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Herbert Clark Hoover (August 10, 1874 – October 20, 1964) Republican Party March 4, 1929 – March 4, 1933 Vice President: Charles Curtis

As the “Roaring Twenties” spiraled into the Great Depression, the man in charge was President Hoover. Throughout Hoover’s presidency, the ideas surrounding the American Identity were tested and altered into a new way. The American Dream became something foggy far in the distance, America was drowning and needed to stay afloat. President Hoover was not the life preserver needed for the job. He took the “individualism” idea too far and failed to recognize the severity of the situation. As unemployment went up and stock prices dropped, Americans looked for hope. President Hoover supplemented it, temporarily, with big projects such as the Hoover Dam.

Introduction On The surface Hoover’s presidency is affiliated with the Great #|Depression and based on that merits a failing grade but, while Hoover did not respond well to the situation, He did not cause #|the stock market crash. Hoover tried and made a minimal impact on the Depression with Public Works projects and acts to help businesses grow. He may have not made an immediate impact but he deeply influenced Franklin D Roosevelt's famous New Deal that reached us out of the depression. Keeping this all in mind, PResident Herbert Hoover deserves a grade of a C minus.

Goals At the beginning of his presidency, Hoover had goals of increasing prosperity that the nation had built up leading up to 1929. Hoover built his ideas on efficiency, a common word that he prided himself on. He had a conviction that every problem, regardless of source had a technical solution. He wanted to solve the problems that the farmers that the farmers were facing due to overproduction and rock-bottom prices. He also thrived on the idea described as “rugged individualism” which encompassed the idea that Americans were strong and independent people and could handle things by themselves. He also proposed the rise of “volunteerism” in America which enforced the idea of the common good. All of these goals root in his respect and high expectations for the American people.

Relationship with Congress: When Hoover started his term, Republicans had strong hold of the seats in the house. Even with 270 Republicans dominating over the 164 Democrat seats, the President and Congress butted heads over several issues. Often of times, the President would veto measures approved by Congress or Congress did not agree with the policies that Hoover had built himself on. Add to that, the stress and tension of the greatest economic disaster our nation had ever experienced and no result was ideal. One of the many fruitless attempts was the the #|Agricultural Marketing Act. This targeted the goal made to provide relief to farmers suffering from dropped prices and over production. The act itself created the Federal Farm Board which helped farmers organize themselves to cope with the issues at bay. This board was given very limited power and proved to be insignificant to the spiral downfall of the agriculture industry.

Positive Impact: During his Presidency, Hoover managed to make an impact on the condition of the nation. The biggest contribution of the administration was the early development of the “Good Neighbor Policy” and other changes in America’s foreign policy. By 1934, American troops had completely withdrawn from Hati. In addition, the Hoover appropriately handled the Manchuria incident in Asia. We did not over expand our resources and power, demonstrated that we had our own issues to focus on. The decision to not get involved but still refuse to recognize territories conquered by force was a smart one by the Administration and warrants being their most positive impact.

Negative Impact: President Hoover is hardly ever brought into amiable conversation. This is largely due to the fact that the Great Depression hit and the stock market plummeted, about eight months after his inauguration. While this was majority outside of Hoover’s control, his policies of “individualism” and “volunteerism” were not enough to handle the economic chaostrophy that occurred. He firmly believed that hand-outs were not what the American people needed at this point, he instead gave money to “big bankers” and corporations with the hope that the prosperity would trickle down into the salaries of the common worker. This did not happen and still, Hoover did not supply assistance to these people. The public mocked him, declaring their provisional homes of cardboard and scrap metal “Hoovervilles.” Hoover also mishandled the Depression during the Bonus March of 1932. As frustrated, unemployed veterans set-up camp in Washington, demanding the immediate payment of their bonuses (not due for thirteen more years), President Hoover sent along Federal Troops to dismantle the protest. These troops set fire to their temporary residences and stamped Hoover as the President insensitive to the needs of the American people. The little President Hoover did accomplish in reviving the Depression, came too late and was not strong enough to be a life raft to the drowning nation. .

Influential Decision: The decisions made to create the Emergency Relief and Reconstruction Act was the most influential decision made by the Hoover Administration. Although the idea failed to make a major impact on the economic crisis of the time, it was adapted later into F. D Roosevelt’s New Deal in several ways. First President F.D Roosevelt expanded and made these ideas more liberal.This gave birth to things established in the New Deal that we still use today like Social Security. The Fair Labor Standards Act was an expansion of the Noris- La Guardia Anti-Junction Act by building off of the idea that employees needed protection from employers due to the fact that jobs were in such high demand.

Conclusion: There is not even a slight bit of doubt that America was worse off at the end of Hoover’s presidency then when he was inaugurated. Most people would say that it was not all his fault, there were extenuating circumstances of which he had no control over. If Hoover had handled the Depression the way that he should have, his administration would merit a high grade. Taking into account his “hands-off” policy and the after effects of it, the Hoover Administration deserves the grade of a C minus.

Works Cited:

1914, Hoover was an extremely wealthy man, and with an estimated personal fortune of $4m. "Herbert Hoover - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Dec. 2012. . "71st United States Congress - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Dec. 2012. . "71st United States Congress - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Dec. 2012. . "Agricultural Marketing Act - Federal Grain Inspection - Farmers." Farmers - Farmers. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Dec. 2012. < [] >. DeGregorio, William A.. The complete book of U.S. presidents. 7 ed. Fort Lee: Barricade Books, 2009. Print. "Great Depression in the United States - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Dec. 2012. . "Herbert Hoover: Inaugural Address.." The American Presidency Project. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Dec. 2012. . "Hoover Administration | Course-Notes.Org." Free AP Notes, Outlines, Vocab and Practice Exams | Course-Notes.Org. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Dec. 2012. . "Norrisâ€“La Guardia Act - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Dec. 2012. .