APUSH DBQ- Hoover vs. Roosevelt
DBQ #3
President Franklin D. Roosevelt, the thirty-second president of the United States, was a central figure for the United States in the 20th Century. While leading his country out of The Great Depression, he also led the nation through World War II. Herbert Hoover, the thirty-first President, led the country during the Great Depression and his policies enforced at that time eventually led to his downfall because of their inability to end the downward economic spiral. Both of these Presidents greatly contributed to the nation by using different policies and tactics that classified them as either liberal or conservative. Although there are some exceptions because of the acts passed by Hoover, the characterizations of President D. Roosevelt being a liberal and Herbert Hoover a conservative are both valid because of the “hands off method” used by Hoover and the various acts and government involvement enforced by Roosevelt.
Due to the “hands off method” used by Herbert Hoover during the Great Depression, the president can be defined strongly as a conservative. By trying to restore the American economy, Hoover had to try profusely to keep the Unites States’ system from being “swept over” by the depression which had already happened to Europe (Doc D). During the depression, he wanted to restore the top of the economic pyramid by helping railroads, banks, and rural credit corporations and through “trickle down” economics, the bottom of the economic pyramid would fix itself as well. Because he applied a more business-oriented approach rather than a government approach, his plans were more conservative that liberal. Because Hoover believed that too much government involvement would destroy American individuality and self-reliance, which were to him important American values, he thought it was in the best interest of the nation to use less government in his policies (Doc A). Hoover drew the line at federal relief to individuals because he didn’t want federal
President Franklin D. Roosevelt, the thirty-second president of the United States, was a central figure for the United States in the 20th Century. While leading his country out of The Great Depression, he also led the nation through World War II. Herbert Hoover, the thirty-first President, led the country during the Great Depression and his policies enforced at that time eventually led to his downfall because of their inability to end the downward economic spiral. Both of these Presidents greatly contributed to the nation by using different policies and tactics that classified them as either liberal or conservative. Although there are some exceptions because of the acts passed by Hoover, the characterizations of President D. Roosevelt being a liberal and Herbert Hoover a conservative are both valid because of the “hands off method” used by Hoover and the various acts and government involvement enforced by Roosevelt.
Due to the “hands off method” used by Herbert Hoover during the Great Depression, the president can be defined strongly as a conservative. By trying to restore the American economy, Hoover had to try profusely to keep the Unites States’ system from being “swept over” by the depression which had already happened to Europe (Doc D). During the depression, he wanted to restore the top of the economic pyramid by helping railroads, banks, and rural credit corporations and through “trickle down” economics, the bottom of the economic pyramid would fix itself as well. Because he applied a more business-oriented approach rather than a government approach, his plans were more conservative that liberal. Because Hoover believed that too much government involvement would destroy American individuality and self-reliance, which were to him important American values, he thought it was in the best interest of the nation to use less government in his policies (Doc A). Hoover drew the line at federal relief to individuals because he didn’t want federal