Saturday, May 16, 2009

So Mr. President What Did You Do During Your Term In Office? (14)

Topic: The Roosevelt Administration: Year 1933 #2

March 22, 1933
The President signs into law a measure to legalize, effective April 17, beer and wine with a maximum alcoholic content of 3.2 percent by weight. The measure also places a tax of $5 per barrel (31 gallons), which q uickly brings in much needed revenue.

March 31, 1933
The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) is established to provide employment for young men between the ages of 18 and 25 in various projects aimed at conserving or improving the country's natural resources, such as reforestation, soil erosion and flood control, fire prevention, road building, and park and recreational area improvement.

April 19, 1933
President Roosevelt announces that the United States is going off the gold standard and will no longer redeem currency for gold.

May 1, 1933
The final day for returning illegally held gold to the U.S. Treasury arrives, with an estimated $700,000,000 in gold still in private hands.

May 12, 1933
The Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA) is established and Harry Hopkins of New York is made administrator of the program, which is to distribute $500,000,000 through grants to state and local agencies to relieve the poor and hungry.

May 12, 1933
The Agricultural Adjustment Act (AAA) was passed to bring the farmers more purchasing power and limit their production of agricultural surpluses. This goal was to be accomplished by paying farmers a subsidy when they reduce their production of rice, cotton, tobacco, wheat, corn, dairy products, and hogs.

May 18, 1933
The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) was created to develop the hydroelectric resources of the destitute Tennessee valley. This was established to run the Muscle Shoals power and nitrate plants on the Tennessee River, built by the Government during the World War. The TVA was also authorized to build additional dams and power plants, develop rural electrification, plan for flood and erosion control, build recreation areas, and help with reforestation.

To be continued: The Roosevelt Administration: Year 1933 #3

Sources For Information: The American Presidents by David C. Whitney; Reader's Digest Association, Inc. (1996), The New York Public Library American History Desk Reference; A Stonesong Press Book (1997) The Bicentennial Almanac Edited by Calvin D. Linton, Ph.D. Publishers, Thomas Nelson Inc. (1975) The Presidents of the United States Vol 2, A.S. Barnes & Co. (1973): Roosevelt in Retrospect, A Profile in History by John Gunther; Harper & Brothers, Publishers, (1950): Society and Thought in America: Volume II by Harvey Wish, Publishers: David McKay Company, Inc.1952

To contact: miriam@thehistorybox.com
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