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2024-09-22 08:20:01

New Deal

Series of programs by FDR in 1930s
Series of programs by FDR in 1930s

The New Deal, implemented by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, aimed at relief, recovery, and reform during the Great Depression. It led to a political realignment and dominance of the Democratic Party until the 1960s.

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1930
Smoot-Hawley Tariff

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.

1933-03-04
Franklin D. Roosevelt's First Inaugural Address

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.

1933-03-09
Emergency Banking Act

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'.

1933-03-15
Economy Act

Drafted by Budget Director Lewis Williams Douglas, the Economy Act aimed to balance the federal budget by cutting government employee salaries and veterans' pensions.

1933-03-20
Government Economy Act

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.

1933-03-29
Revised ECW Legislation Sent to Congress

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.

1933-03-31
Civilian Conservation Corps

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.

1933-04-07
Start of Civilian Conservation Corps Enrollment

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.

1933-05-12
Agricultural Adjustment Act

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.

1933-05-18
Tennessee Valley Authority Act

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

1933-05-27
Securities Act

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

1933-06-13
Home Owners’ Loan Act of 1933

President Roosevelt signs a law that assists mortgage lenders and individual home owners by issuing bonds and loans for troubled mortgages, back taxes, home owners’ insurance, and necessary home repairs. It establishes the Home Owners Loan Corporation (HOLC) to oversee the act.

1933-06-16
National Industrial Recovery Act

President Roosevelt signs a law that regulates certain business activities and establishes the Federal Emergency Administration of Public Works, later known as the Public Works Administration (PWA). The PWA contributes billions of dollars to infrastructure projects over the next decade.

1933-08-22
Cedar Breaks declared a National Monument

President Roosevelt signs a Presidential Proclamation declaring Cedar Breaks in Utah a National Monument, the first of twenty-one he designates during his presidency.

1933-10-04
Federal Surplus Relief Corporation created

The Federal Surplus Relief Corporation is established, later renamed Federal Surplus Commodities Corporation, providing food and commodities to those in need.

1933-10-09
Procurement Division of the U.S. Treasury established

A Procurement Division of the U.S. Treasury is established, creating the Public Works Branch, later named the Public Buildings Branch (PBB), to build and repair federal buildings using funds from the Public Works Administration (PWA) and emergency relief appropriations.

1933-10-23
Construction of Fort Peck Dam begins

The Army Corps of Engineers starts the construction of the Fort Peck Dam with New Deal funding, one of the many large projects undertaken with Public Works Administration (PWA) and emergency relief appropriations.

1933-11-09
Creation of Civil Works Administration (CWA)

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.

1933-12-08
Establishment of Public Works of Art Project (PWAP)

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.

1934-01-30
Gold Reserve Act

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.

1934-05-20
End of Public Works of Art Project (PWAP)

The 5-month-long program, which employed 3,749 artists and created 15,663 works of art, comes to a close.

1934-06-06
Signing of the Securities Act of 1934

President Roosevelt signs the law establishing the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) with regulatory and disciplinary powers.

1934-06-18
Signing of the Indian Reorganization Act

President Roosevelt signs a law that promotes tribal self-governance, tribal business development, and the return or addition of tribal land.

1934-06-19
Signing of the Communication Act of 1934

President Roosevelt signs a law creating the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to regulate the communications industry.

1934-06-27
National Housing Act

Established the Federal Housing Administration, providing federal insurance for mortgages.

1934-07-14
End of Civil Works Administration (CWA) Employment

The CWA, which employed over 4 million men on infrastructure projects, concludes its employment activities.

1934-08-08
Start of Construction of the All-American Canal

Construction begins on the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation project in California, funded with assistance from the Public Works Administration (PWA).

1934-10-16
Creation of the Treasury Section of Painting and Sculpture

Treasury Secretary Henry Morgenthau, Jr., establishes an art program that produces murals and sculptures for federal buildings.

