1934 Federal Activities Reach Deeper Into Private Life
With the "new deal" branching out into almost every phrase of the
nation's life, 1934 saw the United States making unprecedented strides in the
development of a central government. High water marks of the year included the
re-shaping of NRA, change in gold content of the dollar and the pouring out
of millions to finance the public works program. The government's books showed
the public debt mounted to $27,000,000,000, exceeding the wartime peak as efforts
to accelerate recovery were pushed.
(c) Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, Deerfield MA. All rights reserved. Contact us for information about using this image.
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There is currently no available "Beginner" label. The following is the default level label: This picture in the Greenfield Daily Recorder-Gazette portrays the popular view that the New Deal brought about a dramatic expansion of the role of the federal government. Before the depression most programs were administered at the state and local level. Although the New Deal did not completely change this, its national programs influenced the lives of many more Americans. This was particularly true of the work relief programs. The graphic in the Recorder shows a number of these work programs. In the left hand corner is the Blue Eagle, symbol of the NRA. The mural style, a panorama with a number of scenes blending into one another, is typical of the mural style of the era. Many public buildings displayed such murals, often painted by artists who themselves were employed by New Deal work relief programs.