From 1920 to 1929, Americans experienced an economic growth known as the Roaring Twenties, but at the end of the decade the U.S had to face a terrible crisis, with disastrous consequences worldwide.
The period of the Great Depression began, poverty increased dramatically and more and more workers got unemployed and homeless.
These were very difficult years but with the 1932 elections, the Democrats won, ousting the Republicans, who were in charge for more than 10 years.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt was born on January 30, 1882, in the Hudson Valley town of Hyde Park, New York, in a wealthy family. Roosevelt's father was a prominent Bourbon Democrat.
He started working in a law firm and in 1905 he married Eleanor Roosevelt, Theodore's niece, who influenced his career a lot. A few years later the couple moved to Springwood, where they had 6 children between 1906 and 1916.
In the meantime, Franklin gave up his job to devote himself entirely to politics. He soon joined the Democratic party and through an effective and expensive campaign, managed to win the elections as New York state senator in 1910.
His career, however, was derailed by his illness, a severe form of polio contracted in '21 on vacation at Campobello Island in Canada, which caused him serious motor problems for his whole life, but he still tried to hide his disability.Roosevelt kept contact with the Democratic Party during the 1920s and remained active in New York politics.
In 1928 he also managed to become governor of New York, which allowed him to increase his popularity throughout the USA, as he managed to face the crisis and raise the population in difficulty through a package of economic aid.
Thanks to his experience and his policies implemented in New York, Roosevelt decided to run for the presidential elections of '32. Through his campaign and thanks to many Democratic supporters, Roosevelt managed to win against Republican Hoover and on October 8, 1932, he was appointed president of the United States, obtaining 57.4% of the votes.
The New Deal was a set of domestic policies enacted under President Franklin D. Roosevelt that dramatically expanded the federal government’s role in the economy in response to the Great Depression.
The "New Deal" consisted of the “Three R's” which are Relief, Recovery, and Reform.
When Roosevelt was inaugurated on March 4, 1933, the U.S. was at the nadir of the worst depression in its history. For example a quarter of the workforce was unemployed.
Roosevelt responded to citizens' demands with a series of new programs in the administration's “The First Hundred Days”, during which he met with Congress for 100 days.
From March through June 1933, at Roosevelt’s behest, Congress passed legislation aimed at addressing the banking crisis, unemployment, and weak industrial performance, among other problems, through new laws and agencies.
Since the early 19th century, Uncle Sam has been a popular symbol of the US government in American culture and a manifestation of patriotic emotion.
Roosevelt presided over the establishment of several agencies and measures designed to provide relief for the unemployed and others in need. These are:
These measures sparked criticism from conservatives, republicans and wealthy US finance men who clashed hard with Roosevelt.
In 1935-1936 the Supreme Court, which is the judiciary body, was made up of conservative judges, who declared unconstitutional several decisions made by Roosevelt including the National Industrial Recovery Act.
Thanks to his achievements in the country, the judges began to take the side of the president and the conflict ended in a short time.
