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The Great Depression: The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)

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“There are many ways of going forward, but only one way of standing still.” These words spoken by FDR was about the Great Depression. The Great Depression was from 1929 to 1939. This was a period of time in America’s history where it suffered great economic hardships. By 1932, one-quarter of the American workforce was unemployed. Shortly after 1932, when President Roosevelt took office, he introduced to Congress the New Deal. (“New Deal” 3). The New Deal created in 1933, was a group of programs designed to eliminate the worst effects of the Great Depression. (“The New Deal” 7). Some of these programs included the Emergency Banking Act, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), and the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). (“New Deal” 3)
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The TVA passed on May 18, 1933, played an important role during the Great Depression. This program played a vital role in relieving some of the economic hardships that farmers in Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, and Virginia were experiencing. The TVA taught farmers of this area better farming techniques, such as replanting trees, rotating crops, and soil conservation. Dams were built to help with flooding and to provide hydroelectric power. The development of the TVA also created many jobs opportunities for the unemployed. (“Tennessee Valley Authority” …show more content…

The CCC was responsible for building roads, trails, and culverts with nothing more than strong backs, shovels, and picks. They used native materials such as sledgehammers, muscles, and sweat as well as local sandstone in which they had to procure themselves with star drills. They made improvements to America’s travel routes and also built 30,000 wildfire shelters. The CCC also gave thousands of young men jobs and by September, 500,000 young men had lived in the CCC camps. In an article, “Civilian Conservation Corps”, on History.com, “FDR believed that his civilian tree army would receive the rural unemployed and keep the youth off the streets.” Joining the CCC was optional and those who chose to stay received $30 dollars a month. They worked 8 hours and 35 minutes each day. Some of the civilians who joined the CCC also joined the military. From 1933 to 1942, the CCC employed over 3 million men. . (“Civilian Conservation Corps”

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