American History Chapter 22-2

The Second New Deal

1934 - Democrats Controlled Congress• Roosevelt’s Second Hundred Days:• Second New Deal: A flurry of presidential &

congressional activity.– There was a shift from giving direct aid to providing work

opportunities.– WPA: Largest peacetime jobs program in U.S. history.

• Employed millions.• Built roads, airports, zoos.• Worked in schools, museums, factories.• Hired artists, writers, composers.

WPA

Centerpiece of the Second New Deal

• Social Security Act: Passed in 1935– Provided a retirement pension for people 65 and

older.– Included unemployment insurance.• Provided funds to people while they looked for work.

– Excluded farmworkers, household workers, gov’t. employees.

Labor and the New Deal• Organized labor gained strength:– NLRB was formed to allow workers to vote on unions.– Congress for Industrial Organizations: CIO was formed by

John Lewis.

Labor Continued• GM strike in 1936: The CIO led an autoworkers sit-

down strike.– Workers refuse to work and to leave the factory.– After 6 wks. GM gave in – it was a huge victory for labor.

Election of 1936

• Dem. FDR v. Rep. Alf Landon.

Setbacks for Roosevelt• FDR, in 1937, tried to get Congress to reorganize the

Supreme Court by making it larger.– He hoped to “pack” the court with New Deal supporters.– He failed & lost support from members of his own party.

Supreme Court 2011

• Members:Chief Justice of the United States: JOHN G. ROBERTS, JR.

Associate Justices:• ANTONIN SCALIA

ANTHONY M. KENNEDYCLARENCE THOMASRUTH BADER GINSBURGSTEPHEN G. BREYERSAMUEL A. ALITO, JR.SONIA SOTOMAYORELENA KAGAN

Setbacks Continued:

• Fall of 1937 saw another drop in the stock market.– Led to 2 million layoffs.– Gov’t. deficit was growing: Spending more $ than what it

takes in.– Economist John Keynes suggested that deficit spending

provides jobs and stimulates the economy.

Do you think Mr. Keynes imagined this much debt?