In 1932 America was suffering from a terrible economic depression.

Simone Radford 10N

THE USA, 1919-1941

ASSIGNMENT 2: ASSESMENT OBJECTIVES 2 & 3

WAS THE NEW DEAL A SUCCESS?

In 1932 America was suffering from a terrible economic depression. President Hoover did not believe in government interfering with industry or business and little was done about to help the unemployed and the increasing numbers of the poor. In the 1932 election for president, Hoover lost to Franklin Roosevelt, the democratic candidate. During the election campaign Roosevelt had promised the American people a “new deal”. Roosevelt’s government created jobs through public works schemes and the poor were given help. Never before had the government played such an important part in the economy.

Historians disagree over the effectiveness of the new deal. Some see it as a great success, others as a dangerous failure.

1. Study source A.

Use source A and your own knowledge of the period to explain why people supported Roosevelt in the 1932 election. (5)

Source A was one of Roosevelt’s speeches during the election of 1932.Roosevelt here was asking America not only just to vote him but to help him bring America out of the depression. Roosevelt was being supported by the American people because he had said to bring about not only ending the depression but promised to bring out a new deal that would help America, and lower the unemployment this if elected would be;

“The promise of a New deal.”

This also made the American people believe he could do it but he made the American people think that the depression would end this was also looking hopeful for the American people and this got Roosevelt elected.

2. Study source B

In what way would this graph be useful to an historian studying the new deal? (5)

This graph shows how unemployment increased and decreased whilst Hoover was president and also when Roosevelt was president (1929-1942)

During this time the graph shows when Hoover was in power. At the beginning unemployment was low then as time went on whilst Hoover was in power unemployment began to rise until it hit 12million this was in 1933 when it was at its highest. This was through products not selling (eg.farmers crops), farmers were growing too much crop so they were down on money as not all of it sold, this meant farmers did not have the money to pay share croppers, therefore share croppers were out of work. As Roosevelt came in to power he brought down the unemployment by bringing in the alphabet agencies but the realised the federal government were putting too much money in so they cut back, unemployment began to rise again. As World War II approached unemployment began to lower as jobs were created for everyone although it was World War II that finally ended the great depression. This graph helps historians get facts such as all of these just by showing how unemployment increased and decreased during this period of time. This also helps historians as the source is pure fact and not biased facts.

3. Study source C & D

How do these two judgements on the new deal differ? (4)

These two sources differ as one state it did help & the other states it did not.

Source C says it only helped by getting the industry businesses working again but did nothing basic for America but did help. This was written by an historian writer “Schlesinger” who wrote “the coming of the New Deal” in 1959.

Then 4 years later another American historian “William Leuchtenberg” also said;

“The new deal certainly did not get the country out of the depression….”

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3. Study source C & D

How do these two judgements on the new deal differ? (4)

These two sources differ as one state it did help & the other states it did not.

Then 4 years later another American historian “William Leuchtenberg” also said;

“The new deal certainly did not get the country out of the depression….”

Then goes on to say;

“…it was not really until the war that the army of the jobless finally disappeared”

William Luechenburg is now trying to say that the new deal did nothing at all for America; it was the war that got America out of the depression.

4. Study source E

Which of source C and D do you think source E is most in agreement with?

Explain your answer (5)

I think that source E relates mostly to source C. this is because they both think that the new deal did get some things going again. Source C states;

“In it’s frenzied way it started the wheel of industry turning again;….it raised agriculture prices.”

Where as source E states;

“It was the hopeful voice of FDR that got things out of the swamps.”

Although they both don’t think that FDR was the one that ended the great depression.

Dr. Lewis Andreas who was interviewed and gave the speech (source E) also says that it was the Second World War that finally ended the great depression. Where as source D quotes that;

“The new deal did nothing to help America and it wasn’t until the war that the army of the jobless finally disappeared”.

Source E agrees with both sources C and D

5. Study Source F.

What message do you think the photographer was trying to give? Refer to the photographer and your known ledge of the period to explain your answer. (6)

This advertisement poster was taken in 1937 with a queue of black people, queuing for government relief. On this poster it quotes:-

“There’s no way like the American way”

This shows a stereotypical white American family. This also seems like a highly standard of living for the family (their wealth). So it is showing that you can only be wealthy if you are a white American or even just middle class if you are also a white American family. This is democratic propaganda. This white American family is also in a car and only very few blacks can afford cars. The poster also quotes:

“World’s highest standard of living”

Only white Americans can have this and I think this is what the photographer is trying to get across as this period of time is racist more than ever as blacks have their freedom although they were still worse off as they were immigrants. This proves what this period of time was like at this point to separate the white wealthy and the un-wealthy blacks. I think that this is the image the photographer is getting across.

6. Study sources G, H&I

Are these cartoons for or against Roosevelt? Explain your answers with references to the cartoons. (6)

Source G shows Roosevelt wasting money off of the rich that they paid through taxes, being wasted on the new deal going in through the pump, trying to get the economy working again. This does not beseeming to work as there are “leaks” in the pump. It also shows in the picture that he has also spent 16 billion hoping that it will work. In this picture it also shows a tax payer bringing up the hill millions of money up to spend on the new deal, this was published in the 1930’s and is against Roosevelt

Source H was published in 1933 and is for Roosevelt. The cartoon shows Roosevelt shaking the forgotten people’s hand and underneath it quotes:

“YES, YOU REMEMBERED ME.”

This shows Roosevelt trying to think of everyone in America not only the wealthy.

Source I if for Roosevelt and also was published in 1933. This shows Roosevelt leading America too congress as it is “NEW LEADERSHIP” this is because hopes are high for Roosevelt to get them out of the depression and America at this stage was desperate.

