FDR's - Fireside Chats
We live in an era of instantaneous and constant communications, yet many of our political leaders seem to have lost the ability to express their ideas to the people they govern. Franklin Roosevelt not only knew how to do that, he elevated the task to that of an art. In this lesson, I hope you will gain a sense of the dramatic effect of FDR's voice on his audience, see the scope of what he was proposing in these initial speeches, and make an overall analysis of why the Fireside Chats were so successful.
I never saw him—but I knew him. Can you have forgotten how, with his voice, he came into our house, the President of these United States, calling us friends..."
—Carl Carmer, April 14, 1945 Learning Objective:
Alright scholars, in the process of completing this lesson, you will and should be able to:
- Explain how FDR combined the content of the New Deal with the power of his Fireside Chats to move the country forward in 1933
- Explain the details of the first two of FDR's Fireside Chats
- Analyze and evaluate the overall effectiveness of the Fireside Chat
FIRST STEP -
- Please listen to the First Fireside Chat. You can access the text and a link to an audio clip of the First Fireside Chat.After listening to a portion of the speech, you will work together to determine the main points that FDR is making. You should focus on and answer the following items in your notebook under the heading - The First Fireside Chat 1933.
- The key elements of the bank holiday he has announced.
- Specific examples of how he explains the banking system.
- Examples of simple, yet powerful imagery and language that he employs.
- The overall effectiveness of the speech
SECOND STEP -
Please read the Second Fireside Chat to get a sense of how different it is to read the speech, rather than to listen to FDR's words.
THIRD STEP -
- Work collaboratively to understand the major issues that FDR is addressing in this speech. Generate a list within your notebook regarding the different programs that he is proposing under the heading - The Second Fireside Chat 1933.
Review five letters responding to the first Fireside Chat at the following link: Letters From Listeners
FOURTH STEP -
Within this blog, in the form of a comment, you may write on one of the following options.
- Write a formal letter to FDR, taking on a personality from the 1930's, in which you respond to what you have just heard during the first Fireside Chat, making sure to address both the content and style of the speeches. You may agree or disagree with the message relayed in his Chat.
- Write a formal response that may appear on an editorial page of a newspaper on the day after the first Fireside Chat, commenting on the newness of the medium, the content of the speeches, and the structure, tone, and language of the Chat. You may agree or disagree with the message relayed in his Chat.
- You may not just regurgitate a response from step three of this lesson.
- Be creative but also formal.
- All responses should be written in proper paragraph form.
Dear Mr President,
ReplyDeleteI would like to start off with saying how much I enjoyed your speech. The actions you depicted in the speech will save my family from starvation. Now that I will soon be able to get my life savings from the bank makes a huge difference for my family. I am currently unemployed and have had trouble finding work and it is a relief to know I will have some money to provide my family with food now. It was torturous to see my family hungry and not being able to provide food but now I will be able to. The speech you gave reboosted my faith I have in this country. I am confident and proud again to call myself an American. The efforts you are making Mr. President are saving my family.
Respectively yours,
John B. Hour 5
DeleteDear Mr. President,
Thank you for informing us of your plan. It was affirmative and insightful (I had no idea about the gap in the ratio between money in the bank and money used in currency). Financially lacking myself, I have wary of many past efforts because of their questionable stability, but you have provided us with real facts to evaluate whether or not we agree with your plan. Despite its inconvenience, I am confident in your decision and I support you, as it seems the only way to manipulate the economy effectively and promptly is to address the bank directly.
I was impressed by your second fireside chat as well. Your Civilian Corps opportunity is brilliant. I know several people considering and I think this is a very efficient means to address the deficiency of job opportunities and lowered numbers in the military. I am also glad to see that you are addressing the farm situation. As a farmer, I am still apprehensive. I am worried that my crops will never restore their value, but since you have done this in other areas, I trust that you will improve the conditions of the farming economy as well.
Your tone is assuring and the support for your ideas are solid. Thank you for your trust in us as well as your creativity and assertiveness in finding productive solutions to the problems in the economy.
NW, hour 8
Sir, I want you first to know, before I embark on more technical reactions and thoughts, our initial reaction, my family and I, was relief. We felt utter relief at the first sound of your voice. Before you even began to elaborate on the most pressing issues of our nation the assurance that you were indeed going to elaborate on them gave us great hope. My mother, father, 4 brothers and I listened quietly until the end, with heavy hearts, but open minds.
