Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s presidency (1933–1945) transformed the United States. Through the New Deal, he expanded the federal government’s role in the economy and provided direct relief to millions suffering during the Great Depression. His wartime leadership later cemented America’s role as a global superpower.

For GCSE and A-Level history students, understanding FDR’s achievements is key to analysing U.S. political, economic and social change in the mid-20th century.

Franklin D. Roosevelt: Biography, Early Life and Path to the Presidency

The Hundred Days: Setting the Tone for Change

When Roosevelt became president in March 1933, the U.S. was in economic freefall:

• Unemployment stood at around 25%.
• Thousands of banks had collapsed.
• Farmers faced falling prices and debt.
• Public confidence in government was low after years of perceived inaction by President Herbert Hoover.

Roosevelt moved quickly. In his first Hundred Days, Congress passed 15 major laws addressing banking, unemployment, agriculture and industry. This unprecedented burst of legislation showed Americans that the government was now taking an active role in solving the crisis.

Key examples from the Hundred Days:

• Emergency Banking Relief Act: Closed banks for inspection and only allowed financially sound banks to reopen, restoring public trust.
• Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC): Employed young men in environmental projects like reforestation, flood control and park maintenance.
• Agricultural Adjustment Act (AAA): Paid farmers to reduce production, stabilising crop prices.
• Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA): Built dams and power stations to bring electricity and jobs to the rural South.

The New Deal (1933–1939): Relief, Recovery, Reform

The New Deal can be understood through its Three Rs:

1. Relief – Immediate help for those in need

• Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA): Provided direct aid to the unemployed.
• Works Progress Administration (WPA): Created jobs in construction, the arts and public services, employing millions.

2. Recovery – Restoring the economy

• Public Works Administration (PWA): Funded massive infrastructure projects, stimulating demand for materials and labour.
• National Industrial Recovery Act (NIRA): Encouraged industrial cooperation on fair wages and prices (later ruled unconstitutional but significant in intent).

3. Reform – Preventing future crises

• Social Security Act (1935): Established pensions, unemployment insurance and support for the disabled, which is still a core part of U.S. welfare today.
• Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC): Regulated the stock market to prevent fraud and speculation.
• Banking Act of 1933: Introduced the FDIC to protect savings.

FDR’s Wartime Leadership

By the late 1930s, war loomed in Europe and Asia. Initially, Roosevelt kept America neutral, reflecting public opinion. However, he gradually increased support for countries fighting the Axis powers:

• Lend-Lease Act (1941): Allowed the U.S. to supply Britain, the USSR and other Allies with weapons, food and raw materials without direct payment upfront.
• After the attack on Pearl Harbour (7 December 1941), Roosevelt declared war on Japan, bringing the U.S. fully into WWII.

• Led America’s wartime production boom. Factories shifted to producing tanks, planes and ships at record speed.
• Played a central role in Allied strategy conferences at Tehran (1943) and Yalta (1945), shaping military plans and the post-war world.

Beyond the New Deal: Long-Term Vision

• In 1944, Roosevelt proposed a Second Bill of Rights, arguing that true freedom required economic security:
  • Right to employment
  • Right to decent housing
  • Right to medical care
  • Right to education
• Though never enacted as law, this vision influenced later U.S. policies on welfare and civil rights.

Achievements in Perspective

Positive Impacts:

• Restored public confidence in government during the Great Depression.
• Created millions of jobs through public works and relief agencies.
• Laid the foundations of the U.S. welfare state through Social Security.
• Successfully led the U.S. to victory in WWII, securing its position as a global leader.

Criticisms:

• Some argued the New Deal expanded federal power too far.
• Not all groups benefited equally, as African Americans and women often received less support.
• Certain programmes (like the AAA) hurt sharecroppers and tenant farmers.
• Economic recovery remained incomplete until wartime production began.

Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Impact and Legacy

Why This Matters for GCSE & A-Level History

For GCSE and A-Level students, FDR’s achievements offer:

• A clear example of government intervention in the economy.
• Evidence for debates about the balance between state power and free enterprise.
• Insights into how leadership can adapt to both domestic and global crises.

Exam tip: When answering questions on FDR, link policies to both immediate relief and long-term reform, and always consider the extent to which they achieved their aims.