Introduced by US President Franklin Roosevelt, the
New Deal was designed to revive the country's battered economy and restore her shattered morale after the devastating impact of the Wall Street Crash and the ensuing depression. FDR instituted a series of measures, including the setting up of the so-called
"alphabet agencies", which aimed to ameliorate the worst effects of the economic depression on farmers, factory workers and the unemployed. The New Deal's achievements were significant and its agencies left their mark on the USA for decades to come, but the programme also met with considerable opposition from the American Right and its economic impact remains a subject for intense debate in the USA today. Have a look at the following resources about the Great Depression and then make your comments about the success of the New Deal on the Wallwisher below.
First-hand accounts of the Wall Street Crash in the BBC Witness podcast.
Another excellent Witness podcast, this time on the effects of the Great Depression.
The History Learning Site
BBC Bitesize and the
Bitesize Higher site
A short BBC podcast, including extracts from FDR speeches outlining the problems faced by the USA.
A series of resources from the History Channel on the New Deal, including some good video clips.
