Was the New Deal a success?

Slide 1: Was the New Deal a Success?

Slide 2: Late 1930s • FDR became cautious after SC failures – 1937: Economy looking better so FDR cut ND budget (Republicans pushed for it) – Many workers in ND programs laid off – Loss of confidence triggered renewed recession • 1937 recession hurt FDR badly – Middle-class voters leaned Republican in ’38 – Harder now for FDR to push programs through Congress • 1940: FDR elected to 3rd term – FDR still personally popular – Fewer Americans supported New Deal than in 1933 – FDR & Americans focused on wars in Europe & Asia

Slide 3: Was the New Deal a success? • Read, don’t write: – Only one other president (Hoover) faced similar challenges – No one doubts that FDR did better that Hoover – No one doubts that FDR tried his best – Still, historians debate whether or not FDR’s policies were successful – Now, you will chose a position, based on the evidence – Text in black is a favorable view of the ND – Text in red in an unfavorable view

Slide 4: Activity: Was the New Deal a success? -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 Failure Success • For each of the six aspects of the New Deal, decide where you would place it on the scale. Explain your score and support it with evidence from your notes. • After all six aspects are marked, explain your answers to a partner • Working together, try to come up with an agreed mark for the whole of the New Deal. You will have to think about the relative importance of different issues. For example, you might give more weight to a low mark in an important area than to a high mark in a less important area.

Slide 5: Fin