How did the New Deal change American government, and why was it so controversial?
Analyze the impact and legacy of the New Deal, including the debate over its constitutionality, the Supreme Court conflict, criticisms from left and right, and its lasting effect on the role of government (NGSSS SS.912.A.6, Reporting Category 2).
An EOC-level answer on the impact of the New Deal for the Florida US History exam: the lasting expansion of federal power, the debate over constitutionality and the court-packing plan, criticisms from the left and right, what the New Deal did and did not achieve, and its legacy, with worked stimulus questions.
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What this topic is asking
The New Deal did not end the Depression on its own, but it permanently reshaped American government, and it was fiercely debated. The NGSSS benchmark SS.912.A.6 wants you to analyze the impact and legacy of the New Deal: its expansion of federal power, the constitutional fight with the Supreme Court, the criticisms from both left and right, and what it did and did not achieve. This is a Reporting Category 2 topic that connects to the Constitution (SS.912.A.2) and is tested with a cartoon, a quotation, or a question about the New Deal debate.
A lasting expansion of government
What the New Deal did and did not do
The New Deal restored confidence, stabilized banks, provided jobs and relief, and built lasting public works and protections. But it did not fully end the Great Depression: unemployment remained high through the 1930s, and only the massive spending and production of World War II finally restored full employment. The exam often asks you to recognize this limit.
Criticism from the right and the left
Holding both criticisms is exactly what the EOC wants: the New Deal was attacked as both too radical and not radical enough.
The constitutional fight and court-packing
This episode is a key link to SS.912.A.2, testing the system of checks and balances between the president and the judiciary.
Try this
Q1. Explain one criticism of the New Deal from the right and one from the left. [2]
- Cue. Right: it gave the federal government too much power and undermined free enterprise. Left (e.g., Huey Long): it did not go far enough to help the poor or redistribute wealth.
Q2. Explain why Roosevelt proposed the court-packing plan and what happened. [2]
- Cue. The Supreme Court had struck down several New Deal programs as unconstitutional, so Roosevelt proposed adding justices to get friendlier rulings; the plan failed and damaged him politically, though the Court soon began upholding New Deal laws.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of FLDOE exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
FL EOC (US History, style)1 marksCritics who opposed the New Deal from the political right most often argued that the New DealShow worked answer →
A single-select item (Reporting Category 2, SS.912.A.6).
Correct answer: gave the federal government too much power and interfered too much in the free enterprise system.
Markers reward identifying the conservative critique that the New Deal expanded government and threatened free enterprise. Distractors saying critics on the right wanted more government spending, or more programs, describe the opposite (left) criticism.
FL EOC (US History, style)1 marksPresident Roosevelt's 1937 plan to add justices to the Supreme Court (the 'court-packing' plan) was a response to the fact that the Court hadShow worked answer →
A single-select item (Reporting Category 2, SS.912.A.6 with SS.912.A.2).
Correct answer: struck down several New Deal programs as unconstitutional, which Roosevelt wanted to overcome by appointing friendlier justices.
Markers reward connecting the court-packing plan to the Court's rejection of New Deal laws. Distractors claiming the Court had approved every program, or that the plan succeeded in adding justices, misstate the conflict and its outcome.
Related dot points
- Analyze Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal, its goals of relief, recovery, and reform, key programs such as the CCC, WPA, TVA, and Social Security, and the expanded role of the federal government (NGSSS SS.912.A.6, Reporting Category 2).
An EOC-level answer on the New Deal for the Florida US History exam: FDR's response to the Depression, the three Rs of relief, recovery, and reform, the alphabet agencies (CCC, WPA, TVA, FDIC), Social Security, and the expanded federal government, with worked stimulus questions.
- Analyze the causes of the Great Depression, including the stock market crash of 1929, overproduction, buying on margin and credit, bank failures, and the unequal distribution of wealth, and its impact on Americans (NGSSS SS.912.A.5 and A.6, Reporting Category 2).
An EOC-level answer on the causes of the Great Depression for the Florida US History exam: the stock market crash of 1929, buying on margin, overproduction, bank failures, the unequal distribution of wealth, the Hawley-Smoot Tariff, and the human impact, with worked stimulus questions.
- Analyze the causes and effects of the Dust Bowl, including drought and poor farming practices, the migration of Okies to California, and its connection to the Great Depression (NGSSS SS.912.A.6, Reporting Category 2).
An EOC-level answer on the Dust Bowl for the Florida US History exam: the causes of the dust storms in drought and poor farming practices, the human and environmental impact, the migration of Okies to California, and the link to the Great Depression, with worked stimulus questions.
- Analyze the impact of World War II on the home front, including war production and the end of the Depression, women in the workforce (Rosa the Riveter), opportunities and discrimination for minorities, and the internment of Japanese Americans and Korematsu v. United States (NGSSS SS.912.A.6, Reporting Category 2).
An EOC-level answer on the World War II home front for the Florida US History exam: war production and the end of the Great Depression, rationing and war bonds, women in the workforce, opportunities and discrimination for minorities, and the internment of Japanese Americans and Korematsu v. United States, with worked stimulus questions.
- Analyze recent developments in the contemporary United States, including political milestones, the Great Recession of 2008, expanding rights, and ongoing debates over the role of government (NGSSS SS.912.A.7, Reporting Category 3).
An EOC-level answer on the contemporary United States for the Florida US History exam: recent political milestones, the Great Recession of 2008, the continuing expansion of rights, ongoing debates over the role of government, and how today connects to the longer story of US history, with worked stimulus questions.
Sources & how we know this
- US History End-of-Course Assessment Test Item Specifications — Florida Department of Education (2013)
- US History Reporting Category Statements — Florida Department of Education (2013)