The New Deal dominated the 1930s in the United States.

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (May/June 2025). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

1. [1] The Wagner Act forced employers to allow trade unions and to let them negotiate pay and conditions.
2. [1] The Social Security Act provided state pensions for the elderly and widows and help for the sick and disabled.
3. [1] A system of unemployment insurance was set up.
4. [1] Under the Resettlement Act smallholders and tenant farmers were moved to better land.
5. [1] The Works Progress Administration created jobs beyond building projects.
6. [6] Level 4: Explains two reasons.
7. [4-5] Level 3: Explains one reason.
8. [5] The main reason they were important was that they restored confidence in the American banking system. People had lost confidence and were taking all their savings out of the banks. If the system collapsed, the disaster would have been even greater. Roosevelt restored confidence by closing the banks for four days. This gave him time to pass the Emergency Banking Act. Banks in real trouble were closed down, while other banks were helped with government grants. When they reopened, confidence had been restored and people put their money back in.
9. [2-3] Level 2: Identifies or describes valid reason(s); addresses the question but does not explain.
10. [1] Roosevelt's 'fireside chats' helped increase the hope of the American people.
11. [1] He restored confidence in the banks.
12. [1] Jobs were provided by the Civilian Conservation Corps and other government organisations.
13. [1] Soup kitchens were set up and clothing was provided for the poor.
14. [1] Farmers were helped and production was reduced.
15. [1] Pay and working conditions were improved.
16. [1] Public money was used to start building schools and roads.
17. [1] The confidence of the American people returned.
18. [1] Roosevelt communicated his plan for the New Deal.
19. [1] Level 1: Writes about the topic but does not address the question.
20. [1] These were important because this was when Roosevelt did a lot of his important work and helped people.
21. [10] Level 5: Explains both sides and supports a valid judgement on 'how far'.
22. [10] I think it was an effective response. It did not solve every problem, but it did a lot. Americans were very suspicious of government interference and the New Deal was heavily criticised for this. It was probably impossible for the New Deal to go any further, so I think it did as much as could be expected and much more than Hoover did.
23. [7-9] Level 4: Explains both sides.
24. [4-6] Level 3: Explains one side.
25. [6] It was a very effective response. It created millions of jobs and made the banking system stable. The projects it set up provided the US with new schools, roads and dams and improved living standards in deprived parts of the country such as the Tennessee Valley.
26. [6] OR I do not think that the New Deal was an effective response. This is because it did not solve the problem of unemployment. By the end of the 1930s there were still 5 million people unemployed. This was because businesses were trying to be more efficient and so employed fewer workers. Also, most people were on low wages and so they could not afford to spend much, which meant that industry was not stimulated. It was the Second World War that solved the problem.
27. [2-3] Level 2: Identifies or describes valid points; addresses the question but does not explain.
28. [1] The banking system was stabilised.
29. [1] The New Deal reduced unemployment.
30. [1] It restored confidence in the government.
31. [1] It gave the workers trade unions.
32. [1] It did not help women workers much.
33. [1] Critics like Huey Long said it was not doing enough.
34. [1] Unemployment remained high.
35. [1] Before the Second World War the recovery of industry was still very slow.
36. [1] The New Deal did not do enough to help Black Americans.
37. [1] The country went back into recession in 1937.
38. [1] Level 1: Writes about the topic but does not address the question.
39. [1] The New Deal was very successful and tackled the great problems that the USA was facing. It helped thousands of people.