October 29, 1929, otherwise known as “Black Tuesday,” marked the beginning of the Great Depression in the United States. Preceded by ten years of exponential growth in the stock market, the Great Depression was the worst economic collapse in America’s history. In 1933, Franklin Delano Roosevelt assumed the Presidency and actively tried to fix the economy by, among other things, providing jobs for the many people without them. Roosevelt employed a wide ranging program called the New Deal to fix the country’s numerous issues. Roosevelt and his allies designed the New Deal to restore the economy and also to restore a sense of pride and accomplishment to a beaten-down populace. The New Deal sought to provide relief for the people, recovery for …show more content…
While campaigning, he tried to calm the country down by using the word “depression” as opposed to the previously used words: “panic” or “crisis.” In addition to Hoover’s attempts at forming an optimistic campaign, he also tried to create positive conferences and lower taxes. Additionally, he tried to comfort the country by saying that it was just “a passing incident in our national lives.” However, people were losing their jobs, their clothing, and their banks and were not in a mood to be consoled by merely words and policies that had little effect. Franklin D. Roosevelt, who succeeded Hoover, took a much more active approach. In his inaugural speech delivered at the peak of the Great Depression, President Roosevelt said, “First of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” In this quotation, Roosevelt outlined the importance of committing fearless actions and the willingness to do anything it takes in order to fix the severe economic decline. His motivating speech inspired many U.S. citizens and excited them that they elected a spectacular and brave president who was willing to sacrifice anything for the betterment of their