TSIA2 College Readiness Standards • English Language Arts & Reading Page 1 of 5 • Text Continues on Page 2
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Coughlin felt a deep sympathy for the poor and social justice issues, and he routinely condemned the government’s lack of interest in helping those most in need. He expressed these views in his radio program, “Hour of Power,” which was listened to by a third of Americans during the Great Depression. He was also a supporter of Roosevelt’s during the 1932 election, using his influence to help the governor of New York become president. Only two years into the New Deal, however, Coughlin's soft-spoken support began to turn into outspoken discontent. Coughlin attacked New Deal reforms for not being radical enough and pushed for absolute federal control of the country’s economic system. Father Coughlin's idea for a better America was unacceptable to the President who, despite the criticism of his foes, understood the value of America’s economic system. When the conflict between the two became public, America sided with the president, and the radio priest’s popularity declined.
The New Deal was particularly unpopular among wealthy business owners. To finance his first New Deal, Roosevelt had introduced higher taxes for the rich. He had also supported legislation, including the Wagner Act, that was seen as benefiting labor unions at the expense of the business owners. These actions made America’s wealthy view the president unfavorably.
Roosevelt’s Republican political opponents had two main arguments against the President’s actions. The first was that the Constitution gave the federal government no authority to help the poor out of the economic crisis. This foundational document in no way mentions how the economically disadvantaged were to be provided for, but the tenth amendment clearly states, “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution . . . are reserved to the States”. In other words, if the constitution does not say the President can do something, then he can’t do that thing, only the states can. Their second argument was that, even if the President did have the authority to do the things he was doing, the programs he implemented were far too expensive, using taxpayer money at the exact time that those taxpayers most needed every dime they could hold on to.
The most powerful opponents of FDR’s New Deal programs were the members of the Supreme Court. In 1935, it declared the National Recovery Administration (NRA) illegal. In the following year it declared the Agricultural Adjustment Act (AAA) unconstitutional. The point made by the Supreme Court in these cases was that any efforts to solve the Great Depression should come at a state and not a federal level. When all was said and done, 11 out of 16 of the Alphabet Laws were declared unconstitutional.
These decisions infuriated President Roosevelt. Congress, which must face elections regularly, was made up mostly of pro-New Deal democrats, so they always supported the President’s legislation. The Supreme Court Justices, however, were mostly appointed by Conservative Republican presidents. Roosevelt saw the Court Justices as obstructionists, standing in the way of the clear will of the people as demonstrated by his landslide election in 1936. In retaliation, the President hatched a scheme to retake power from the Judicial branch.
Roosevelt proposed a bill to expand the membership of the Supreme Court. The law would have added one justice to the Court for each justice over the age of 70. Since the president has the power to appoint Justices, Roosevelt planned to choose men who already agreed with his New Deal to shape the ideological balance of the Court. Roosevelt’s “Court Packing Scheme” drew sharp criticism from all corners, was never enacted by Congress, and cost Roosevelt significant political support.
Adapted from Pearson U.S. History 1877 to the Present Page 2 of 5 • Continuum & Guiding Questions
Synthesizing Perspectives Across the Political Spectrum
Place each opponent, as well as FDR himself, on the continuum below by writing their assigned letter on the scale according to their beliefs on federal intervention: [A] Huey Long | [B] Dr. Townsend | [C] Fr. Coughlin | [D] Franklin D. Roosevelt | [E] Business Owners | [F] Supreme Court
← Absolute Government Control (Radical Left) Moderate New Deal Reform Absolute Non-Intervention (Conservative Right) →
1. What were some of the primary concerns Republicans argued against FDR’s New Deal policies?
2. Describe the two main constitutional and economic arguments against President Roosevelt’s New Deal.
3. What impact did Roosevelt’s court-packing plan have on public opinion and the power of the presidency?
Conceptual Synthesis & Textual Evidence Page 3 of 5 • Turn to TSIA2 Reading Questions
Section 1
Target Score: 4/4
1. Central Contrast / Synthesizing Perspectives Paragraph 1
Which statement best summarizes the contrast presented in the first paragraph between FDR's critics on the political right and critics on the political left?
A Critics on the right argued FDR failed to enforce federal statutes, while left-wing critics believed he overfunded the military.
