#{Section
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Words to Know
New Deal
Franklin D. Roosevelt's plan for helpiirg the U.S.
economy during the Great Depression
fireside chat
a radio speech to Americans given by President
Franklin Roosevelt
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7932, about 12 million Americans were without
jobs. Most were also without money and without hope.
They were looking for a new leader. They found that
leader in Franklin D. Roosevelt.
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Roosevelt Takes Charge
When Franklin D. Roosevelt ran for President in
L932, he promised " a new deal for the American
people." The New Deal was the name of Roosevelt's
plan for helping the U.S. economy during the Great
Depression.
J{¡rton
Ço'rt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
was a cousin of
Theodore Roosevelt,
the twenty-sixth
President.
Many voters supported Roosevelt's plan. In the
election of L932, Roosevelt won most of the votes in
42 of the 48 states. His election was a landslide, o1 a
huge victory.
Franklin D. Roosevelt took office on a gray day in
March 1933. For many Americans, the cloudy sky seemed
to capture the feelings of the country. \Mhen Franklin
Roosevelt gave his first speech as President, he spoke to
millions of Americans. His words were carried across the
country by radio. They gave Americans new hope. "The
only thing we have to fear is fear itself," said Roosevelt.
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Roosevelt's strong words helped Americans feel that
the problems caused by the Great Depression could be
370
Unit 6 . Years of Uncertair$r
gs,
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solved. His plan became known as the Three R's. The
Three R's stood for relief, recovery, ar'd reform. This was
how President Roosevelt's Three R's plan worked.
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L. Relief-give help immediately to iobless workers
who were in need.
2. Recovery-give help to banks, businesses, farmers,
and workers to recover from the Great Depression.
3. Reform-make long-term changes in the economy
so that a depression would never happen again.
did Franklin D. Roosevelt have such a huge
þny
F victory in the election of 1932?
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Many Americans were happy to support President Roosevelt.
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Chapter 20. The New Deal
. 1933-1941 371
The Brain Trust
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President Roosevelt asked several men and women
who were experts in certain areas to put his plans into
action. College teachers, experts on the economy, and
people who had worked with the poor joined the
group known as the Brain Trust.
Roosevelt chose Frances Perkins to join his Cabinet.
For many years, Perkins had found ways to help people
who were out of wo{k. She had also worked for child
labor reform. When Þerkins became the secretary ôf hbor,
she was the first woman to hold a Cabinet position.
Frances Perkins was
the first female
Cabinet member
What was the Brain Trust?
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Five days after Franklin Roosevelt became President,
lre called a special meeting of Congress. The President
and Congress began to work on his plan for the nation.
President Roosevelt wanted to explain his plans to
the American people as soon as possible. On March 72,
1933, he spoke on the radio to the nation from a chair
near a fireplace in the White House. This was the first
of his famous fireside chats. Roosevelt explained his
goals in simple terms.to millions of Americans.
Soon, President Roosevelt and Congress began
working together to end the Great DeBression. Never
before had Congress passed so many laws so quickly. The
period during which these bills were passed was from
March 9 to June 16. It was called the Hundred Days.
The chart on the next page shows the first of several
new changes that were made. Since there were so many
programs, people often used the initial letters of the
progfam name to describe it.
i',"-,rÌryhy
did President Roosêvelt use the radio to speak
to the nation?
372
Unit 6 . Years of tJñcfalntv
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Dole
Purpose
Morch I933
Provided jobs, such os pl0nfing lrees
ond building smoll doms, for young men
from needy fomilies
Moy 1933
Poid formers not to grow crops so thot
form prices would rise
Federol Emergency Relief Administr0tion
(FERA)
Moy 1933
Helped fomilies needing food,
Tennessee Volley Aulhority (TVA)
Moy 1933
Built doms on the Tennessee River to
control flooding ond to help produce
hydroeleclricity, or electricity produced
by the power of quickly moving woter
Notionol lndustriol Recovery Acl (NIRA)
June I 933
Mode sure oll businesses worked
together
Progrom
Civilion Conservotion Corps (CCC)
Ag ricu lturo I
t.
Adjustment Admi nistrotion (444¡
housing, clothes
Which progrom conlrolled flooding in lhe Tennessee River?
2. Which progr{m provided jobs for young men?
Section
I Review
1. What was the name of President Franklin
Roosevelt's plan to get the nation out of the
Great Depression
2.What were the Hundred
Days?
3. CriticalThinking Why were people ready to
support President Roosevelt when he first took
office?
4. Write About History Write an interview tÈat you
had with someone in President Roosevelt's Brain
Trust. Ask about their area of knowledge.
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Chapter 20. The New Deal
. 193ß-1941 373
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VOICES FROM THE PAST
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Eleven years before Franklin Roosevelt was elected
President, he was paralyzed by polio. Polio was one of the
most feared diseases of the time. Roosevelt worked hard to
learn to walk again. However, he never was able to walk
without help. He continued to be interested in government
He was not a man to be stopped by difficulties.
Years later, as President, Franklin Roosevelt
often spoke to the American people. His
speeches made people feel that the problems
they faced could be solved. His words, written
below, came at a time when many people
were out of work and out of hope.
"It is common sense to take a method and
try it. If it fails, admit it frankly and try
another. But above aIl, try something."
"Let us unite in banishing [getting rid of]
fear. . . . Together we cannot fail."
President Roosevelt often
spoke to the American
people on the radio.
"I never forget that I live in
a house owned
people
by all the American
and that I have
been given their trust."
Answer the questions below.
1. What advice did President Roosevelt give to people who
did not succeed the first time they tried something?
2. What "house" is Roosevelt speaking of in the last
statement?
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CHALLENGE How do you think Franklin Roosevelt's
battle against polio helped him to understand the
struggles Americans faced in the Great Depression?
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