Economic Recovery Post-Depression: The New Deal

Roosevelt’s New Deal The Great Depression started in the United states but spread into a worldwide economic down-turn. The stock market crash of 1929 caused Billions of dollars to be lost along with thousands of investors. It was the “deepest and longest-lasting economic downturn in the history of the Western industrialized world up to that time”(Stock Market Crash). Some say that this was a starting cause of the Great Depression. Over 20,000 banks failed. On average “one out of four”(Living New Deal) of Americans were out of work by 1933. If people aren’t working families go hungry.
Some had it harder in the Dust Bowl. In Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Texas kids wore dusk masks and farmers watched their crops blow away. Years of drought and poor farming technique created these problems and the dust that blew in to homes. In 1933 Franklin D. Roosevelt after his election put in place reforms for economic recovery, job creation, and civic uplift to reverse the effects of the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression called the New Deal. The New Deal offered economic recovery through the Securities and Exchange Commission(SEC) and several other programs.
These programs aided the bankrupt local and state governments and “injected a huge amount of federal spending to bolster aggregate incomes and demand”(Living New Deal) . This program helped refinance mortgages so people could stay in their homes. The SEC provided emergency relief to families to help support them when many Americans couldn’t support themselves. The agricultural and industry prices where stabilized. The National Industrial Recovery Act (NRA) introduced codes for fair competition and guaranteed labor rights. On the other hand the Agricultural Adjustment Act (AAA) provided funding to farmers to supplement their crop production.

President Roosevelt’s New Deal created new jobs through the “ground work” (Kelber) created by the American Federation of Labor (AFL) . Through the instability of the economy “one out of four”(Living New Deal) Americans were unemployed and because “private industry was in a state of collapse”(Kelber) the government took charge fixing things with the “greatest and most successful job-creating effort in American history”(Kelber). Without work many went hungry and it affected their families as mothers and fathers watched their children starve.
Agencies provided millions with jobs and saved families. They also recognized the right for workers to create ad have unions. The Public Works Administration (PWA) build thousand of highways, bridges, hospitals, schools, theaters, libraries, city halls,homes post, offices ,airports, and parks many are still in use; putting hundreds of thousands of people to work. The Works Progress Administration (WPA) gave millions of unskilled workers jobs building Gymnasiums, brailling books, or even stuffing rare birds. Many criticized these projects but they put in place necessary facilities.
The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) every city across the country touching the lives of people and changed the public atmosphere. The men and women who worked in these corps believed they were setting the foundation for a greater society. They planted trees, built public parks, drained swamps to fight malaria, restocked rivers with fish, worked on flood control projects, and worked to conserve the environment. Their work “dramatically changed the future”(CCC Legacy). Roosevelt’s reforms saved a nation and gave it a glimmer of hope that the future would be brighter when the present was bleak.
Securities and Exchange Commission(SEC), Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation(FDIC), National Labor Relations Board(NLRB), and Social Security Administration are still in use today. Though their present feels like it has always been there it is hard to believe they are only eighty years old. Through their existence America was able to over come the great depression. It’s hard to imagine what our country would be like with out them. Works Cited “Franklin D. Roosevelt – American Heritage Center, Inc. ” Franklin D. Roosevelt – American Heritage Center, Inc. Franklin D. Roosevelt American Heritage Center, Inc. 2006. Web. 23 Feb. 2013. Kelber, Harry. “How the New Deal Created Millions of Jobs To Lift the American People from Depression. ” How the New Deal Created Millions of Jobs To Lift the American People from Depression. N. p. , n. d. Web. 24 Feb. 2013. “Living New Deal. ” Living New Deal. University of California, 2012. Web. 23 Feb. 2013. Nelson, Cary. “The Great Depression. ” The Great Depression. N. p. , n. d. Web. 23 Feb. 2013. “Stock Market Crash of 1929. ” History. com. A&E Television Networks, n. d. Web. 23 Feb. 2013. “Welcome to CCC Legacy. ” Ccclegacy. Ralph and Mary Halbert, n. d. Web. 24 Feb. 2013.