ReplyDeleteNow on a more technical note. As you began to explain your great plan for the recovery and reconstruction of our banking system, I was apprehensive. How can it be good for the government to give more money? Even if it is too stimulate the banks? But then I thought of how if sufficiently stimulated, and economy builds upon itself. I cannot pretend that at the time of early February and March my heart was not constricted with a feeling of doom and apprehension about the current bank situation. I have some extended family in the banking business, therefore I have a relatively personal connection to the issue. We are from a smaller town, meaning it is unlikely that our banks will be the first to reopen. However, even as a self proclaimed republican, as my family is, I can see the benefit of the steps you've taken here. I am happy to see the congress and you Mr. President being in agreement. It is comforting to see the government of this great nation as united once again. I have total faith in your efforts, any doubts I had dispelled by this intimate connection you've created with us the people.
I thank you for all that you've done and will continue to do
Ever in the service of The U.S.A.
Sophia .H.
Mr. President,
ReplyDeleteThank you for taking the time to give such a powerful speech. Throughout the speech you kept a calm but reassuring voice, which is what Americans need to hear to help ease their worries. Since you used “my friends” and “we” throughout the speech, it showed that we are all in this together. America has been missing this sense of teamwork since people have been so worried about their own problems lately. The saying “let us unite to banish fear” perfectly illustrates the power we will get from working together. By starting your speech with a little background information on the banking system, it helped me better understand your plan for reopening the banks. Your transitions such as “the first step, second, and third stage” made your thoughts easier to follow. I think you had a good level of intellect in your speech, not talking down to us but also not talking over our heads. I appreciate your honesty in saying that America has had problems, such as the dishonest bankers, versus trying to overlook this situation. I also appreciate though, your optimism that we can create more sound banks through reorganization.
Thanks again,
Marais Kimmel
Hour 2
Dear Mr. President,
ReplyDeleteFirst of all I would like to say that I enjoyed your speech yesterday greatly. Before this speech, many people were losing hope due to the economic situation and people were starting to give up. Your speech has not only helped me and gave me hope for the future, but I also believe it has given hope to many people around the country. The concept that you adresses, "The bank doesn't put your money into a save deposit vault, it invests your money in many different forms of credit." is a concept I think many people are unaware of. So, I believe the idea of a "bank holiday" will be beneficial to helping the economic situation. Not only did your ideas give more security to the people of this nation, but how the speech was delivered, with such a strong and reassuring voice gives a much more secure feel to a lot of American that are going through very tough times. Thank you for helping me in my time of need as well as the rest of America.
Sincerely,
Madi Homayouni
Hour 2
Dear Mr president
ReplyDeleteI think you sounded very strong and intelligent during your speech, you did a wonderful job. You spoke extremely clear and explained everything wit ha wonderful purpose. You made yourself have a purpose and you took great action by making this speech. You spoke with great concern about the needy and explained to them how the money works and is used by the government, which i believe was a very intelligent way of going abut that. Not only did you give my family hope but you also made us feel like we have a purpose and that is purely wonderful, You showed the fact that you can fix it over time which gives the whole nation HOPE... Once again for making this speech, you are a great man and a great leader.
Sincerely Gunnar simenc
Hour 8
Dear Mr. President,
ReplyDeleteI was sitting in my home yesterday listening to your speech with the little radio that my husband had gotten me for my birthday because that was all he could afford. I found your speech very moving and it gave me that hope that I had back during your inaugural address. I appreciated your explanation of the banking holiday and to hear what the bank actually does with my money gave me a level of understanding I ain't never had before. While it was nice to hear about your great plans for the future Mr. President I just have to ask you. What about people like my family who lost all their money because the bank closed to long ago and no longer exists. I've got my five kids and my husband ain't making enough to support us. We lost our life savings and have nothin'. What are you gonna do about that? Will we receive money? Who is gonna help us? As great at it is that you are putting all this plans into place have you ever thought about the families that lost it all? I hope you will read my letter Mr. President because my family still strugglin' and I just want it to get better.
Regards,
Olivia Vornsand
Dear Mr. President,
ReplyDeleteIn both of your speeches it really sounds like you are trying to help the country with the new deal and the new banking holiday. I appreciate that you are trying to help very much Mr. President, but I don't think that the new holiday is the way to go. With this new holiday we are relying more on the bank and we have to pay more money to them. I believe that a better way for us to save our money is for us to keep to ourselves. I thank you for taking your time to try to help the nation and I hope that you can read this. Thank you
Andrew Edwards
Hour 8
Dear Mr. President,
ReplyDeleteI live in a small town in lower Wisconsin, and the bank I had entrusted my life savings in closed down. You have all these ways that you will help these banks, but I am still unclear how I will know whether my bank will open or not. That is really the only question I have. I do have faith though that what you say will come to pass, and for that reason I thank you. You truly are a man gifted with the grace of God. It makes me so happy to know that I put my vote into the right guy. You're doing 20 times better than that no good Hoover. Well done.
