The New Deal

AP US History: The New Deal Study Guide – 2024 Edition

Hey there, history enthusiasts! Today we’re diving into the New Deal, a series of programs that FDR whipped up faster than you can say "alphabet soup." This period marked a massive transformation in the role of the federal government and completely reshaped political party dynamics. So grab your monocle, because it's time to examine how America pulled itself up by its bootstraps during the Great Depression. 🧐🇺🇸

Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR), the 32nd president of the United States, was like the superhero we needed but didn't quite deserve. Facing the Great Depression, FDR unveiled his legislative agenda known as the New Deal. Think of it as giving America a big, warm hug while also rearranging the furniture. This New Deal expanded the federal government's role like never before and started shaping Democrats and Republicans into the parties we recognize today. You might say FDR lit a fire under America's feet, and then talked about it on the radio in his famous Fireside Chats. 🔥📻

FDR had a trifecta strategy to tackle the Great Depression: Relief, Recovery, and Reform. Relief aimed to stop people from starving right this instant. Recovery meant getting the economy back on track, like trying to fix a car that just refuses to start. Reform was about making sure this economic disaster never happened again—like childproofing the U.S. economy. All these strategies amounted to what is now legendary as the New Deal, an era of relentless legislative creativity.

Step one was a "Banking Holiday" backed by the Emergency Banking Relief Act. Imagine the banks taking a little "time-out" for inspection (time-out usually sounds bad, but this one was for safety). Banks that were safe reopened, making people feel much better about trusting them again. FDR also got the country to toss out Prohibition with the 21st Amendment, because nothing says boost morale like making alcohol legal again. 🍺🎉

Next, FDR channeled his inner podcast host with his Fireside Chats. These were radio addresses that made Americans feel like FDR was chatting with them in their living rooms. It's like having a reassuring grandpa telling you everything's going to be okay, using the power of the airwaves.

The New Deal is like a blockbuster movie that was so good it needed a sequel! Phase one (1933-1935) was about immediate actions, while phase two (1935 onwards) focused more on longer-term reforms. Let's break down some of these programs, lovingly referred to as "alphabet soup" agencies.

• AAA (Agricultural Adjustment Administration): Paid farmers to not plant on part of their land to reduce surplus and raise prices. This helped turn tons of Extra Corn into fewer, but pricier, kernels. Unfortunately, it also sometimes harmed sharecroppers. 🏞️🌽🚫

• CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps): Gave young men jobs working in national parks and forests—think of it as summer camp with a paycheck.

• FDIC (Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation): Insured bank deposits to prevent panic-induced withdrawals. Bye-bye, bank runs!

• FERA (Federal Emergency Relief Administration): Provided direct financial help to those in need. It's like the government saying, "Here's some cash; go buy some bread."

• FHA (Federal Housing Administration): Insured loans for building and repairing homes, but sadly had a history of discriminating against African Americans. 🏠

• NRA (National Recovery Administration): Not to be confused with the other NRA, this one regulated business profits, prices, wages, and hours. It also supported workers' rights to unionize. 💼(Ultimately declared unconstitutional in 1935)

• SEC (Securities & Exchange Commission): This watchdog makes sure Wall Street's not playing poker with your savings. 🏦

• SSA (Social Security Act): Created a public pension system. Because everyone deserves to retire and call it a day.

• TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority): Brought jobs and electricity to the Tennessee Valley. Yes, this involves a lot of dams.

• WPA (Works Progress Administration): Hired people to build infrastructure and even funded artists. Bridges, roads, and murals? Check, check, check.

• National Labor Relations (Wagner) Act: Supported union activities and improved labor-management relationships, kind of like a mediator for your workplace drama.

• Glass-Steagall Act: Separated commercial and investment banking to keep risky investments from endangering people's savings. Financial peace of mind? Priceless.

Even superheroes have critics. From left to right, people took shots at the New Deal.

• Huey Long: This "Kingfish" thought the New Deal didn’t do enough, proposing a 100% tax on incomes over $1 million to redistribute wealth. That’s one way to make it rain. 💸

• Father Charles Coughlin: With his nationwide radio show, he dubbed it the "Pagan Deal." Known for his antisemitic views, he was like that one family member you try to avoid at Thanksgiving.

• Dr. Francis Townsend: Grandpa Townsend wanted everyone over 60 to have $200 to spend monthly, thinking it would help the economy. A visionary in gray hair.

• Court-Packing Plan: When FDR didn’t get his way with the Supreme Court, he tried to add more justices. Even his friends were like, "Whoa, slow down there, tiger."

The New Deal didn't completely fix the Great Depression (WWII would do that), but it left a lasting mark. Social Security, FDIC, and many other programs are still around today, like old friends from college who never left. The New Deal also created the "New Deal Coalition," a voting bloc that became the bedrock of the Democratic Party.

Though it didn’t cure the economic woes instantly—cue the Roosevelt Recession of 1937—it reshaped Americans' relationship with their government, making FDR one of the most significant figures in U.S. history.

Now you're armed with the knowledge of how FDR and his New Deal sought to turn the tide against the Great Depression. Go forth and master your AP US History exams with the confidence of a nation buoyed by New Deal optimism! 🌟