Assess the significance of the New Deal for the USA
Roosevelt introduced the First New Deal in 1933, aiming to recover and reform the US economy and to provide relief for those affected by the Great Depression. In order for this to be accomplished, Alphabet Agencies were created; for instance, the Public Works Administration (PWA) was a large-scale construction programme with the objective of providing employment. Furthermore, the New Deal was the first government scheme involving an effort to aid farmers, and drastic changes were made to improve agriculture. Similarly, the federal government had never before attempted to provide relief for minorities. Although the New Deal was unsuccessful in eliminating racism and discrimination in the USA, the lives of minorities such as African Americans also saw a significant improvement.
The PWA was introduced in June 1933 with the aim of creating jobs and reviving the
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The result was a 65% increase in farm income during the period of four years . Roosevelt also introduced conservation policies and educated workers on new farming techniques, and by 1939, soil erosion was reduced by 21.7%. It is evident that the New Deal’s policies significantly improved agriculture in the USA, particularly in the Southwest where states had been greatly affected by the Dust Bowl. By teaching farmers to avoid previous farming techniques – such as the extensive deep plowing of topsoil – flood control was enabled and growing seasons were stabilised. In addition, people also had better access to clean water and cheap electricity in Arizona and California. Not only did the New Deal help farmers economically and in terms of conservation, but over 1,000,000 migrant workers benefited from free medical clinics which were provided by the Farm Security Administration; this was a significant change from Hoover’s few attempts in aiding