n any way help the American citizen. He argued that federal intervention “would undermine the character of the proud American citizen.” The work ethic had become a part of national policy. Hoover’s popularity declined as the depression deepened. America looked to a new leader, a new president.Franklin D. RooseveltIn 1932, the Democrat Franklin D. Roosevelt defeated the incumbent Republican president Herbert Hoover for the presidency. Roosevelt was re-elected president for three more terms, until his death in 1945. Within that thirteen-year span, he kept a nation from drowning in despair. Nearly thirteen million people were unemployed at the onset of Roosevelt’s presidency. Roosevelt believed federal intervention was necessary to pull America out of the depression. So, beginning on March 9,1933, Roosevelt began passing legislation that later became known as the “Hundred Days” legislation. The first piece of legislation Roosevelt passed was the Emergency Banking Relief Act. This followed Roosevelt’s closing of the nation’s banks on March 5, the day after his inauguration. This act gave the president discretionary power over transactions in credit, currency, gold, and silver. The bill allowed sound banks to reopen under regulation and put unsound banks under conservators. The “Hundred Days” legislation lasted until May 26, 1933, with the Gold Repeal Joint Resolution beginning the last piece of legislation. People began to have faith in the government because it was responding to their needs. Roosevelt’s programs were not totally effective; however they proved to be innovative. They were known as the New Deal programs.The “Hundred Days” legislation was aimed at either recovery or relief. The recovery programs proved to be ineffective. One such program, the N.R.A. (National Recovery Administration), was created with hopes that government, busines...
