Question

Difficulty: EasyThe New Deal: Policies, Reforms, and Debates

"I’ve got a job at last... It is a great life. We work hard, but we get three square meals a day and a place to sleep. Most of my pay goes back home to help my mother and the kids."
— Letter from a Civilian Conservation Corps enrollee, 1934

Which of the following goals of the New Deal is best illustrated by the program described in the excerpt?

  1. A
    Establishing federal health insurance and medical care programs for low-income families
  2. B
    Creating a silver-backed national currency to inflationarily reduce rural farmers' debt
  3. Providing immediate economic relief and employment to citizens struggling during the crisisAnswer
  4. D
    Ending the Great Depression by achieving permanent full recovery for the national economy

Answer

Providing immediate economic relief and employment to citizens struggling during the crisis
The letter describes the experience of an enrollee in the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), which was a key relief program under the New Deal. The CCC provided young men with jobs on environmental conservation projects, food, shelter, and a small wage, most of which was sent home to support their families. This directly illustrates the New Deal goal of providing immediate economic relief and employment to individuals struggling during the Great Depression.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the source material to identify the context and program being described.
The excerpt describes a worker receiving a job, meals, lodging, and sending money home to his family in 1934, which refers to the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC).
Identifying the specific historical context allows the student to connect the stimulus to New Deal relief efforts.
2
Evaluate the options to see which matches the primary purpose of the CCC.
The CCC's main goal was to provide immediate relief and employment to young men and their families during the Great Depression.
This matches the correct option while distinguishing it from long-term recovery claims and programs from other eras.

Key Concept

The primary purpose and impact of New Deal relief programs, such as the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), during the Great Depression.
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