The Context
The United States was in the depths of the Great Depression when the presidential campaign of 1932 began. President Hoover was re-nominated by the Republican Party, though his chances for reelection were weak. Rightly or not, Hoover was labeled as unsympathetic and uncaring about the plight of many Americans. _________
had crashed, roughly 25% of _____
- mad aericanone in Canada had at this ovined around y peoples savings had
been wiped out. National prosperity had vanished, and there was no return in sight.
The Democrats nominated Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR), a former New York governor. His victory - winning in an electoral landslide (nearly 60% of the
_____vote) - not only symbolized the public's demand for action, it began a new phase of the
Democratic Party. He earned electoral margins in every region, well beyond the traditional stronghold of the South dating back the 19* century. He also swayed many voters from the
_____ Party to vote for him instead, considering him the lesser evil when
compared to Hoover. FDR benefitted from new, large Democratic majorities in both houses of Congress, which proved crucial in the passage of his legislation program.
The four-month"________" period (between the general election and the president's inauguration) was painfully long.
The public hoped to learn more about of FDR's promise of a "______" but he refrained from offering specifics on the plan.
Hoover had offered to meet with him on several occasions, but FDR repeatedly declined as he did not want to be obligated to any Republican policies. Incidentally, the ______ Amendment was passed and ratified in 1933, shortening this waiting period to a little over two months.