The Second New Deal (1935–1938) was FDR's follow-up to the initial New Deal, focusing on long-term economic security and worker protections, including Social Security, the National Labor Relations Act, and the Works Progress Administration.
What was the Second New Deal quizlet?
The Second New Deal was a 1935–1938 expansion of FDR's New Deal programs designed to provide lasting economic relief, recovery, and reform, targeting the elderly, poor, and unemployed with social welfare programs and labor protections.
It rolled out landmark legislation like the Social Security Act, the Wagner Act, and the Fair Labor Standards Act. According to Britannica, these measures aimed to stabilize the economy and prevent future depressions by regulating industries and supporting vulnerable populations.
What programs were in the Second New Deal?
Key Second New Deal programs included the Social Security Act (1935), National Labor Relations Act (Wagner Act, 1935), Works Progress Administration (WPA, 1935), Rural Electrification Administration (REA, 1935), and the Fair Labor Standards Act (1938).
These programs created jobs, strengthened labor rights, established retirement pensions, brought electricity to rural areas, and set minimum wage protections. The WPA alone put over 8.5 million people to work by 1943, constructing roads, schools, and airports. The U.S. National Archives keeps detailed records of these initiatives and their funding.
Why was the 2nd New Deal so popular?
The Second New Deal won massive public support because it delivered real benefits to workers, unions, and marginalized groups, including a federal minimum wage, 40-hour workweek, overtime pay, and Social Security.
Labor unions grew from 3.7 million members in 1933 to 8.9 million by 1939, thanks to protections under the Wagner Act. A National Bureau of Economic Research study found that states adopting these reforms saw faster wage growth and lower unemployment after 1935.
What are the three R's of the Second New Deal?
The "three R's" of the Second New Deal—Relief, Recovery, and Reform—represented its mix of immediate aid and systemic change.
Relief provided direct support to the unemployed (like WPA jobs), Recovery aimed to restart the economy (like REA electrification), and Reform created permanent safeguards (like Social Security). The Library of Congress calls this framework the foundation of modern U.S. social policy.
What programs were included in FDR's Second New Deal?
FDR's Second New Deal covered Social Security, the National Labor Relations Act, the Works Progress Administration, the Rural Electrification Administration, and the Fair Labor Standards Act.
These programs shifted wealth and power to workers, farmers, and the elderly. The Social Security Act of 1935, for example, initially provided old-age pensions averaging $12–$15/month (about $260–$325 today, adjusted for inflation). For more details, check the Social Security Administration's historical overview.
What were the most important reforms of the Second New Deal quizlet?
The most impactful reforms included Social Security, the Wagner Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act, and rural electrification programs.
Social Security remains a key part of U.S. social welfare, while the Wagner Act gave unions real bargaining power. The Fair Labor Standards Act (1938) set the first federal minimum wage ($0.25/hour, about $5.40 today) and outlawed most child labor. The Bureau of Labor Statistics tracks how these reforms shaped today's labor standards.
Was the Second New Deal better than the first quizlet?
Most historians argue the Second New Deal was more transformative because it focused on social welfare and labor rights rather than just short-term fixes.
The First New Deal (1933–1934) concentrated on immediate relief (like the CCC and TVA), while the Second tackled deep-rooted inequities with lasting programs like Social Security. A Journal of Economic History article claims the Second New Deal's policies did more to reduce income inequality over time.
What happened during the Second New Deal?
Between 1935 and 1938, Congress passed groundbreaking laws like Social Security, the Wagner Act, and the Fair Labor Standards Act, while agencies like the WPA put millions to work on public projects.
This period also saw the creation of the REA, which brought electricity to 40% of rural America by 1942. The FDR Presidential Library has timelines and primary documents covering these major legislative moves.
Why was a 2nd New Deal instituted quizlet?
A Second New Deal was instituted because the First New Deal failed to fully revive the economy and left millions still unemployed, prompting FDR to pursue bolder structural reforms.
Supreme Court rulings striking down key First New Deal programs (like the NRA) also forced a strategic shift. History.com notes that political pressure from populist movements like Huey Long's "Share Our Wealth" pushed the administration leftward.
How did the 2nd New Deal help farmers?
The Second New Deal helped farmers through the Rural Electrification Administration, which brought affordable electricity to farms, and the Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act, which paid farmers to adopt sustainable practices.
Electricity powered modern equipment, reduced labor, and improved living standards. The USDA reports that by 1950, over 90% of U.S. farms had electricity, up from about 10% in 1935.
Which lasting New Deal policies do you feel are the most impactful today?
Social Security, the federal minimum wage, and collective bargaining rights under the Wagner Act remain the most impactful New Deal policies today.
Social Security provides retirement income for over 65 million Americans as of 2026. The minimum wage sets a floor for earnings, and the Wagner Act's framework still governs union elections. The Congressional Research Service regularly analyzes these programs' modern effects.
Why did the New Deal end?
The New Deal effectively ended around 1938–1939 as World War II defense spending eclipsed domestic programs and political opposition grew in Congress.
The 1937–38 recession weakened FDR's mandate, and a conservative coalition of Republicans and Southern Democrats blocked further reforms. By 1940, the focus shifted to military preparedness. Britannica describes this transition as a pivot from "Dr. New Deal" to "Dr. Win-the-War."
Which president started the New Deal program?
Franklin D. Roosevelt started the New Deal program after taking office in March 1933.
His first hundred days saw a flurry of legislation aimed at banking reform, relief, and recovery. The White House historical page outlines his early actions, including the Emergency Banking Act and the creation of the CCC.
Does the CCC still exist today?
The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) does not exist today; it was disbanded in 1942 as the U.S. entered World War II.
Its legacy lives on in state and national park infrastructure, and modern programs like AmeriCorps NCCC draw inspiration from it. The National Park Service maintains many CCC-built trails and structures still in use.
What are the 2 phases that other historians look at the New Deal?
Historians commonly divide the New Deal into a First New Deal (1933–1934) focused on emergency relief and recovery, and a Second New Deal (1935–1938) emphasizing long-term reform and social welfare.
Some scholars add a "Third New Deal" (1937–1939) covering housing and fair labor standards. Organization of American Historians publications debate these periodizations, but the two-phase model remains standard in textbooks.
