Paul Gracey FDR and the New Deal Essay October 26, 2000 History Mrs. Strong Franklin Roosevelt has been called the greatest president to date. He is often considered one of the most influential leaders of the twentieth century. President Roosevelt began a new era in American history by ending the Great Depression that the country had fallen into in 1929. His social reforms gave people a new perspective on Government. Government was not only expected to protect the people from foreign invaders, but to protect against poverty and joblessness. One of the main points of his campaign was the New Deal. In his New Deal he spoke of relief and money for public works. He wanted to develop a plan to cut agricultural overproduction. He supported public power and unemployment insurance, as well as stock market regulation.
Once FDR was inaugurated in 1933 one of his first steps was to take action upon the bank problem.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt, 1933. Lietuvių: Frankl...
Franklin D Roosevelt grave - Springwood Estate - H...
English: JPG image of the National Industrial Reco...He declared a "bank holiday"ÃÂthat began on March 6, 1933 and lasted four days. All banks in the nation were closed until the Department of Treasury could examine each one's situation. Shortly after the President restored confidence in the banks, what is known as the "100 days"ÃÂ began. The President began to submit recovery and reform laws to congress for approval. What eventually emerged from the 100 days was what is known as the 3 R's "ÃÂRelief, Recovery and Reform.
One of the first relief actions was known as the Emergency Relief Act. This established the Federal Emergency Administration (FERA) and he pushed to get $500 million to be spent immediately for quick relief.
Next to come was the Reforestation act of 1933. It helped to stop and repair some of the environmental damage that had occurred as a result of the industrial revolution.