With love,
Nathanial Esten
Hr 8
Dear Mr. President,
ReplyDeleteI would like to start off by saying how grateful, as a nation, we are to have you as a president. I am very pleased to hear that you are working very hard to get us out of the depression. Unfortunately, I will be one of many Americans who will not benefit from your new policies. Thanks to your so called "Bank Holiday" my bank has been closed for good and my life savings has been vanished for good. This has put my family and I in a real tough situation. I know you cannot please everyone and everyone will not become rich after the depression is cracked, but how do you plan to help the people who's money has all been lost. Your speech has given no hope to think that I will ever be re-payed for what I have truly earned in this country. A war veteran and his family of eight will be starving and struggling for years to come. Your speech did allow me to now become aware of how a bank uses your money to invest in many different forms of credit and I will now keep some cash at home so if this ever occurs again, I will not loose everything. Sadly, I have learned my lesson in that regard. Mr. President you are good hardworking man, but unfortunately I will be one of many people who you will not be able help with your new policies and hope to receive the money I have lost one day so my family can live a solid live.
Sincerely, Zach Skorik
Hour 8
Dear President Roosevelt,
ReplyDeleteAlthough your intentions are quite noble and I would love to say that you are truly our nation's savior, this clearly does not solve every one of our issues. It angers me to hear you say all of these things with such confidence as if your ideas will grant this nation with relief from this great distress! But what you did not take into consideration is the lives of all the people who's money disappeared when the banks closed. What exactly do you plan to do for us? My family and I invested our entire life savings into a bank only to hear that the bank closed last week and all our money was lost! You may have come up with a brilliant idea to assuage our distress and help out our nation, but your brilliance is too late for some of your citizens. So what exactly is your plan to help out the rest of us?
Sincerely one of your outraged citizens,
Danielle Sella
Dear Mr. President,
ReplyDeleteI would like to inform you as you have informed me that through your voice and explanation as well as understanding, you have my confidence in this dark time.
Our country is in fact struggling, and the fact that you acknowledged that shows humility. This kind of humility allows me to trust you by knowing that you won't avoid our countries troubles, but address them and use your Executive powers to help the nation. This gained my confidence.
Now as much as you have my confidence, I still have questions regarding your banking proposals and procedures.
My first question is how will people get their money back? I understand that you are resupplying currency, but only to specific banks. What will happen to all the money invested in banks that won't be revived?
My second question, how will you create good assets? You stated that the currency will be valid as it is based off good assets, but where do these good assets come from? What happens to the old currency? And how will adding the good assets currency affect the economy and all the old circulating currency?
I also understand that you are a very busy man, so I apologize for adding pressure with these difficult questions. But if you could address these concerns in a future broadcast I would be very grateful. You were close to every man in the nation during your first broadcast. I am proud to call you my President.
Yours truly,
Adam Dykema
Hour 8
Dear Mr. President,
ReplyDeleteYour speech calmed me as I was reading because I can now see some hope in our country. I believe your idea is great, closing banks that are just making things worse for us Americans. Hopefully with this new idea, we will be able get ourselves back together, and not have so many people in trouble. I was able to understand the banking system better from your explanation. I now understand that the deposits my family put into the bank, wasn't actually going into a deposit vault, but were going into several things such as bonds and loans. I am trusting you that your idea will succeed and will help us Americans get out of this Depression. Thank you!
Sincerely,
Jennifer Skonieczny
Hour 8
Dear President Roosevelt,
ReplyDeleteYour speech was not only inspirational but also informational.
From your explanations and detailed descriptions of the banking crisis, I understood better what is happening in our country. Although my family and I, are now in a difficult economic state, I understand that you are trying your hardest to meet all needs. Thank you for your hard work and dedication.
Sincerely,
Kaiti Bestor
Hour 8
Dear Mr.President,
ReplyDeleteI applaud your attempt to try and convince us citizens that you are being helpful to us, when in reality not much has changed. Your plan to close the banks may ensure that this crisis never happens again, but that doesn't matter to those of us who have already lost everything. Myself, along with many others I know, are now left with absolutely nothing, and you've done nothing to help us. I'm honestly disappointed. At least I now know that this likely won't happen to our future generations. I hope you change your mind and try to help us who lost everything soon.
