Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: The New Deal
A brief biography of Franklin D. Roosevelt and the ideas he had for getting the United States back on its feet during the Great Depression.
New Deal Network
New Deal: Works of Franklin D. Roosevelt: Essentials for Unemployment Relief
Text of a speech by Franklin D. Roosevelt to the Congress, March 21, 1933, outlining a program of public employment at the federal and state levels to provide unemployment relief.
American Presidency Project
American Presidency Project: Franklin Roosevelt: Executive Order 7649
Find the text of President Roosevelt's executive order for the Emergency Relief Appropriation Act of 1937, which provided for the expenditure of funds to help the unemployed.
American Presidency Project
American Presidency Project: Franklin D. Roosevelt: Fireside Chat on Banking
Read the text of Franklin Roosevelt's fireside chat on March 12, 1933, just days after he was inaugurated for first term, in which he explained the reasoning behind his declaration of a bank holiday.
George Washington University
Eleanor Roosevelt Papers Project: National Youth Administration
A good overview of the National Youth Administration and its goals in helping young people during the Great Depression. Of interest is the information on how invested Eleanor Roosevelt was in the development of the program.
Yale University
Yale Law School: First Inaugural Address of Franklin D. Roosevelt
Text of Franklin D. Roosevelt's first Inaugural address. In this speech, he outlines the world crisis facing the country in 1933. He also outlines the aims of government programs and his primary goal, which was to relieve unemployment by...
University of Virginia
Miller Center at Uva: u.s. Presidents: Franklin Delano Roosevelt
Track the accomplishments of Franklin Delano Roosevelt (1882-1945 CE) through his four terms in office. He is considered to be one of our greatest presidents. This president "Guided America through its greatest foreign crisis, and, with...
Digital History
Digital History: Franklin Roosevelt and the Depression [Pdf]
After reading brief biographical information about Franklin Roosevelt, find out what he did immediately upon being sworn in as president in 1933. Find out about the legislation that aimed to encourage trust in banks, and the legislation...
American Presidency Project
American Presidency Project: Franklin D. Roosevelt: Executive Order 7037
Read the text of the executive order of Franklin Roosevelt that established the Rural Electrification Administration in order to bring electricity to the many rural areas in the United States with no electricty.
American Rhetoric
American Rhetoric: Franklin Delano Roosevelt: First Inaugural Address
This is the text, audio, and video [7:04] of the swearing in and the first Inaugural Address of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt on March 4, 1933.
American Presidency Project
American Presidency Project: Franklin D. Roosevelt: Declaring Bank Holiday
Online resource that provides the text to the original document in which President Franklin D. Roosevelt declared a bank holiday. This was known as Proclamation 2039.
Digital Public Library of America
Dpla: Roosevelt's Tree Army: The Civilian Conservation Corps
This exhibition tells the stories of the CCC's administration and controversial policies, the men who joined, and the contributions its projects made to the history of conservation in the United States.
A&E Television
History.com: American Presidents: Franklin D. Roosevelt
A biographical overview of Franklin Delano Roosevelt's life, including an image gallery and video clips.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Fdr and the Great Depression
Looks at the presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt, who held this office from 1933 to 1945, and his New Deal policies and initiatives that saw the United States through the Great Depression.
Curated OER
History Matters: "Share the Wealth": Huey Long Talks to the Nation
A radio address from April 1935 where U.S. Senator Huey Long criticizes Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal. As an alternative, he outlines his proposed "Share the Wealth" program, where wealth would be redistributed to give everyone a more...
University of Groningen
American History: Outlines: Government Involvement
Ouline of the changing scope of government involvement in the private sector beginning in 19th Century America Progressive Era and reaching its peak during Roosevelt's New Deal programs.
American Rhetoric
American Rhetoric: Huey P. Long Radio Speech: "Share Our Wealth"
This is a radio speech "Share Our Wealth" delivered by Huey P. Long on March 7, 1935, by the National Broadcasting Company, New York. Long was in opposition to Roosevelt's New Deal.
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: Fdr's Alphabet Soup
Amazing number of agencies formed as a result of New Deal legislation. Read about the agencies and legislation whose acronyms have become part of governmental history.
Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Comission
Expore Pa History: Pa and the Great Depression: Public Works and Organized Labor
A good look at how the Great Depression affected Pennsylvania. See how New Deal legislation brought relief to the unemployed in Pennsylvania after 1936.
Digital History
Digital History: Jobs Programs
The major aspect of the Great Depression was the rampant unemployment. Read about the many jobs programs that were part of the New Deal that provided employment for millions of needy Americans.
University of Texas at Austin
Dolph Briscoe Center for American History: Garner the Vice President (1933 1941)
As part of a larger biography, this part describes John Nance Garner's tenure as Franklin D. Roosevelt's vice-president for Roosevelt's first two terms. Find out about his importance to the enactment of the New Deal legislation.
Social Security Administration
Social Security Online: 1935 Congressional Debates on Social Security
Full text of the debates in the House and the Senate over the Social Security Act of 1935, proposed by President Roosevelt for economic relief and recovery as part of his New Deal. Each of the debates can be downloaded in PDF form.
PBS
Pbs: American Experience: Riding the Rails: Timeline of the Great Depression
This timeline of the Depression begins in October of 1929 and highlights significant statistics or events, sometimes month by month, through November of 1940 when Roosevelt is re-elected for his third term. From bank collapses to dust...
Digital History
Digital History: The Depression of 1937
Read about the "Roosevelt Recession" that resulted from the slashing of government spending because of rosy economic news in 1936. Find out how opposition to the New Deal kept it from being expanded to help the country out of recession...