Life of FDR
Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR), was born at Hyde park in New York on January 30th, 1882. Roosevelt had five children Anna, James, Franklin Jr. who died very young, Elliot, and Franklin Jr. Roosevelt.
FDR was the 32nd president of the United States and was the only president to hold office for more than two terms. Roosevelt was first elected in November of 1932 during the Great Depression till April 12, 1945 when he suddenly died of a cerebral hemorrhage. During Roosevelt’s time as president he led the United States through one of its most devastating periods of American history, the Great Depression. March 4th, 1933, Roosevelt gave his inauguration speech. He took immediate actions to initiate his New Deal programs. Roosevelt is known for his first "100 days" in office as he accomplished more than any other president in those days. His goals were to provide relief, recovery and reform to the American people. Roosevelt set up many programs to help One of the programs that he set up was the AAA (Agricultural Adjustment Administration) to support farm prices. He cared greatly for American citizens and took the time to hold fireside chats, where he would talk about what was happening in to anyone who was listening to the radio. His tactics to help get America out of the depression were rejected by some, but highly praised by others. In fact many of his reforms from the New Deal are still in place today like the Wagner Act (National Labor Relations Act) and Social Security. |
FDR with his wife Eleanor and his children.
Before WW2
Since 1937, Roosevelt informed American citizens about what was taking place in Europe though fireside chats. Many citizens thought that America could remain cut off, and not get involved in the war. Roosevelt knew that the United States was not going to be able to stay out of the war and start to prepare people though the chats about what was going to happen. By May of 1940 Roosevelt realized that it was a matter of time before the United States would get pulled into war and that they no longer had a choice. |
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World War II
When World War II broke out in September of 1939 in Europe, Roosevelt had a meeting with Congress to revise the neutrality acts trying to make American aid available to the Allied powers. With the neutrality acts revised, the United States would be able to sell arms and other supplies to France and Britain. By May of 1940 Roosevelt realized that it was only a matter of time before the United States would get pulled into war and that they no longer had a choice.
On May 26, a few days after Germany had started to move west, many cities started to fall because of the attack of the Nazi’s. Roosevelt knew that what was happening was not good and that evening he mumbled to Eleanor, “All bad, all bad.” Roosevelt decided to have a fireside chat to inform the American People about what had been happening in Germany. He tried to prepare them for what was going to come in a reflective and religious way. In 1939, America’s secret development of the atomic bomb began, while The Manhattan Project Started around 1942. President Franklin Roosevelt’s supported this development. This project was kept top secret. J. Robert Oppenheimer as well as many other scientist studied the creation of an atomic bomb. The project was so secret that FDR did not even inform his fourth-term vice president, Truman, that it existed. In March of 1941, The Lend-lease act was passed, increasing the support of Britain from the United States. Roosevelt met with Prime Minister, Winston Churchill in August on a battleship just outside of Canada. The two declared “Four Freedoms” that would be implemented after the war. The Four Freedoms were stated as, freedom of speech and expression, freedom of religion, freedom from want and freedom from fear. December 7, 1941, Japan bombed the United States naval base in Pearl Harbor. The next day, Roosevelt declared war on Japan. Roosevelt lead the attack of the allies against the Axis powers. Roosevelt continued to met with Churchill in hopes of establishing friendly relations with the Soviet Union and its leader, Joseph Stalin. Roosevelt continued to speak with the American public though fireside chats, as he did during the New Deal, where he reported war events as well as got the American people to support the war effort.
The United States invaded Northern Africa in 1942. Then invaded Germany, Sicily, and Italy in 1943. June 6, 1944 D-Day landings took place in France. Six months after D-Day, the Allies invaded Germany. By April of 1945 it was almost certain that there would be victory in Europe. May 8th of 1945, German troops throughout Europe surrendered. Learn more here!
To learn more about Roosevelt's life before he became the president Click here! For more information on the declaration of war. Click Here! Information on FDR both prior to and during the war. Click Here! A quick summary of significant points in FDR's life. Click here! |
FDR speaking during a fireside chat in the Great Depression.
FDR asking Congress to declare war on Japan after Pearl Harbor
FDR Fun Facts
Click here for more facts from Brainy Quotes! Click here for even more facts! End of FDR's life
FDR’s health was starting to deteriorate. In 1944 a medical examination of FDR showed that he had serious heart and circulatory problems.
April 12th, 1945, Roosevelt was in Warm Spring, Georgia with his friends and family, when he started to complain about a pain in his back of his head. Moment’s later he collapsed and never regained consciousness. By 3pm FDR was pronounced dead at only 63 years old. Eleanor was in Washington D.C. when she got the call. She flew out to Georgia later that evening. President Roosevelt was buried in the Rose Garden of his estate at Hyde Park in New York. Newspaper article on FDR's death
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