The Lasting Legacy of the New Deal

America was in a rough stage. We had just suffered the worst economic depression in the country's history. We needed help. We hoped that President Franklin D. Roosevelt would provide that help. With nearly 15% of all americans relying on the government for relief, something had to be done, and fast. Roosevelt, in his daily fireside chats, had spoken of this "New Deal" that would ensure our prosperity in the present and in the future. Little did people know how significant this New Deal would become in shaping our country into what it is today. And so it began. . . .Within the first 100 days of the new administration, Congress had passed the Agricultural Administration Act, established the Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA), voted in the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), approved the National Industrial Recovery Act, and enacted the Emergency Unemployment Relief Act. All of these programs were monumental in getting our country back on the right track. Later, Congress would enact the Works Progress Administration, the Social Security Act, and even the Federal Writers Project, whose goal was simply to add to the body of American literature and to capture the folklore and culture of groups that had not left many written records. Bridges were built, monuments were erected, national parks were created, all of which helped beautify our country, while at the same time giving jobs and relief to the hard-working Americans who needed  and deserved it. As you can see, the New Deal was not simply about getting people money; it was about reshaping our entire culture and making this country not just a place to live in, but a place to live for.