Sincerely,
Shelby Zwintscher
Hour 8
Dear Mr. President,
ReplyDeleteAfter recently listening to first Fireside Talk, I am much more assured that my money will be safe due to the banking holiday. Before listening to this I was ready to collect all the money I had in the bank and keep it at my home as my thoughts were that it would be safer. With your clarification, I have realized that my money will in fact not be safer and it is smarter to keep it in the bank. I appreciate your thoughts on closing the banks and going through them all making sure they are sound enough to reopen. I highly enjoyed listening to your speech and hope to hear how the country is doing better soon.
Sincerely,
Sophie Zang
Hour 8
Dear Mr. President,
ReplyDeleteMy name is Evie and I am a widowed mother of two beautiful children. My husband died almost two years ago in a freak accident and now we are broke. We have been homeless for a bit now and have already taken the scarce amount of money I have out of the bank. I am unemployed and my children are too young to go into the work force. Your plan to attempt to fix our country has a big hole in it, I'm afraid. I'm sorry Mr. President, but you have forgot about us. About the widowed, the injured, the old and the homeless. You did not, in your speech this week, address a way to help us and, therefore, me and others alike me, have decided to send this letter to you. Please think of us and regard a plan that involves us as well, in your next speech.
Best regards,
Evie T.
Dear Mr. President,
ReplyDeleteBoy am I glad your around. I think your just what we need. After a president who made a point to do nothing for the people, essentially leaving us to deal with things ourselves, and seeing how that turned out, I think it's clear that we need a government that is willing to make progress.
Your plan is well thought out. I'm proud to call you president. It's simple, and there is no second motive, it is simply to save the economy. I also liked the way that you explained your plan in detail, and explained how the economy works so as to clear up any rumors or misconceptions. Telling us what your doing and why your doing it is a great thing, I think. It proves that you believe in this plan. So do I.
I have been homeless for four years. Ten years ago I was a young rookie stock broker. I was so excited to work. It looked so good back then, you know? The Roaring Twenties, they called it. Well, I guess I was a bit late.
Anything you can do to help the people out is great. I'm glad you are making changes to the banks. This can't happen again. The other day I was approached by a little boy, probably homeless, who asked me if I could spare some food. He couldn't have been six years old! I had nothing to give him. Honestly, I don't know where my next meal is coming from. I asked him where his parents were and he began to cry. I haven't been able to think about anything else since. I'm old. Don't save the country for me. Save the country for that little boy. And for the countless others like him.
. This country needs a leader. Things can't go on like this. If I ever see that Hoover, I'll have some harsh words for him. We needed someone who would get things done. He didn't. Will you?
Your favorite homeless bum,
Eric Torres
Dear Mr. President,
ReplyDeleteI am so proud to say that we have a fearless leader trying to make sense of this economic depression. I along with many Americans need to realize that you are going through this struggle with us. I believe the Fireside Chats were crucial in helping us understand all the steps you are taking to improve this down ward spiral.
Being an American with a jobless husband, I am constantly reminded of how little we have. It has been so hard to find any hope or comfort in this awful time. Being on this end of things, it is so difficult to even grasp what is going on. All me and my family knows is that we have limited money and we are so close to losing everything we have. Every morning when you wake up, it is like a game, what will we lose today?
I am a firm believer in finding the positive in dark and scary times. Throughout these major hardships, my family has come together and loved one another. With your help, we have found hope. We hope that all of these programs along with bank holidays will create work for my husband and other men and women all over the country.
Please continue to do what you are doing and serve this great nation! If we ever needed a fearless leader, it would be now!
Thank you and God bless!
A. Washington (Philadelphia)
Alexis Voeller
Hour: 5
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteDear Mr. President,
ReplyDeleteMy husband and I are writing you this letter to share our thoughts on your First and Second Fireside Chats. Like many around the country, my husband and I listened to your first radio speech a few months ago and would like you to know how eloquent and intelligent your speech was. The sound of your voice calmed us as you spoke about the Bank Holiday and your plan to ensure that the banks that will reopen will be sound and backed by good assets. We have been terrified for sometime now that we will lose all our money so it's good to know that you are making plans to help out the American people.
My husband and I also read your Second Fireside Chat speech and were very pleased to hear of your plan to help the unemployed as we have a twenty three year old son who has never been able to find work. Your plan to help the unemployed young men of this country allows me to actually get some sleep at night. So on behalf of my entire family, I would like to formally thank you for all the work you are doing to ensure the needs of the American people are met during these difficult times.
