The New Deal
(a) Explain the main features of the New Deal
The first act that Roosevelt implemented was the Emergency Banking Act. This was approved to restore faith in the banks, so that people would trust banks in the future and would not be hesitant to have bank accounts. The act was passed after the banks failed to open and Roosevelt realised that soon people would have no money to spend if they did not reopen quickly. However if all the banks opened they might collapse, so all banks were ordered to close for four days and only the ones with secure finances were allowed to reopen, with the help of government grants.
Roosevelt also set up the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), this organisation gave work to the unemployed by paying them for manual labour. The CCC planted many trees and fought forest fires. The president then set up FERA (Federal Emergency Relief Administration) whose job it was to give grants to local government to help the unemployed.
The National Industrial Recovery Act was then passed, they set up both the NRA and PWA. The National Recovery Administration was introduced to agree an employement code with each industry. It was set up to eradicate child labour and low pay. The Public Works Administration was aimed to help unemployed people who had skills and use them to build everything from schools to roads and bridges.
The AAA or Agricultural Adjustment Administration was set up to help farmers, this was achieved by slaughtering piglets, and ploughing crops into the ground, all this meant that farmers would get a better price in the future for their food.
In conclusion the main features of the New Deal were the introduction of the alphabet agencies (NRA, CCC, AAA, FERA etc.) and the Emergency Banking Act (also there was the end to prohibition) all this occurred in the one hundred days when the main features of Roosevelt's New Deal was to be introduced.
(b) Explain why Roosevelt introduced...