Hoover vs. Roosevelt

Herbert Hoover Franklin Delano Roosevelt

Review:

Why was the Great Depression challenging for many

Americans?

Herbert Hoover

President at the beginning of the Great Depression in 1929

Hoover felt like the economy would improve on its own.

He didn’t want the government to play a big role in the Great Depression or for wages to change.

The economy did not get better. People continued to lose their homes and jobs. This caused people to start believing the

government should begin helping out. Hoover had Congress create new laws to help

struggling businesses and unemployed workers. This included loaning money to banks, railroads,

and other companies. However, these laws did not improve the whole

economy.

Hoover’s Presidency

Why was Hoover so unpopular?

If you were a person living during the Great Depression, how would you feel

about President Hoover? Why does an incumbent president

lose?

Review

Franklin Delano

Roosevelt Born in New York

in 1882 Married to

Eleanor Roosevelt Democratic

candidate running for President

Presidential Election

1932 People were tired of

Hoover and was ready for change.

FDR ran against Hoover in the 1932 election.

Roosevelt said, “I pledge you, I pledge myself to a new deal for the American people.”

Campaigning

Roosevelt travelled around promising government help if he won the election.

He promised that the government would create government programs to help suffering people.

Because of this, he won the 1932 election.

First 100 Days

As soon as he took office in 1933, he began work to give the American people the “New Deal” that he promised.

“The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”

New Deal Programs

Some gave food & shelter to those in need.

Others put people back to work.

Roosevelt felt like all of these programs would help the economy.

Social Security: provides money to people over the

age of 65. It also helps those who have disabilities and can’t work.

Regulations: rule or law Minimum Wage: lowest amount most workers can be

paid Protect Savings Accounts

Price Incentives: He lowered the worth of the dollar, so it would be less expensive to pay back debts.

He kept interest rates low, so it would be easier to borrow and pay back money.

New Deal Programs Still in Effect

Eleanor Roosevelt

“Government has a responsibility to defend the weak.”

Worked hard to get everyone involved in New Deal programs.

She travelled all over to see what was going on all over the country.

Spoke out for rights of workers, African Americans, and children.

National Youth Administration: helped young people get jobs

What kind of feelings do

you think the New Deal programs that were

introduced had on the people living during the

Great Depression?

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