How does one measure great influence? Perhaps influence can be measured by the number of people influenced or the how long the trace of influence lasts. Perhaps influence is measured by its impact on history or the impact felt by the world. Franklin Roosevelt's influence encompasses all these measurements. His life and legacy influenced the lives of millions in the past and is still affecting those who live today. During his four terms as President, Roosevelt faced a Great Depression and a World War.

His leadership, during both, has changed the government of the United States as we know it. He presidency protected freedom and democracy, and has even lead to a change in our constitution. Franklin Roosevelt is easily the most influential person of the century.

The Great Depression and Roosevelt's Changes in Government

The Great Depression was a horrible time for the nation and for capitalism itself. In other countries, economies were so bad that people, according to famous economist Maynard Keynes, "began trading personal freedoms for economic security". Roosevelt's New Deal was his policy for trying to pull the United States out of the Great De

Consider all the policies that Roosevelt signed into being that are still with us to this day. Social Security, Fair Labor Standards Act, and removal from the gold standard, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the Banking Act all determine how our economy runs even now. According to AARP's advocacy center, Social Security benefits are given to over 43 million people every month and is a hot topic for debate whether in presidential races or over dinner tables. The Fair Labor Standards Act creates a minimum wage and enforces overtime pay. It is logical to assume millions of those working; especially teenagers are daily influenced by this act. Also, by removing the country from the gold standard, the countries economy has been allowed great expansion while at the same time the dollar now has no stabilizing force besides people's trust in the government. Next, the Securities and Exchange Commission guards against fraud in places like the New York Stock Exchange. With so many businesses and individual investors, it is important to ensure that fraud and defrauding does not occur. The Banking Act strengthened the power of the Federal Reserve Board. The board's chair at present is Alan Greenspan whose every word is heeded by banks and businessmen around the world.

War production was not Roosevelt's only influence. His famous fireside chats inspired patriotism and a common spirit in America, helping to win the war, though not all of Roosevelt's actions benefited the American people. It is now considered a shame that Roosevelt allowed Japanese Americans to be placed into internment camps throughout the war. Thousands were uprooted from home and businesses that were never fully regained. In addition, the United States turned away many immigrants that were trying to flee from Hitler. Thought these actions somewhat tarnish the Roosevelt image; they nevertheless add to the influences that FDR had upon thousands of lives.

In the early 1900s, America was a country devoted to isolationism. During the period between 1935 and 1937 congress passed many isolationist bills, "to maintain freedom of action in world affairs" for the United States, according to Funk and Wagnall's Encyclopedia. Even though most of the country supported isolationism, Roosevelt knew that the Allies had to have help and that the U.S. needed to be prepared in case the Allies fell to dictators. At the beginning of the war, the United States Army was ranke

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