1935-04-08
Emergency Relief Appropriation of 1935

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.

1935-04-27
Signing of the Soil Conservation Act

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

1935-05-01
Creation of the Resettlement Administration

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

1935-05-06
Formation of the Works Progress Administration

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

1935-05-11
Creation of the Rural Electrification Administration

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

1935-05-27
NRA Found Unconstitutional

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.

1935-05-28
Creation of the Puerto Rico Reconstruction Administration

President Roosevelt establishes the Puerto Rico Reconstruction Administration to enhance Puerto Rico's infrastructure, education, agriculture, and health services.

1935-06-26
Establishment of the National Youth Administration

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

1935-06-28
Signing of the Taylor Grazing Act

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

1935-07-05
National Labor Relations Act (Wagner Act) Signed

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.

1935-08-14
Social Security Act Signed

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.

1935-08-23
Banking Act of 1935 Signed

President Roosevelt signs the Banking Act of 1935, which restructures the Federal Reserve Bank system to diminish the influence of the New York branch.

1935-12-31
Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA) Ends Main Operations

The Federal Emergency Relief Administration concludes its primary activities, having provided substantial financial aid to states for relief efforts and preventing numerous cities from financial collapse during the years of its operation.

1936-01-06
United States v. Butler Supreme Court Case

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.

1936-05-20
Rural Electrification Act of 1936

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.

1936-06-19
Robinson-Patman Act

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

1936-07-03
Dedication of Shenandoah National Park

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.

1936-09-01
Bureau of Public Roads annual report on PWA and WPA projects

The Bureau of Public Roads reports on the progress of roadwork funded by the Public Works Administration and labor from the Works Progress Administration.

1936-09-29
Roosevelt condemns communism

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.

1936-10-31
President Roosevelt's speech at Madison Square Garden

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

1936-11-03
Roosevelt's re-election as President

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

1937-01-20
President Roosevelt's second inaugural address

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.

1937-02-05
Roosevelt's Court-Packing Plan

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.

1938-06-25
Fair Labor Standards Act signed by President Roosevelt

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.

1939-04-03
Reorganization Act of 1939 signed by President Roosevelt

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.

1939-05-16
Creation of the 'Food Stamp Plan'

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.'

1939-06-30
End of the WPA's Federal Theatre Project

The WPA's Federal Theatre Project comes to an end in 1939 due to congressional concerns over racial integration, communism accusations, and perceived wasteful spending. The project had entertained millions of Americans with performances nationwide.

1939-07-01
Establishment of the Federal Works Agency (FWA)

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.

1940
Economic Progress under New Deal

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.

1943-06-30
Termination of Public Works Administration (PWA)

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.

1964
Barry Goldwater's Anti-New Deal Platform

Barry Goldwater, the Republican presidential candidate in 1964, ran on a platform attacking the New Deal. His opposition to New Deal policies was evident, leading to a landslide victory for the Democrats under Lyndon B. Johnson.

1974
Call for deregulation of the economy

After 1974, there was a bipartisan push for the deregulation of the economy, signaling a shift in economic policies and priorities.

1980
Ronald Reagan's Presidency and Opposition to the New Deal

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.

1989
Bernanke and Parkinson's perspective on the New Deal

In 1989, Ben Bernanke and Martin Parkinson argued that the New Deal cleared the way for a natural recovery by addressing issues like deflation and rehabilitating the financial system.

2000
Milton Friedman's view on New Deal policies

In 2000, Milton Friedman differentiated between the reform policies and relief policies of the New Deal, supporting relief measures like providing jobs for the unemployed and an expansive monetary policy.

1935-02-29
Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act

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.

2016
Review Study on New Deal Programs

A 2016 review study highlighted the impact of New Deal programs, showing that public works and relief spending had positive effects on state income, consumption activity, and migration. However, some programs favored large farm owners over other agricultural workers.

End of the Timeline
New Deal
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