The New Deal: Turning the Great Depression Around

Jennie Finch Senior Division Individual Website

Thesis: Before the New Deal, the United States was in the throws of the Great Depression caused by the unregulated, laissez-faire stock market trading. A huge portion of the nation was unemployed and there was an incredibly disparaging gap between the wealthy and the poor. The New Deal became a massive turning point in American history by assuming a bigger role in the economy as well as reforming legislation to reduce the gap between the rich and the poor with programs such as the Civilian Conservation Corps and the Works Progress Administration.

Process Paper: I chose my topic, The New Deal, because this was a major series of reforms in the United States government. I still remember from when I was very young being interested in the New Deal and how Franklin Roosevelt managed to turn the Great Depression around. The New Deal was a series of extensive reforms in the government of the United States and it introduced many new programs to counter the Great Depression. FDR was elected at the height of the Great Depression, in 1933, and his programs tremendously aided the return of the economy to its normal state and restored the American peoples' faith in the US. I chose to do a website for my National History Day because I have experience with websites before, such as designing them and the program used to create them. I enjoy working on the computer, so a website is fun to do because it is easy to work on it a little each day or whenever is convenient.

Researching this topic was very interesting. I conducted most of my research on the computer and went to the library to read and check out various books on the New Deal. I took notes on the sources I found on the internet and in the books I read to use for my website. I also went to Mt. Judea, Arkansas to visit buildings created there by the Works Progress Administration in 1936. The church and the high school built there in 1936 are still standing and are still used today. The New Deal relates to the 2012-2013 National History Day theme Turning Points in History: People, Ideas, Events because it was a major turning point in American history. Roosevelts ambitious programs provided unemployed people work and pay. Although the New Deal did not entirely restore the condition of the country, it was undoubtedly the push the US needed to bring itself out of the depression. Roosevelt was very optimistic and determined to succeed as president to turn the US around. Before the New Deal, the US government was what is known as laissez-faire, which opposes the interference of government in the economy or economic affairs beyond what is absolutely necessary to maintain order. It was believed when the economy went into depression in 1929 that this was natural and that the economy would bring itself back to normal. The New Deal revolutionized the US governments philosophy on the responsibility it has for the well-being of its citizens. This is undoubtedly the biggest impact the New Deal had on history. Programs created during the New Deal, such as Social Security and the FDIC, are still around today and have a great impact on the everyday lives of Americans. To this day, the government will directly interfere with economic affairs and has a huge role in the lives of its citizens, which it simply did not have before the New Deal. The New Deal was a massive turning point in history. (495 words)

Works Cited Primary: 1930's Government Promotional Video. United States Government, 1930s. Film.

This is a promotional video created by the United States Government during the 1930s to promote Roosevelts programs. It talks about how the programs are helping roads, public buildings, and other things while at the same time providing people the dignity of a job. The video is long; however, I put two segments of this video on my website. This is an incredibly unique and interesting source and is important to my project because it highlights and promotes FDRs programs and was made during the 1930s by the US government.

Bender, Albert. CCC - A Young Man's Opportunity. 1935. Chicago Federal Art Project, Chicago, IL. A New Deal for the Arts. Web. 27 Dec. 2012. This is a poster for the CCC from 1935. It says A Young Mans Opportunity. The CCC, or Civilian Conservation Corps, was a program established in 1933 designed to put people back to work.

Berryman, Clifford Kennedy. Ring Around a Roosevelt. 1938. The Right Planet. Web. 22 Dec. 2012.

This is a cartoon from 1938 that depicts Franklin D. Roosevelt with his programs dancing around him- probably intended to make fun of them. The Works Progress Administration (WPA), the Public Works Administration (PWA), and the Agricultural Adjustment Act (AAA) are visible. This was helpful to my project because it is an actual cartoon drawn in 1938. Finch, Jennie. Mount Judea High School. 1936. JPG file.

This is a picture I took myself of the high school in Mount Judea, Arkansas. This

is still a very small town and was greatly affected by the Great Depression. The WPA built buildings there, including this school in 1936 that is still used as a high school today. It was really neat to get to see this school.

