Was the New Deal a success? - Part 3

Slide 1: Was the New Deal a Success?

Slide 2: Aspect 4: Black Americans – Around 200,000 black Americans gained benefits from the CCC & other ND agencies – Many black Americans benefited from ND slum clearance and housing projects – Many ND agencies discriminated against black people. They either got no work or received worse treatment or lower wages – FDR failed to pass anti-lynching laws for fear that Democratic senators of southern states (Dixiecrats) would not support him

Slide 3: Aspect 5: Women – ND saw some women achieve prominent positions. Eleanor Roosevelt became important campaigner on social issues – Mary McCleod Bethune, a black woman, headed the National Youth Administration – Frances Perkins, as Sec. Labor, removed 59 corrupt officials from Labor Dept. & was key figure in making 2nd ND work in practice – Most ND programs aimed to help male manual workers, not women (only 8000 women involved in CCC) – Local gov’ts tried to avoid paying out social security payments to women by introducing special qualifications and conditions – Frances Perkins was viciously attacked in the press as a Jew & Soviet spy. Even her cabinet colleagues tended to ignore her at social gatherings

Slide 4: Aspect 6: Native Americans – Indian Reorganization Act of 1934 provided money to help Native Americans to buy and improve land – Indian Reservation Act of 1934 helped Native Americans to preserve and practice their traditions, laws and culture – Native Americans remained a poor and excluded section of society

Slide 5: Focus Task: How successful was the New Deal? • This is a complicated question. You have already spent time thinking about it; now you are going to prepare to write an essay. First, recap some key points: • Roosevelt’s aims – Make a list of FDR’s aims for the 1st New Deal – What new aims did the 2nd New Deal have? – In which of these aims did FDR succeed? In which did he fail? • The unemployment problem – Explain why unemployment remained high through the 1930s – Does this mean that FDR’s New Deal was not a success? • Opposition – How far do you think opposition to the ND made it hard for the ND to work? • Criticisms & achievements – Which criticism of the New Deal do you think is the most serious? Why? – Which achievement of the New Deal do you think is the most important? Why? – Would FDR have agreed with you choice? Why?

Slide 6: Focus Task: How successful was the New Deal? • Now write your own balanced account of the successes and failures of the New Deal, reaching your own conclusion as to whether it was a success or not. Include: – The nature and scale of the problem facing FDR – The action he took through the 1930s – The impact of the New Deal on Americans – The reasons for opposition to the New Deal – Your own judgment on its success or failure • Include evidence to back up your judgments

Slide 7: Fin