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The Fair Deal

The Fair Deal was the name given automobile, steel, and electrical to President Harry Truman's domestic industries. When they took on the program. Building on Roosevelt's New railroads and soft-coal mines, Truman Deal, Truman believed that the federal intervened to stop union excesses, but in government should guarantee economic so doing he alienated many workers. opportunity and social stability. He While dealing with immediately struggled to achieve those ends in the face pressing issues, Truman also provided a of fierce political opposition from broader agenda for action. Less than a legislators determined to reduce the role week after the war ended, he presented of government. Congress with a 21-point program, which Truman's first priority in the provided for protection against unfair immediate postwar period was to make employment practices, a higher minimum the transition to a peacetime economy. wage, greater unemployment Servicemen wanted to come home compensation, and housing assistance. In quickly, but once they arrived they faced the next several months, he added competition for housing and employment. proposals for health insurance and atomic The G.I. Bill, passed before the end of the energy legislation. But this scattershot war, helped ease servicemen back into approach often left Truman's priorities civilian life by providing benefits such as unclear. guaranteed loans for home-buying and Republicans were quick to attack. financial aid for industrial training and In the 1946 congressional elections they university education. asked, "Had enough?" and voters More troubling was labor unrest. responded that they had. Republicans, As war production ceased, many workers with majorities in both houses of found themselves without jobs. Others Congress for the first time since 1928, wanted pay increases they felt were long were determined to reverse the liberal overdue. In 1946, 4.6 million workers direction of the Roosevelt years. went on strike, more than ever before in Truman fought with the Congress American history. They challenged the as it cut spending and reduced taxes. In

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1948 he sought reelection, despite polls 2. Describe the G.I. Bill. indicating that he had little chance. After a ______vigorous campaign, Truman scored one of ______the great upsets in American politics, ______defeating the Republican nominee, ______Thomas Dewey, governor of New York. ______Reviving the old New Deal coalition, ______Truman held on to labor, farmers, and ______African-American voters. When Truman finally left office in 3. How did President Harry Truman help 1953, his Fair Deal was but a mixed American workers? success. In July 1948 he banned racial ______discrimination in federal government ______hiring practices and ordered an end to ______segregation in the military. The minimum ______wage had risen, and social security ______programs had expanded. A housing ______program brought some gains but left ______many needs unmet. National health insurance, aid-to-education measures, 4. Who won the 1948 presidential reformed agricultural subsidies, and his election? legislative civil rights agenda never made a. Dwight Eisenhower it through Congress. The president's b. Harry Truman pursuit of the Cold War, ultimately his c. Huey Long most important objective, made it d. Thomas Dewey especially difficult to develop support for social reform in the face of intense 5. What did President Truman do for opposition. civil rights? ______1. What name was given to President ______Harry Truman’s domestic program? ______

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