Roosevelt & New Deal 1932-1945 — Hard Practice Quiz
A US History cheat sheet for Roosevelt & New Deal 1932-1945 — every key formula with its symbols defined — plus a hard-level practice quiz to test recall.
Formulas & key concepts
Franklin D. Roosevelt (Democrat) defeated Herbert Hoover (Republican) in a landslide
Where: Marked a political realignment; beginning of New Deal coalition
FDR's program to alleviate the problems of the Great Depression, focusing on Relief, Recovery, and Reform
Where: Significantly expanded the role of the federal government
Period at the start of FDR's presidency when Congress passed a record number of major laws
Where: Set a precedent for future presidents
Radio broadcasts made by FDR to the American people to explain his policies
Where: Restored public confidence
FDR closed all banks for a few days to inspect their health and restore confidence
Where: Emergency Banking Relief Act
Agency created to insure individual bank accounts, protecting people against losses due to bank failures
Where: Created by Glass-Steagall Act
Agency created to regulate the stock market and prevent fraud
Where: Restored confidence in the stock market
Law that paid farmers to lower production and raise crop prices
Where: Declared unconstitutional by Supreme Court (US v. Butler)
Program that put young men to work building roads, developing parks, and planting trees
Where: Provided relief through work projects
Federal agency established to construct dams and power plants in the Tennessee Valley region
Where: Provided flood control and electricity to impoverished area
Law that established codes of fair practice for industries and promoted industrial growth
Where: Created the NRA; declared unconstitutional (Schechter Poultry v. US)
New Deal agency that provided millions of jobs constructing public buildings
Where: Headed by Harold Ickes
Second wave of New Deal legislation starting in 1935, focusing more on social reform
Where: Included WPA and Social Security
Agency that provided jobs to millions of unemployed people on public works projects
Where: Also employed artists, writers, and musicians
Law that provided a pension for retired workers and their spouses and aided people with disabilities
Where: Laid the foundation for the modern welfare state
Law that protected the right of workers to join unions and engage in collective bargaining
Where: Created the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB)
Law that established a minimum wage, maximum workweek, and banned child labor
Where: Last major piece of New Deal legislation
FDR's failed attempt to increase the number of US Supreme Court justices to save his New Deal programs
Where: Damaged FDR's political standing
First Lady who transformed the role; advocate for human rights and social justice
Where: Served as FDR's "eyes and ears"
Louisiana Senator and critic of the New Deal; proposed "Share Our Wealth" program
Where: Assassinated in 1935
Radio priest who criticized FDR and the New Deal for not doing enough
Where: Initially supported FDR, then turned against him
Physician who proposed a pension plan for the elderly
Where: Influenced the creation of Social Security
Secretary of Labor under FDR; first female cabinet member
Where: Played a key role in the Social Security Act
Educator and activist; head of the Division of Negro Affairs of the NYA
Where: Leader of the "Black Cabinet"
Law that restored tribal ownership of lands and recognized tribal constitutions
Where: Reversed the assimilation policy of the Dawes Act
Alignment of diverse groups dedicated to supporting the Democratic Party
Where: Included labor unions, minorities, and Southern whites
Constitutional amendment that moved presidential inauguration to January 20th
Where: "Lame Duck" amendment
Constitutional amendment that repealed Prohibition (18th Amendment)
Where: Only amendment to repeal another amendment
FDR's foreign policy of promoting better relations with Latin America by using economic influence rather than military force
Where: Reversed Big Stick Diplomacy
Series of laws passed to keep the US out of future wars
Where: Reflected American isolationism before WWII
Practice quiz
Which pairing best illustrates the New Deal's 'Reform' objective and its lasting impact on the American financial system?
- AAA and its impact on agricultural prices.
- CCC and its provision of work relief.
- FDIC and SEC, establishing federal oversight and protection in banking and markets.
- PWA and its infrastructure projects.
Answer: FDIC and SEC, establishing federal oversight and protection in banking and markets.
The Supreme Court's rulings in cases like *Schechter Poultry v. US* and *US v. Butler* had what significant effect on the trajectory of the New Deal?
- They solidified the constitutional basis for federal intervention in the economy.
- They directly led to the passage of the Twenty-First Amendment.
- They prompted FDR to shift focus towards the Second New Deal, emphasizing social reform and direct relief, and later the 'Court Packing Plan.'
- They forced the administration to abandon all federal relief programs.
Answer: They prompted FDR to shift focus towards the Second New Deal, emphasizing social reform and direct relief, and later the 'Court Packing Plan.'