Finch, Jennie. "WPA 1936." 1936. JPG file.

This is a picture I also took myself of a WPA plaque on a school in Mount Judea, AR (picture of the school cited above). Both of the pictures I took at the school are on the Legacy page of my website. It is a wonderful opportunity to see a project completed by the WPA many years ago that still stands.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt. 1933. Frankin D. Roosevelt Library, Warm Springs, GA. Time 27 Dec. 2012: n. pag. Print.

This shows FDR greeting supporters in Warm Springs, Georgia on December 1, 1933. It shows that FDR had quite a bit of support from the general public and he seems happy to greet them. This is an excellent picture and one of my favorite sources; it was used on my website.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt. N.d. Washington, DC. My Hero. Web. 27 Dec. 2012.

This photograph shows FDR at his presidential desk. He looks very focused and determined and there are papers all over his desk. He had quite a lot of work to do when he was elected president; he assumed the role of guiding the American people. He made the country as a whole feel more secure and restored hope in the situation.

Greg Gaar Collection. Relief Workers Excavating Bayview Hill. N.d. San Francisco's Digital Archive, San Francisco. FoundSF. Web. 2 Apr. 2013.

This is a photo of relief workers excavating Bayview Hill in San Francisco, CA. It

shows the work ethic of the young men employed by the WPA very well. It is a really neat photo and was very helpful to my project.

Hoover, Herbert. "Against the Proposed New Deal." Madison Square Garden, New York City. 31 Oct. 1932. Address.

This is an address by Herbert Hoover on October 31, 1932. Hoover had originally planned on conducting a limited campaign, but was "stirred to political battle" as the election grew closer. Hoover was strongly opposed to the New Deal. This was very important to my website because it helped me see the resistance and opposition to the New Deal from Republicans.

Hoovervilles. N.d. University of Washington, Seattle, WA. The Great Depression in Washington State. Web. 27 Dec. 2012. This is a photograph of a Hooverville in Seattle, Washington. Hooverville became the term used for shanty towns in the early 1930s, named after President Herbert Hoover. The name emphasized the blame that was placed on Hoover after the Great Depression. This picture helped me understand the terrible state of the country during the Depression. This source is helpful and was used on my website because it is an actual photo of a Hooverville.

Jobless Men. N.d. Modern American History. Web. 27 Dec. 2012. This is a picture of unemployed men walking past a sign that says Jobless men keep going - we cant take care of our own. The sign indicates that the business itself cant take care of its own workers, so the men need to look elsewhere for a job. This helped me understand how bad people wanted a job, but there were simply none. This is a very interesting and important source because it is an actual picture of the sign and people from the early 1930s.

NRA. 1933. Bag Lady University. Web. 27 Dec. 2012.

This is a photo of the symbol given to companies who met the standards for the NRA, or National Recovery Administration. The NRA was established during the First One Hundred Days and encouraged businesses to retain workers and pay them a decent wage. People were encouraged to buy from businesses with the symbol and businesses without it were considered unpatriotic. This is helpful because it is an actual photo of the symbol.

Orr, Carey. The Trojan Horse at our Gate. N.d. Chicago Tribune. Examiner. Web. 3 Apr. 2013.

This is a political cartoon published in the Chicago Tribune on September 17, 1935. The New Deal is being shown as a Trojan Horse about to invade the US Constitution. This is a really powerful image and shows how much resistance the New Deal received. Many believed it

Roosevelt, Franklin Delano. "First Inaugural Address 1933." Inauguration. United States Capitol, Washington, DC. 4 Mar. 1933. Address.

This is the first of four inaugural addresses given by FDR. In the address you can get a great idea of the mindset he had to turn the depression around. In this address, he speaks the now famous words The only thing we have to fear is fear itself and speaks of the hard times and unemployment rates of the Great Depression, saying This Nation asks for action, and action now. Our greatest primary task is to put people to work. This is very important to my project because it is an actual address given by FDR to the American people when he became president in 1933.

Work Pays America!. N.d. La Quinta Arts Foundation. La Quinta Arts Foundation. Web. 28 Oct. 2012.

