- 1933 - Emergency Banking Relief Act
The Emergency Banking Relief Act was one of the first acts passed by the Roosevelt administration. It declared a short bank holiday, during which all of the banks were closed for inspection. Government officials went to each bank and opened only the ones that were suitable for business. All other ones were closed until they had got their finances back in order.
- 1933 - Steagall Act
The Steagall Act further improved the financial situation of the United States. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation was set up to insure all of the deposits in the banks up to $5,000. Due to inflation the upper limit has been increased to $100,000.
- 1933 - Agricultural Adjustment Act
The AAA was designed to improve the life of the farmer and to decrease the production of wheat in the country. It took extremely radical steps, such as paying farmers to plow their fields over, to achieve its goal. Assisted by the dry weather it greatly reduced farm production before it was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.
- 1933 - Tennessee Valley Authority
The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) was a massive organization in control of a huge piece of land. Under its power was a hydroelectric plant which provided power for parts of seven states. Its other purposes included flood control, reforestation, irrigation, navigation, preservation of life, and the development of electric power.
- 1933 - Civilian Conservation Corps
The Civilian Conservation Corps was made to solve the problem of unemployment among the youth. It took the people between the ages of 18 and 25 and provided them with jobs in national parks and national forests. One of the more important details was that more than two-thirds of the money earned was immediately sent to the parents. In this way, the government tried to pump money into the economy to try revive the depression.
- 1933 - National Industry Recovery Act
The NIRA was Roosevelt's way of helping business. It stated that businesses must follow trade laws. However, since many of these trade laws were almost unachievable by small companies, in a way it encouraged monopolies and discouraged competition.
- 1934 - Federal Securities Act
The Federal Securities Act was designed to regulate trade and the nature of trade on Wall Street. It created a new commission, the Securities and Exchange Commission which enforced the law. As part of the act all information about securities traded needed to be disclosed before the deal.
- 1935 - Wagner Connery Act
The Wagner Act guaranteed labor the right to organzie and bargain colllectively. The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) was setup to enforce the law. It would come into play any time there was a conflict between two unions, a manager and a union, etc. Some of the practices the NLRB declared unfair were attempts by an employer to discourage a union membership, firing anyone for union activity, or the refusal to bargain with official representatives from the union.
- 1935 - Social Security Act
The Social Security Act made government responsible for the elderly, the handicapped, and the unemployed. It established a federal program of old-age insurance starting at the age of 65. Moreover it provided some unemployment help to the states. The Social Security Act had one of the most widespread effects, almost everyone was assigned a social security card, and as time went on the benefits and the type of people covered increased.
- 1935 - Public Works Administration
Similar to the CCC, the reasoning behind the PWA was that to increase business activity, money had to be put in the economy from the bottom: if you give people money, they will spend it, which in turn will promote businesses. Thus, the PWA hired all kinds of workers: artists, musicians, constructors etc.
- 1935 - Neutrality Act
This was the first in a series of several neutrality acts. It provided that after the United States recognized a war, merchants could not sell arms to the belligerents. Such embargoes were to last six weeks and would be renewable indefinitely. It also stated that all individuals traveling on belligerent ships did so at their own risk. This was to prevent the United States' entry into the war as a reaction to another "Lusitania."
- 1936 - Neutrality Act
The Neutrality Act of 1936 renewed the act of 1935 and also prohibited U.S. citizens to sell arms and munitions to the belligerents.
- 1937 - Neutrality Act
The Act of 1937 provided that in case of a Civil War, the Neutrality Act of 1936 still held true; one could not sell arms or munitions to both sides. This act was precipitated mainly by the Spanish Civil War.
- 1939 - Neutrality Act
The Neutrality Act of 1939 replaced all of the acts that came before it. With the signing of this act, the United States unofficially entered the war. This was the Cash and Carry Act. All embargoes were lifted and ships could get products for cash if they came into United States ports.
- 1941 - Lend-Lease Act
The Lend Lease Act went into effect when the Allies ran out of cash and could no longer buy weapons under the Cash and Carry Act (Neutrality Act of 1939). This act permitted the President to "sell, transfer, exchange, lease, or otherwise dispose of" war equipment to any nation for the interests of the United States.
- 1941 - Declaration of War
The United States officially entered World War II on the side of the Allies after the Japanese air force bombed Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on December 7th. Unfortunately for the Japanese Military Commanders, even though most of the Unite States' fleet were destroyers at the harbor, the two aircraft carriers were out to sea and thus were not damaged.
- 1944 - D-Day
D-Day was the invasion of the beaches of Normandy from the British Isles. The allies concentrated their forces in Great Britain and then made one successful attack. This marked the beginning of the end for the Germans.
- 1945 - Roosevelt's Death
Roosevelt died while in office less than three months into his fourth term. Vice President Truman took over facing the problems of the post war period.
![[Franklin Roosevelt
's Portrait]](../../oval_office/graphics/roosevelt_franklin.gif)