While differing in their specific proposals, critics like Huey Long, Father Charles Coughlin, and Francis Townsend shared a common critique of the early New Deal, which ultimately influenced which aspect of later New Deal policy?
- They argued for greater corporate deregulation, leading to the NIRA's repeal.
- They advocated for more radical wealth redistribution and direct aid to the elderly, contributing to the push for the Social Security Act.
- They called for a return to isolationism, influencing the Neutrality Acts.
- They opposed the expansion of labor unions, leading to the weakening of the Wagner Act.
Answer: They advocated for more radical wealth redistribution and direct aid to the elderly, contributing to the push for the Social Security Act.
Eleanor Roosevelt's active role as First Lady during the New Deal era is best understood as:
- Primarily ceremonial, focusing on diplomatic engagements.
- A direct challenge to traditional gender roles, advocating for marginalized groups and serving as FDR's 'eyes and ears' for social justice issues.
- Limited to promoting women's suffrage and temperance.
- Instrumental in drafting the economic recovery legislation of the First Hundred Days.
Answer: A direct challenge to traditional gender roles, advocating for marginalized groups and serving as FDR's 'eyes and ears' for social justice issues.
The New Deal's expansion of the federal government's role, as exemplified by programs like the TVA and the Social Security Act, fundamentally led to:
- A decrease in presidential power and a return to states' rights principles.
- The establishment of a modern welfare state and a significant political realignment, forming the New Deal Coalition.
- A complete dismantling of the capitalist system in favor of socialism.
- The immediate end of the Great Depression and a period of sustained economic prosperity.
Answer: The establishment of a modern welfare state and a significant political realignment, forming the New Deal Coalition.
The Wagner Act (National Labor Relations Act) and the Fair Labor Standards Act (1938) collectively represent a significant shift in federal policy by:
- Primarily focusing on agricultural subsidies to stabilize farm prices.
- Establishing direct federal control over all major industries to prevent monopolies.
- Empowering labor unions and setting national standards for wages, hours, and child labor, marking a permanent expansion of federal regulation in the workplace.
- Repealing Prohibition and increasing federal tax revenue.
Answer: Empowering labor unions and setting national standards for wages, hours, and child labor, marking a permanent expansion of federal regulation in the workplace.
The 'First Hundred Days' of FDR's presidency established a precedent for future administrations primarily by:
- Demonstrating the effectiveness of isolationist foreign policy during a crisis.
- Showcasing the ability of a president to rapidly enact comprehensive legislative reforms in response to a national crisis, significantly expanding federal power.
- Proving that a balanced budget was essential for economic recovery.
- Limiting the executive branch's authority in favor of congressional oversight.
Answer: Showcasing the ability of a president to rapidly enact comprehensive legislative reforms in response to a national crisis, significantly expanding federal power.
While the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) primarily addressed the 'Relief' aspect of the New Deal, the Agricultural Adjustment Act (AAA) aimed for 'Recovery' but faced a different fate due to constitutional challenges. This contrast highlights:
- The consistent judicial support for all New Deal initiatives.
- The New Deal's exclusive focus on urban unemployment over rural economic issues.
- The Supreme Court's initial resistance to federal intervention in economic production, which influenced the administration's later legislative strategies.
- The preference for direct cash payments over work relief programs.
Answer: The Supreme Court's initial resistance to federal intervention in economic production, which influenced the administration's later legislative strategies.
The Good Neighbor Policy and the Neutrality Acts of the 1930s, though addressing different spheres, both reflected a broader American foreign policy approach characterized by:
- An aggressive expansion of military influence globally.
- A commitment to international collective security organizations.
- A shift away from interventionism and military force, emphasizing economic influence and isolationism in the face of rising global conflicts.
- A desire to form strong military alliances with European powers.
Answer: A shift away from interventionism and military force, emphasizing economic influence and isolationism in the face of rising global conflicts.
Franklin D. Roosevelt's 'Court Packing Plan' in 1937, despite its failure, had a complex legacy that included:
- A significant increase in public support for FDR's judicial reforms.
- The immediate passage of several new, unchallenged New Deal programs due to a more compliant Supreme Court.
- Damaging FDR's political standing and raising concerns about executive overreach, even as the Supreme Court began to rule more favorably on New Deal legislation.
- The complete abandonment of the New Deal's social reform agenda.
Answer: Damaging FDR's political standing and raising concerns about executive overreach, even as the Supreme Court began to rule more favorably on New Deal legislation.
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