Best Regards,
Hannah Schachenman
(Hour 5)
Dear President Roosevelt,
ReplyDeleteI would like to thank you for speaking to the nation in your fireside chat. It's a big step for the future of our country. I love the way you spoke with strength and confidence about our economy. I agree with your ideas in the banking system and they should be out into affect. However, me and my wife I are in need of health-related topics which you did not talk about. My family with my 3 kids have been eating different breads and rain water for the past couple of days. We need our nutrition, we can not live off this. We also don't have the accessibility and the affordability to get health supplies and services. If one of my kids gets sick we cant get to a hospital fast enough to get him or her the help he needs. We also don't have the money to go to the pharmacy to get easy non-prescriptive medicine like Advil and fish oil. I would like to hear about that topic next.
Thank you for your time and god bless,
Sincerely,
Mark Cuban
Dear Mr. President
ReplyDeleteYour speech was very moving and well written to the eyes and ears of some in this country. Those who were listening to understand what is going on, why, and what the plan of action that will be taken, were probably satisfied. Me however, I am very unsatisfied with your speech as I have already lost everything that I invested in the bank. I have lost all of my possessions as I have no more money to pay bills. Your speech doesn't say anything about the repayment of the many who lost everything. Action must be taken to give back to those who lost everything due to the banks giving out bad loans.
Good day to you,
Tyler M. Mueller
Dear Mr. President,
ReplyDeleteFirst off, I would like to thank you for taking the time to address the nation in such a time of uncertainty. The only way people will start trusting the banks again is if they have reassurance from the President himself that the their money will be safer in the banks rather that under their mattresses. Your calm tone and sense of motivation are what caused me to rethink my withdrawal last week of my entire life's savings. After learning about the future plans to restore the economy I my go to the local bank and deposit my savings once again. Both my wife and I agree that as citizens of these United States, it is our purpose to help "keep the wheels of industry turning round". You are a natural leader Mr. President, and I believe that you have the power to lead this country in the right direction.
Sincerely,
Mitchell Lesiecki
Hour 5
ReplyDeleteDear Mr. President,
I was relieved after i heard you speak on the radio. Understanding what's happening in the economy and understanding how the banking system works is very confusing. However, your smoothly spoken speech gave me a little bit of an under standing. When you stated how the “Banks put your money to work to keep the wheels of industry and of agriculture turning round,” it made me realize how the bank never really has my money. After hearing you speak it made me feel confident. I finally had hope in the future for our economy. I am so thankful that we finally have someone who is willing to take the lead and get this country out of darkness. Thank you so much Mr. President for all that you have done and will continue to do.
Sincerely,
McKenna Lewis
Dear Mr. President,
ReplyDeleteI am glad to have caught your broadcast tackling the unresolved questions that many Americans and I had failed to get an answer to. The use of "my friends" and "you" is much appreciated in your speech since this calm, laid-back language allowed me to feel more comfortable with what you had to say. Although the personal feel to your speech was a nice touch and allowed me to feel a bit more relaxed, this speech had been shared with us Americans far too late. During a state of panic, I stood in line with neighbors and co-workers and friends who all wanted to collect what was rightfully ours. Being turned away from banks without any form of explanation only allowed rumors and guesses to be answers to the unsettling panic we faced. With much of my savings lost by banks closing, I wanted to collect the little I had left to support my family. The urgent need for money caused me to sell goods for about half of what they were worth. These bank holidays cut out a major portion of my money and hope that I had left. Describing how banks invest money in forms of bonds, mortgages, and other loans allowed me to understand that I couldn't just take all the money I had, especially with banks having to use conversions and get cash at panic prices below the actual value. The decision of bank holidays had to be made to allow America to push through the many hardships it faced and is still facing today. So, thank you for your speech. I suppose it is better late than never. But, being in a state of panic and wanting the best for my family, I felt helpless to the situation with no news stated about what was occurring. I hope you will be able to bring us out of these troubling times, Mr. President.
Sincerely,
Hannah Yurske
Hour 8
Dear Mr. President,
ReplyDeleteI would first off like to thank you for the lovely speeches you gave to reassure my fellow Americans. Many of us had questions, and while you hit many point you neglected some rather important ones. Where is all this money going to come from? Yes, these new jobs will provide new opportunities for my friends in need, and will help them plenty. The bailing out of banks will help, and so on and so on. Everything you're doing is great, but how can you pay a quarter million workers, bail out banks, provide immediate relief money to states and not rack in a mound of debt? I suppose it's needed, and I'm no expert, but the majority of us are worried yet. Where will this put our nation for our children and their children. Are they supposed to pay the price for our mishaps? Maybe, it will all work out. Thank you for your time and thank you for all your efforts of trying to get America back on it's feet.
Sincerely,
Aerro Kuhn
Hour 8