Document based essay

Included in this primary source packet are documents related to the FDR & the New Deal.

1. Letter to Secretary of Labor Frances Perkins (1937)
2. John L. Lewis on Labor’s Great Upheaval: Radio address on July 6, 1936
3. Herbert Hoover on the New Deal and Liberty: Official Report of the Proceedings of the Republican National Convention (1936)
4. Franklin D. Roosevelt on Economic Freedom: Acceptance of Re-nomination for the Presidency, Democratic National Convention, June 27, 1936
5. Painting by Joe Jones titled “We Demand” (1934)

Assignment: You will critically analyze the above documents and construct an essay in response to the following questions. When analyzing primary sources, it is important to understand the content of the source (what it says), but also its context (the world in which it was produced and received). To develop a solid analysis of a primary source, attention must be paid to answering basic questions about source’s author, their time period, and their audience. You will not need any other secondary sources to complete this assignment. Rather, simply use the documents, as well as your own knowledge about this particular time period. It’s important that in constructing your critical essay you provide examples from the documents to bolster your points. Remember, your essay must not simply string along quotes from the document; however, failure to be specific (ie, making your points based upon specific information from the documents) will hinder your grade.

Questions:

From these documents you will notice that the themes of “freedom” and “liberty” are prevalent. Examine and interpret the documents to answer the following questions: How do we see examples of citizens perceiving the New Deal as more sympathetic to their plight? What are some of the major problems facing the nation as perceived by workers? Do citizens and workers feel they are “free?” How does Hoover’s definition of freedom differ from Roosevelt’s? Why does Hoover believe the future of freedom is at stake in the 1936 election? What does Roosevelt mean when he quotes an English judge as saying “Necessitous [needy] men are not free men”?