 An Overview of Franklin Roosevelt's
AdministraionFranklin Delano
Roosevelt served as President for more than 12 years,
longer than any other. He led the nation through its
greatest depression and its worst war. He died just 83
days after being inaugurated for his fourth term.
Roosevelt took office at the depth of
the Great Depression. In his inaugural address, he called
for faith in America's future and declared that "The
only thing we have to fear is fear itself." He
called his program the New Deal, and for the
first time in American history the federal government
took strong action to make the United States prosperous.
Roosevelt said he wanted to help the average American,
and promised relief for unemployed workers and aid for
farmers. Under his leadership, the government put
stronger controls on business than ever before. It spent
billions of dollars on relief and public works, and
dozens of new government agencies were created.
The start of World War II in 1939
divided Roosevelt's presidency into two parts. Until the
German invasion of Poland that year, the government
worked to end the depression. After the invasion,
however, the government's focus shifted to helping its
European allies without getting directly involved in the
war. The Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941,
however, forced Roosevelt's hand and the United States
was plunged head-on into the bloodiest war the world has
ever seen.
His Vice-President and Cabinet
| Vice-President |
John N. Garner
Henry A. Wallace (1941)
Harry S. Truman (1945) |
| Secretary of State |
Cordell Hull
Edward R. Stettinius, Jr. (1944) |
| Secretary of the
Treasury |
William H. Woodin
Henry Morgenthau, Jr. (1934) |
| Secretary of War |
George H. Dern
Harry H.
Woodring (1937)
Henry L. Stimson (1940) |
| Attorney General |
Homer S. Cummings
Frank Murphy (1939)
Robert H. Jackson (1940)
Francis Biddle (1941) |
| Postmaster General |
James A. Farley
Frank C. Walker (1940) |
| Secretary of the Navy |
Claude A. Swanson
Charles Edison (1940)
Frank Knox (1940)
James Forrestal (1944) |
| Secretary of the
Interior |
Harold L. Ickes |
| Secretary of Agriculture |
Henry A. Wallace
Claude R. Wickard (1940) |
| Secretary of Commerce |
Daniel C. Roper
Harry L. Hopkins (1938)
Jesse H. Jones (1940)
Henry A. Wallace (1945) |
| Secretary of Labor |
Frances
Perkins |
Major Domestic Events of His
Administration
| 1933 |
The United States and Russia
exchaged diplomatic representatives for the first
time since 1917. |
| 1933, March 6 |
Roosevelt declared a "bank
holiday." |
| 1933, March 12 |
Roosevelt gave the first of his
"fireside chats." |
| 1933, December |
The 21st Amendment officially
ended Prohibition. |
| 1934, May 31 |
Congress repealed the Platt
Amendment. |
| 1934, July |
Roosevelt became the first U.S.
President to visit South America. |
| 1935 |
The Social Security Act was
enacted. |
| 1935 |
The National Labor Relations Act
gave workers the right to bargain collectively. |
| 1935 |
The Supreme Court ruled the
National Industrial Recovery Act
unconstitutional. |
| 1940 |
The Two-Ocean Navy Act was
enacted. |
| 1940 |
The Selective Service and
Training Act was enacted. |
| 1941 |
Congress passed the Lend-Lease
Law, providing arms for Great Britain. |
| 1941, December 7 |
Japanese planes bombed Pearl
Harbor, Hawaii. |
| 1941, December 8 |
The United States declared war
on Japan. |
| 1941, December 11 |
Germany and Italy declared war
on the United States. |
| 194 |
Congress passed the Servicemen's
Readjustment Act, also known as the "GI Bill
of Rights." |
Major World Events of His
Administration
| 1933 |
Adolf Hitler became Chancelor of
Germany. |
| 1936 |
Edward VIII abdicated the
British throne to marry American divorcée Mrs.
Wallis Simpson. |
| 1936-1939 |
Rebels led by General Francisco
Franco defeated the Loyalists in the Spanish
Civil War. |
| 1939 |
The German invasion of Poland
marked the start of World War II. |
| 1942, December |
The world's first controlled
nuclear chain reaction was achieved at the
University of Chicago. |
The American President. http://millercenter.org/president/fdroosevelt
World War II
Harry H.
Woodring
Frances
Perkins
Spanish
Civil War
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