Who is Franklin Roosevelt

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Franklin Delano Roosevelt

As the only United States president elected to four terms, Franklin Delano Roosevelt guided the nation for 12 years, through the Great Depression and World War II. Roosevelt initiated a series of programs, termed the New Deal, to help bring the U.S. back to prosperity. Although he was crippled by polio at age 39, he continued his political career, which spanned 35 years. Roosevelt died on April 12, 1945, less than three months after he began his fourth term.

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Franklin Roosevelt at a Glance

A quick look at our only 4-term United States president.

Franklin and Eleanor RooseveltFranklin Delano Roosevelt (January 30, 1882 - April 12, 1945), often referred to by his initials FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States. He was a central figure of the 20th century during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war. Elected to four terms in office, he served from 1933 to 1945 and is the only U.S. president to have served more than two terms. Franklin D. Roosevelt and Theodore Roosevelt were fifth cousins but were close. FDR's wife Eleanor Roosevelt was Theodore's orphaned niece who he gave away in marriage to "cousin Franklin" in 1905.

During the Great Depression of the 1930s, Roosevelt created the New Deal to provide relief for the unemployed, recovery of the economy, and reform of the economic and banking systems, through various agencies, such as the Works Project Administration (WPA), National Recovery Administration (NRA), and the Agricultural Adjustment Administration (AAA). Although recovery of the economy was incomplete until World War II, several programs he initiated, such as the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), continue to have instrumental roles in the nation's commerce. Some of his other legacies include the Social Security system and the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).

As Britain warred with the Axis nations, Roosevelt provided Lend-Lease aid to Winston Churchill and the British war effort before America's entry into World War II in December 1941. On the home front, he introduced price controls and rationing. After the attack on Pearl Harbor by forces of the Japanese Empire and after the declaration of war on the United States by Nazi Germany and by Fascist Italy, Roosevelt introduced internment of Japanese Americans, German Americans, and Italian Americans.

Roosevelt led the United States as it became the 'Arsenal of Democracy'. Roosevelt, working closely with his aide Harry Hopkins, made the United States the principal arms supplier and financier of the Allies. America had a vast expansion of industry, the achievement of full employment, and new opportunities opened for African Americans and women. The new Conservative coalition, arguing disappearing unemployment, closed most relief programs like the Works Progress Administration (WPA) and Civilian Conservation Corps. As the Allies neared victory, Roosevelt played a critical role in shaping the post-war world, particularly through the Yalta Conference and the creation of the United Nations. Later, alongside the United States, the Allies defeated Germany, Italy, and Japan.

Roosevelt's election to the presidency brought about a realignment political scientists call the Fifth Party System. His aggressive use of the federal government created a New Deal coalition which dominated the Democratic Party until the late 1960s. Roosevelt introduced new taxes that affected all income groups. Conservatives vehemently fought back, but Roosevelt usually prevailed until he tried to pack the Supreme Court in 1937. He and his wife, Eleanor Roosevelt, remain touchstones for modern American liberalism. Roosevelt's administration redefined American liberalism and realigned the Democratic Party based on his New Deal coalition of labor unions; farmers; ethnic, religious and racial minorities; intellectuals; the South; big city machines; and the poor and workers on relief. Roosevelt has been consistently ranked by scholars as one of the greatest U.S. Presidents. Read the Wikipedia article. Photo attribution.

Franklin Roosevelt on Flickr

RS3J6718 by Miller_Center
RS3J6748 by Miller_Center
RS3J6779 by Miller_Center
RS3J6762 by Miller_Center
RS3J6715 by Miller_Center
024_FranklinDRoosevelt by MilitaryHealth
The Payroll Tax Cut will kill Social Security! by DonkeyHotey
Ecrans tactiles géants à Franklin Roosevelt by workflo
Silver Roosevelt Dime by Dser1
FDR on Social Security by DonkeyHotey
FDR Quote on Social Security by DonkeyHotey
19950702 09 Franklin Roosevelt bust, Hyde Park, NY by davidwilson1949
19950702 08 Roosevelt Home, Hyde Park, NY by davidwilson1949
Franklin D. Roosevelt, Time cover January 5 1942, "Man of the Year" by cliff1066™
FDR Memorial by sjsharktank
FDR Memorial by sjsharktank
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Franklin Delano Roosevelt by Arabani
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  • GetSillyProductions Feb 27, 2011 @ 3:15 pm | delete
    I can't believe he had 4 terms, thank god for the 2 term limit, I can't imagine what 16 years of Bush would have been like!
  • shirtdude Feb 15, 2008 @ 7:59 pm | delete
    I do not look at FDR with the same adoration as many Americans do. I will admit some of his policies helped Americans at the time, however some are still a thorn in our side, take that of Social Security, or better known to some Socialist Insecurity.
    In addition, some would argue that FDR could have been this nation's first dictator; after all, he was in the Whitehouse the same amount of time that Hitler was in power. Though I am not saying FDR was evil like Hitler, I do not believe that it had to take the death of either man to get them out of office.
    One could also ask, who's election ended the great depression, the election of Roosevelt, or the election of Hitler, and again let me state, I am not fan of Hitler, however with Hitler in office this gave Roosevelt the opportunity to help the economy with the up and coming war that most everyone with any brains knew was coming.

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