Roosevelt
took an active part in solving the problems of the
American people?
378
Unit
6.
Years of Uncer!ãinty
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Eleanor Roosevelt and
Marian Anderson
President asked her to serve as the head of the
National Youth Administration, which helped
young people find work.
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3. Native Americans wete helped by the Indian
Reorganization Act in 1934. Under this act, ways
were provided to help Native Americans keep
their customs and ways of life. Lands were
returned to Native Americans, and thousands
. were given jobs on their lands.
Remember
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The Dowes Acl in
lried
lo force Nol¡ve Americons lo
give up fheir woy of life.
To some people, Roosevelt's programs made
government seem more responsible for average
Americans. To others, the programs gave the
government too much power over people's lives.
However, most people agreed that the years of the
New Deal were some of the most important in
America's history.
;.'rjWhat did Americans think of the New Deal?
Section 2 Review
1. Why were some people against the New Deal?
2,Why did Roosevelt want to add six judges to
the Supreme Court?
3. Gritical Thinking Why might people worry
that the government might gain too much
power over people's lives?
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4. Write About History You are a newspaper
reporter. Ask some people what they think
of the "alphabet" of names in the Roosevelt
programs. Write a short newspaper column.
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Chapter 20 . The New Deal .
1933-1941
379