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Essay on 2003 Dbq

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Analyze the responses of Franklin D. Roosevelt's administration to the problems of the Great Depression. How effective were these responses? How did they change the role of the federal government? Roosevelt's first task upon taking office was to alleviate the panic that was threatening to create chaos in the financial system. He did so in part by force of personality and in part by constructing very rapidly an ambitious and diverse program of legislation. Much of Roosevelt's success was a result of his cheerful personality. Beginning with his inaugural address- in which he assured the American people that "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself"- he projected an infectious optimism that helped alleviate the growing despair. …show more content…

It was deemed unconstitutional in the court case Shechter v US. [Document A] Although there was a lot of opposition to FDR's new legislation, it was also given a lot of support by others. In "The Roosevelt Record," editorial in The Crisis, the FDR administration is praised for being the first administration to pay attention to African Americans and to include them in the government's plans. [Document I]. Two days after taking office, Roosevelt issued a proclamation closing all American banks for four days until Congress could meet in special session to consider banking-reform legislation. So great was the panic about bank failures that the "bank holiday," as the president euphemistically described it, created a general sense of relief. Three days later, Roosevelt sent to Congress the Emergency Banking Act, a generally conservative bill designed primarily to protect the larger banks from being dragged down by the weakness of smaller ones. The bill provided for Treasury Department inspection of all banks before they would be allowed to reopen, for federal assistance to some troubled institutions, and for a thorough reorganization of those in the greatest difficulty. On the morning after the passage of the Emergency Banking Act, Roosevelt sent to Congress another measure- the Economy Act- designed to convince fiscally conservative Americans that the federal government was in safe, responsible hands. The act

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