Here there are more wanting to get Roosevelt in to power and get them out of the depression and as it seems all America wants is new leadership and Roosevelt is the one to come in to power as the American people have their hopes up. The only people who do not want this to happen are the rich as they feel Roosevelt betrayed him as he was once one of the rich and they then looked down on him as he used their taxes to help the rest of America this is shown in source G.

7. Study sources J and K

Why do you think these two people disagree about the New Deal?

Explain your answer. (5)

These two people disagree as one is a rich man (S.B fuller) and had his own business where as the other was an ordinary, everyday working woman and was Roosevelt’s secretary for the new deal government(Frances Perkins). Frances was apart of the new deal and helped to get the new deal going. Both sources have different views as Frances knows what it is like to be affected by the depression and have nothing left where as S.B Fuller is a rich man and lost quite a bit but was left with more than regular people and he is the one that doesn’t understand what it feels like to be in that situation. As S.B Fuller is rich and knows no different to the rich life. As source J is biased against Roosevelt and source K is for Roosevelt.

8. Study sources L and M

Which of these sources gives the most reliable view of how the new deal affected Americans? Explain your answer by referring to both sources. (5)

Source L was written in 1936 although source M was written in 1935. In source L it shows us how the president (Mr. Roosevelt) had made life better for those who had lost nearly everything. In this letter, to the president (source L) it quotes;

“My wife and I are old folks and don’t amount to much but we join those millions of others in praying for you every night. God bless you.”

This is showing how many people appreciate what Roosevelt did for the public and those who suffered. In source M (the year before source L was published) it quotes;

“There is starvation; there is homelessness; there is misery around every corner.”

Then it goes on to say;

“God save us from two more years of the disaster we have had under the gang.”

This shows in 1935 the unemployment was almost at its highest, but yet a year on this has been improved and has changed. As shown in source L people look up to Roosevelt. This was helped by the alphabet agencies and be time 1936 people believed it was mostly down to Roosevelt. The public were thankful for this;

“God bless you.”

This source was used because it made the American public see what good he has done and can continue to do. Source L also shows what he can do to help get America out of the depression.

9. Study the following interpretations of the effects of the New Deal.

The New Deal helped many Americans and by doing this it gave them

Self-respect. It gave them confidence to lift the United States out of the depression.

The New Deal wasted a lot of money, it made people dependant on the government and led to the government becoming too powerful. It did not solve America’s economic problems – the Second World War did that.

Which interpretation is best supported by the evidence in the sources and your own knowledge of American history? Explain your answer. (9)

I think both views are accrete, although they are both biased to the opposite sides.

I think that view II does have a few points e.g.

“The New Deal wasted a lot of money”

The New Deal did waste some money although it did not affect the economic system too much but Roosevelt obviously did help America get out of the depression and this is proved by one of the only factual sources. This would be source B, this is because it shows when Roosevelt came into power, over the period he was in power unemployment lowered although he did not end the depression totally because the army of the jobless did not disappear until World War II. The New deal did give the American people independence as men learned new skills and moved away from home and earn’t money for their families. So this got the economic system working again, it wasn’t a great wage or the best idea but it was a start for America.

Although source A was a campaign speech for Roosevelt in the 1932 elections this is showing what Roosevelt promises and hopes to change America. Source A also tells us how Roosevelt wants to restore America by introducing the new deal; this gave the American people hope on getting out of the depression.

Source C is a piece of text that backs up both views as it says the new deal helped America get out of the depression and helped get the economic and industry system going again., although it does say that the new deal did not end the depression totally as World War II ended the depression.

Source D says the totally opposite. It states that the new deal did nothing for America and it was only the war that ended the army of the job bless.

Source E was an interview by Dr. Lewis Andreas who says “Roosevelt did not have much to offer” although it was enough as the depression seems so bad be time this point, the new deal sounded like a good idea and the American public also thought this as they elected Roosevelt.

Source F and source D are two different views on the new deal and American life. Source F shows an American family that looks wealthy as they are driving a car but the family is white and on the poster it quotes;

“World’s highest standard of living”

Then it says;

“There’s no way like the American way”

That is only if you are white; there is a queue of black people queuing for government relief. Source G is showing Roosevelt wasting the riches money on the new deal. This source is against Roosevelt as the rich think Roosevelt is wasting money and has betrayed them as he once used to be rich. Source H shows Roosevelt helping the little people who were forgotten, Roosevelt is shaking the “forgotten people’s” hand. This is showing that Roosevelt helps everyone and not just certain people.

Source I is showing Roosevelt pulling a cart to “emergency legislation” in the cart there is congress. This source is showing that new leadership could get America out of the depression.

The next 4 sources are pieces of text. K and L are for Roosevelt.

Source K was by Francis Perkins, Roosevelt’s secretary for the new deal and she was behind helping the new deal. Therefore Francis was for the new deal.

Source L was a letter written in to Roosevelt and was the published and used in his campaign for the 1936 elections. The letter tells us how Roosevelt helped an elderly couple who helped to extend a loan and helped the couple get all there furniture back.

This letter showed the America how much Roosevelt cares for the American people. The letter also showed how much he wants to help America get out of the depression.

Sources M and J are against Roosevelt. Source M says that Roosevelt did nothing for the depression and did nothing for America at all. Source J was written by a rich man who is hurt by Roosevelt because he is using there tax money for the new deal it quotes;” Roosevelt was a rich man’s son” the rich are offended and don’t approve of Roosevelt for helping the American people.

I think that both views gave support.