History 1111:
U.S.
History after 1865
Professor Catapano New Deal Legislation - "The 3 R's" Below is a partial list of New Deal legislation that addressed the problems of relief, reform and recovery during the Great Depression of the 1930s.RELIEF Federal Emergency Relief Administration - FERA - 1933DIRECT RELIEF - federal money given to the states - states could use the money in their state for any relief they felt necessary.At one time - 8 million families on direct relief.Note: Many of the recovery plans were job programs designed to eradicate unemployment and stimulate the economy. RECOVERY Civilian
Conservation
Corps - CCC - 1933
Youth program - ages
18-25 - most unmarried from poor families - 2600 work camps - almost
like
the military. Lived in barracks, room and board provided by the
government.
Paid wages, but were expected to share their wages with their families.
Socially useful work - built fire trails, camp sites in parks, cleared
swamps, planted trees, conservation measures.
Public Works Administration - PWA - 1933Purpose - to help the construction and building industry recover government contracts granted to private firms for the construction of public works. Federal government encouraged state and local governments to carry on their own projects - offered them loans and "gifts" to buildHarold Ickes - Director Works Progress Administration - WPA - 1935Useful work - used people's talents - worked with state and local government on public works projects (schools, roads, bridges, sewage plants)Also, employed actors, artists, musicians, writers - 1936 - peak year - nearly 4 million Americans working for the WPA - Harry Hopkins - Director REFORM Glass-Steagall Banking Act (1933)Purpose - to protect bank depositors and the banking system1. Seperated
Commercial from Investment Banking
federal regulation to insure that banks do not use deposits for speculative investments (repealed in 1999) 2. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation - FDIC federal government insured the money of bank depositors 3. Increased the power of the Federal Reserve Board to regulate interest rates National Industrial Recovery Act - NIRA - 1933Purpose - to revive industry by getting employers to work together - urged cooperation instead of competition. Businesses were to form cooperatives to eliminate unemployment and raise wages.National Recovery Administration - NRA - agency created to administer or carry out the law - Hugh Johnson - Director - NRA helped each industry draw up Fair Practices Codes (within their industry)-once the codes were approved by the President - all businesses in that industry had to abide by them. In general - NRA codes:
1935 Section 7a - encouraged union membership Wagner Act - 1935
Social Security Act - 19351. Unemployment Insurance - payroll deductionworkers contribute to a fund - employers contribute for each worker - if unemployed, workers draw money based on their contribution 2. Old-Age Pensions - payroll deduction retired workers collect pension based on their contribution. Must work to collect both one and two 3. Aid to widows, handicapped and dependent children. |