This is a picture of a poster for the WPA, which says Work Pays America! and shows two men working on a farm. The medias involvement in this is crucial; hanging posters for the New Deal and its programs encourages the people to become involved and motivated to work to do something for them and for their country. This is important to my website because it is an actual poster from the time period of the New Deal advertising the WPA.

WPA Road Widening. 1936. North Carolina State Archives, WPA Exhibit. Works Projects in North Carolina, 1933-1941. Web. 28 Oct. 2012.

This is a photograph of a WPA Project sign for widening the road in North Carolina. This shows how the WPA put the people to work doing productive things to end the depression.

Secondary: Cohen, Adam. "The First 100 Days." Time 24 June 2009: n. pag. TIME. Web. 27 Dec. 2012.

This is an article from Time Magazine talking about the legacy of the First One Hundred Days. It describes it as the most intense period of lawmaking ever undertaken by Congress. This is very true- it was unlike anything history has ever witnessed. Fifteen new laws were passed. Among my sources, this one was one of the most unique and interesting, and was very important for my project.

"Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR): Second New Deal." Shmoop. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Dec. 2012. <http://www.shmoop.com/franklin-d-roosevelt-fdr/second-new-deal.html>.

This website talks about how the Second New Deal revived what seemed to begin to fail. Roosevelt worked quickly once again, introducing the Social Security Act, The Wagner Act (National Labor Relations Act), and the well-

known Works Progress Administration (WPA). This is important to my project because sometimes whats known as The Second New Deal is overlooked when one thinks of The New Deal.

Freedman, Russell. Franklin Delano Roosevelt. New York: Clarion Books, 1990. Print.

This is a book on Franklin Delano Roosevelt. It talks about his life as president and what he did to fix the problem of the Great Depression in the US. It is beneficial to know some background information on the mastermind behind the New Deal for my project. HowStuffWorks "Roosevelt's New Deal". HowStuffWorks "History". N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2012. <http://history.howstuffworks.com/american-history/rooseveltsnew-deal.htm>.

This is a more in-depth summary of the New Deal. Under Roosevelt, the government took much more responsibility for the peoples economic welfare than before. It is very important to know this because FDR changed the outlook from the people should help their government to the government should help the people.

"Laissez Faire: A Conservative Approach to the Industrial Revolution." United States American History. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Dec. 2012. <http://www.u-shistory.com/pages/h844.html>.

This website is about lassiez-faire and the history of lassiez-faire. It mentions that during the Theodore Roosevelt and Herbert Hoover administrations, lassiez-faire was publicly supported by the people of the US. Government involvement beyond what was imperative was highly discouraged during these times. However, during the FDR administration, government intervention in the economy returned. This is perhaps the greatest impact the New Deal had.

"New Deal." History.com History Made Every Day. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Dec. 2012. <http://www.history.com/topics/new-deal>.

This summary of the New Deal from the History Channel website talks about Roosevelt and his ambitious plans to restore the country. One thing I really liked about this website is that at the very beginning, it says that aimed to restore some measure of dignity and prosperity to many Americans. This gives it much historical context. Many hardworking Americans lost the drive to work hard after the depression because there was simply nothing that could be done to help them. The New Deal aimed to solve that problem.

"New Deal Achievements." Franklin D. Roosevelt - American Heritage Center, Inc.. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2012. <http://www.fdrheritage.org/new_deal.htm>. This is a table of the achievements of the New Deal. It has the initiative (the program or act), explains the initiative, and describes the outcome of the initiative. It is very helpful to know about the programs and acts established by FDR during his presidency and to be aware of their outcomes.

"Opposition to the New Deal." History Learning Site. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Apr. 2013. <http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/New_Deal_opposition.htm>.

This website talks about the opposition and resistance FDR and the New Deal faced. Eleven out of sixteen of the Alphabet Laws (AAA, NRA, etc.) were declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, and opposition was very common from not only politicians, but also the American public. I did not realize the New Deal was that controversial, so this website was very important to my research.

"President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and the New Deal, 1933-1945." Library of

Congress. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Dec. 2012. <http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/presentationsandactivities/pres entations/timeline/depwwii/newdeal/>.

