Franklin D. Roosevelt was inaugurated as the 32nd U.S. president and used his inaugural address to frame a “New Deal,” signaling a major expansion of federal responsibility for economic relief and social welfare amid the Great Depression.
Congress passed and Roosevelt signed the Emergency Banking Act, providing federal authority to inspect banks and facilitate reopening of solvent institutions after the banking crisis—an early step that helped restore public confidence and enabled broader relief efforts.
The federal government created the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) to provide paid work—primarily conservation projects—for unemployed young men, linking relief to employment and establishing a highly visible New Deal work-relief model.
The Federal Emergency Relief Act created the Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA) to channel federal funds to states for direct relief and work relief, significantly scaling national responsibility for aiding the unemployed and poor.
Roosevelt signed the Agricultural Adjustment Act (AAA), launching a major farm-relief program that sought to raise agricultural prices and purchasing power—an important component of New Deal social protection for rural communities.
The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) was created to support flood control, navigation, and regional economic development, and it became a landmark federal institution for large-scale public infrastructure and modernization.
The Securities Act of 1933 was enacted to require fuller disclosure in the sale of securities and combat fraud, laying groundwork for New Deal-era consumer and investor protections in capital markets.
The Home Owners’ Loan Act created the Home Owners’ Loan Corporation (HOLC) to refinance distressed mortgages and prevent foreclosures—an important New Deal housing-relief institution during the crisis.
The Banking Act of 1933 (Glass–Steagall) separated commercial and investment banking functions and created federal deposit insurance via the FDIC, strengthening financial stability and consumer protections.
Roosevelt signed the National Industrial Recovery Act (NIRA), which attempted coordinated industrial recovery and authorized major public works. Though later struck down, it marked a significant early effort to combine economic planning, labor standards, and public employment.
The Securities Exchange Act of 1934 established federal regulation of securities markets and created the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), institutionalizing New Deal oversight intended to deter manipulation and restore trust in financial markets.
The National Housing Act of 1934 created the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), expanding mortgage insurance and reshaping housing finance—an enduring New Deal institution affecting homeownership and housing markets.
Roosevelt established the Works Progress Administration (WPA) by executive order to provide large-scale work relief through public works and cultural programs, shifting relief toward federally organized employment as a central social-welfare strategy.
The National Labor Relations Act (Wagner Act) established the National Labor Relations Board and protected private-sector workers’ rights to organize and bargain collectively, embedding labor rights within the New Deal’s social policy framework.
Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act, establishing a permanent federal old-age benefits system and related social insurance structures, becoming a cornerstone institution of the U.S. welfare state.
The Fair Labor Standards Act established a federal minimum wage, overtime standards, and restrictions on oppressive child labor, strengthening national labor protections as a key late-New Deal social-policy achievement.
The New Deal: U.S. Social Welfare Programs and Institutions (1933–1939)
