New Deal

On February 29, 1935, the Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act was implemented as part of the second New Deal programs. This act paid farmers to plant soil-building crops like beans and grasses to combat the effects of the Dust Bowl.

President Herbert Hoover signed the Smoot-Hawley tariff in 1930 to protect U.S. industries during the Great Depression, but it worsened the economic situation instead of improving it.

On March 4, 1933, during the Great Depression, President Franklin D. Roosevelt delivered his first inaugural address, reassuring Americans and promising swift action to combat the economic crisis.

On March 9, 1933, Franklin D. Roosevelt implemented the Emergency Banking Act as part of his New Deal policies. This Act aimed to stabilize the banking system by allowing financially secure banks to reopen after a nationwide 'banking holiday'.

On March 20, the act allowed Roosevelt to reduce the salaries of government and military employees by 15%, saving $243 million to fund New Deal initiatives.

The ECW legislation to establish the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) was submitted to Congress. However, organized labor raised objections, leading to revisions and negotiations by FDR's administration.

Established on March 31, the program employed three million workers over nine years to undertake conservation projects on public lands, including reforestation, construction of flood barriers, and maintenance of roads and trails.

Enrollment for the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) officially commenced. The CCC was a public work relief program aimed at providing employment opportunities during the Great Depression.

This legislation subsidized farmers to reduce crops and doubled crop prices by 1937. It was overturned by the Supreme Court in 1936 due to its funding structure.

The program established a federal corporation to build power stations in the Tennessee Valley, an impoverished region.

This act mandated corporations to disclose information to investors before issuing stock.

Enacted on June 16, this labor and consumer law established the Public Works Administration to create public works jobs such as the Hoover Dam, Route 66, and New York City's Triborough Bridge. It also formed the National Recovery Administration, outlawed child labor, set minimum wage rates, and limited the workday to eight hours. Additionally, it granted trade unions the legal right to negotiate with employers. However, it was deemed unconstitutional in 1935.

The CWA was established through Executive Order No. 6420B under the National Industrial Recovery Act by President Roosevelt. By January 1934, it employed over 4 million Americans and funded various infrastructure projects.

The PWAP was created using funds from the CWA to provide employment to artists during the Great Depression. It resulted in the creation of nearly 16,000 works of art for public spaces.

FDR prohibited private gold ownership and increased the price of gold to $35 per ounce, doubling the value of gold held in U.S. Federal Reserve Banks.

The program replaced the Federal Emergency Relief Act of 1933 and funded the new Works Progress Administration with $4.8 million. It employed 8.5 million people for various public works projects, including building bridges, roads, public buildings, parks, and airports. Additionally, it supported artists in creating numerous murals and sculptures to decorate these public works.

President Roosevelt signs the Soil Conservation Act, establishing the Soil Conservation Service to protect America's agricultural land from erosion and overuse.

President Roosevelt establishes the Resettlement Administration to assist destitute Americans, address environmental issues, and provide loans to farmers.

President Roosevelt initiates the Works Progress Administration to offer employment opportunities to unemployed individuals and enhance the country's infrastructure.

President Roosevelt establishes the Rural Electrification Administration to bring electricity to rural areas underserved by private companies.

On May 27, 1935, the U.S. Supreme Court declared the National Recovery Administration (NRA) unconstitutional in the case of A.L.A. Schechter Poultry Corp. v. United States. This decision led to the end of the NRA and the introduction of new standards through subsequent legislation.

President Roosevelt creates the National Youth Administration to provide employment, education, and training for unemployed young individuals.

President Roosevelt signs the Taylor Grazing Act into law, putting an end to open grazing on public rangelands and regulating land use.

President Roosevelt signs the National Labor Relations Act, also known as the Wagner Act, which strengthens labor unions and improves labor-management relations in the long term. The law is enforced by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), which continues to exist today in a diminished capacity.

The Social Security Act is signed into law, establishing programs like old age pensions and social safety nets that have provided economic security for Americans since its enactment, becoming one of the most enduring programs of the New Deal.

In the case of United States v. Butler, the U.S. Supreme Court rules the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1933 as unconstitutional, asserting that agricultural control falls under state jurisdiction rather than federal authority.

President Roosevelt signs the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 to address issues faced by the Rural Electrification Administration in bringing electric power to rural areas.

President Roosevelt signs the Robinson-Patman Act to combat monopolistic control and discriminatory pricing in industry and business.

On July 3, 1936, President Franklin D. Roosevelt dedicated Shenandoah National Park in a ceremony at Big Meadows. The park was established to preserve the natural beauty of the area.

In a speech in Syracuse, President Roosevelt officially condemned communism in response to accusations of being a state socialist or communist by hard-right critics in the 1930s.

President Roosevelt addresses the opposition he faces from the business community, emphasizing the dangers of government by organized money.

Roosevelt wins his second term as President, defeating Republican Alf Landon with a significant margin in both Electoral College votes and popular vote.

During his second inaugural address, President Roosevelt highlights the need to provide for those who have too little, emphasizing the importance of better working conditions and more power for the people.

In an attempt to increase the membership of the Supreme Court, President Roosevelt introduces a plan to add up to six additional justices. The plan, known as Roosevelt's 'court-packing' plan, was a response to the Court's hostility towards the New Deal.

President Roosevelt signs the Fair Labor Standards Act in 1938, establishing a minimum wage, a standard work week, overtime pay, and prohibiting certain types of child labor. These regulations are still in effect today.

President Roosevelt signs the Reorganization Act of 1939, which creates new agencies and consolidates existing ones. The Public Works Administration and Works Progress Administration are placed under the Federal Works Agency.

In 1939, the 'Food Stamp Plan' is established within the Federal Surplus Commodities Corporation, laying the foundation for the modern Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), commonly known as 'Food Stamps.'

The Federal Works Agency is created in 1939 under the Reorganization Act, bringing together various agencies like the Public Works Administration and Works Progress Administration to focus on the nation's building needs.

By 1940, the New Deal policies had significantly reduced the unemployment rate to 9.5% and boosted the gross domestic product by 10.1%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average also showed improvement.

President Roosevelt terminates the PWA with Executive Order No. 9357, transferring all functions to the Federal Works Administrator. The PWA had spent $4 billion on modernizing infrastructure.

Ronald Reagan, influenced by the New Right movement, shifted away from the New Deal model of government activism. As president, he emphasized the role of the private sector over government intervention, marking a significant departure from New Deal policies.