This website from the Library of Congress explains the New Deal and how it improved peoples lives who were suffering from the Great Depression. It also mentions how the New Deal forever changed the role of the government in the lives of the American people to where it plays a key role in economic affairs. This is very beneficial to my project because it talks about the life-changing aspect of the New Deal Programs.

"Social Security History." The United States Social Security Administration. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Dec. 2012. <http://www.ssa.gov/history/bane2.html>.

This website talks about the Social Security Act of 1935 and how it was something so unlike the previous administrations and that it revolutionized the philosophy of the government directly interfering with the lives of Americans. This undoubtedly had the most lasting impact of all the New Deal Programs. The Social Security Administration still survives today, and though its changed, its basic goals remain.

Stein, R. Conrad. The New Deal: Pulling America Out of the Great Depression. Berkeley Heights, NJ: Enslow Publishers, Inc., 2006. Print.

This is a book on the Great Depression and the New Deal. It speaks of the desperation of the people during this time and of the pride they took in their work. Receiving government paychecks or having to have assistance to live was looked down upon. This book made me more aware of how the people felt during this time.

"The Civilian Conservation Corps. American Experience. WGBH | PBS." PBS: Public

Broadcasting Service. PBS, n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2012. <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/films/ccc/>.

This is a timeline of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). Made well-known by the American public, the CCC was a very important part of the New Deal and performed tasks such as improving structures, controlling erosion, and protecting forests. This contained much information on the CCC that is very beneficial to my project to know.

"The New Deal." History Learning Site. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2012. <http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/new_deal.htm>.

This website lists all the acts and agencies created by FDR as part of the New Deal and explains their purpose or what they did. This is very useful and helped me understand the New Deal. I used this as a great source of information for my project.

"The New Deal." United States American History. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2012. <http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h1851.html>. This talks about the election between FDR and Herbert Hoover, and the Hundred Days and the Second Hundred Days. It also talks about FDR getting ready to assist the Allies in World War II in the 1940s towards the end of his presidency. It shows how FDR wasted no time at all; as soon as he took office he was putting experimental plans in place to fix the country.

"The New Deal or Radical Change." Austin Community College. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Dec. 2012. <http://www.austincc.edu/lpatrick/his1302/deal.html>. This website explains the Hundred Days and the First and Second New Deals. It mentions at the end that pure lassiez-faire capitalism died with the New Deal.

Before the New Deal, the government had very little involvement in businesses and the economy. The New Deal implemented new programs unlike anything the US had ever seen before designed to increase government involvement in economic affairs and the populace in general.

"The New Deal. Surviving the Dust Bowl." PBS: Public Broadcasting Service. PBS, n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2012. <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/generalarticle/dustbowl-new-deal/>.

This is a general summary of the New Deal. I really like how it mentions at the end that the New Deal gave Americans the dignity of a job and work. This really gives it historical context; many peoples only wish back then was a job and to take care of their families. I can sympathize with the people and how they felt from this.

"The Social Security Act." United States American History. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Oct. 2012. <http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h1609.html>.

This is a website on the Social Security Act. The Social Security Act was established in 1935 by FDR. It had and still has a fixed amount to pay from every paycheck so people will still have money to live off of when they reach the retirement age. The Social Security Act has had the most lasting impact on American life of any law that resulted from the New Deal.

"The Works Progress Administration (WPA). Surviving the Dust Bowl." PBS: Public Broadcasting Service. PBS, n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2012. <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/generalarticle/dustbowl-wpa/>.

This was very helpful for me to use because it talks about the WPA being the

most famous program of the New Deal and how it affected many peoples lives. It provided many people with work and a good salary, most of which was sent back home to help their families.

"What is the New Deal Legacy?." Franklin D. Roosevelt - American Heritage Center, Inc.. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Dec. 2012. <http://www.newdeal75.org/whatsthelegacy.html>.

This website talks about the lasting legacy of the New Deal. It talks about all the programs brought about during the New Deal and how much of the infrastructure of the United States was built by New Deal programs such as the WPA and CCC from the early 1930s to the early 1940s.