B Critics on the right contended the New Deal violated the Constitution and weakened capitalism, whereas critics on the left argued FDR did not go far enough to dismantle capitalist systems.
C Critics on the right supported complete wealth confiscation, while left-wing critics wanted all relief efforts controlled by individual states.
D Both conservative Republicans and dissident Democrats agreed that the presidency should be converted into a dictatorship.
Text Evidence / Line Reference:
2. Vocabulary in Context Supreme Court Section
In the passage, Roosevelt described the Supreme Court Justices as "obstructionists," standing in the way of the clear will of the people. What is the best definition of this word as used in context?
A Impartial constitutional researchers
B Individuals intentionally blocking progress
C Diplomats negotiating compromises
D Judges lacking legal jurisdiction
Context Clue in Passage:
3. Key Detail & Textual Evidence Townsend Plan
Based on the passage, why were Dr. Francis Townsend and his followers bitterly disappointed with Roosevelt's Social Security program?
A It granted monthly pensions exclusively to wealthy retired corporate executives.
B It required states rather than the federal government to collect payroll contributions.
C It provided smaller payouts, deferred immediate payments, and excluded seniors who hadn't paid into the system.
D It was immediately struck down as unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in 1935.
Reason Cited by Author:
4. Rhetorical Analysis & Author's Purpose Huey Long Section
Why does the author detail Huey Long's specific proposals (capping fortunes at $50 million, limiting incomes to $1 million, and guaranteeing $5,000 per family)?
A To illustrate the radical redistributionist platform of Long's socialist alternative to the New Deal.
B To demonstrate that Roosevelt incorporated Long's exact dollar figures into federal tax codes.
C To prove that Louisiana possessed more national wealth than any other state during the Depression.
D To emphasize that conservative Republicans secretly supported Long's economic theories.
Author's Rhetorical Goal:
Reading Domain Subscore: _____ / 4 Page 4 of 5 • Proceed to Revising & Editing
Section 2 & 3
Target Score: 6/6
5. Revising • Transition Words Revising
"Father Charles Coughlin initially mobilized radio listeners to support Roosevelt's 1932 campaign. [ _____ ], only two years into the New Deal, Coughlin began attacking FDR." Which word best transitions?
A Consequently
B However
C Furthermore
D For instance
6. Revising • Sentence Combining & Conciseness Revising
Combine: "Roosevelt signed the Wagner Act into law. The act strengthened labor unions and intensified opposition among wealthy business owners."
A Because Roosevelt enacted the Wagner Act, which strengthened unions, business owners were alienated.
B By strengthening labor unions through the Wagner Act, Roosevelt intensified opposition among wealthy business owners.
C Wealthy business owners alienated labor unions because Roosevelt's Wagner Act was enacted into law.
D Roosevelt signed the Wagner Act, so unions became strong, and therefore owners were intensified.
7. Revising • Deleting Irrelevant Content Revising
"[1] Republican critics formulated two core arguments. [2] First, they maintained the 10th Amendment reserved unassigned powers to states. [3] Radios were popular consumer electronics in the 1930s. [4] Second, they argued federal spending was excessive." Delete:
A Sentence 1
B Sentence 2
C Sentence 3
D Sentence 4
8. Editing • Comma Splice Correction Editing
"In 1935 the Supreme Court struck down the National Recovery Administration, the justices maintained that economic recovery programs must be managed at the state level."
A Administration; the justices maintained...
B Administration, because, the justices...
C Administration while the justices, maintained...
D Administration, and the justices maintaining...
9. Editing • Parallel Structure in a Series Editing
"Roosevelt's judicial reorganization plan sought to dilute conservative opposition, restore legislative momentum, and [ _____ ] the ideological balance of the Court."
A reshaped
B reshaping
C reshape
D it would reshape
10. Editing • Conjunctive Adverb Punctuation Editing
"Roosevelt argued that the crisis demanded emergency federal experimentation [however conservative] business owners insisted intervention stifled enterprise."
A ...experimentation, however conservative...
B ...experimentation; however, conservative...
C ...experimentation however; conservative...
D ...experimentation, however, conservative...
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Revising Subscore: ___ / 3 • Editing Subscore: ___ / 3 Page 5 of 5 • Final Total Score: ___ / 10
