Franklin D. Roosevelt The only thing we have to fear is fear itself, Franklin D.

Roosevelt (FDR) spe aks to the American people at his Inauguration speech, not knowing that in 70 ye ars he would be counted as one of the greatest presidents who served this countr y (Only Thing..., par 1). FDR was the greatest president, because he was hard work ing, brave, and optimistic. As FDR claimed his seat in the White House, the Great Depression devastated the nation with the stock market crash, the sky high unemployment rates, and the bank failures throughout the nation. Herbert Hoovers economic programs dissatisf ied the American people, because they did not help the economy get out of its da rk hole. When the people elected FDR, he set over 40 individual social programs that helped men and women at jobs, agricultural development and protection of ce rtain rights ("Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential..., par 6). For example, the Ci vilian Conservation Corporation (CCC) worked as a relief program for youth indiv iduals and provided jobs for them (par 7). The Works Progress Administration (WP A) employed over two million family heads.The Agricultural Adjustment Administra tion (AAA) stabilized farm prices and saved farms. The National Recovery Adminis tration (NRA) was another one of FDRs greatest programs. It dealt with businesses , giving them specific codes, and supplying people with more jobs. Roosevelts pro grams were active and disperse, helping the nation survive throughout the Great Depression (par 6). Roosevelt also introduced Social Security, heavier taxes on the wealthy, and welfare (Franklin..., par 9). These services are still used today , and they help people who cannot work, have a disability, or retired. With 13 m illion people unemployed (25.2% of the entire workforce throughout the nation), and every bank in the nation closed, FDR brought the nation back on its feet (Sc hnell, par 21). Historians can unmistakably see that FDR is one of the greatest presidents from what he has done in the past. Fixing the nation from falling apa rt due to the Great Depression, and the Second World War, proves that FDR is tru ly a hard worker, and one of the greatest American presidents. Taking many risks, and leading the nation throughout its greatest fall takes great amounts of bravery and courage. As World War Two came through Europe, Roo sevelt promised the nation, This country is not going to war, (par 12). Shortly af ter, Japanese warplanes bombarded Pearl Harbor and the only option FDR had was t o declare war. Many disliked the idea, because he broke his promise towards the nation, but he had to take a risk and go for the right choice. Roosevelt directe d organizations that provided other nations worldwide with power, and resources (Franklin..., par 9). Roosevelt also built up his foreign policy by becoming allie s with Britain. When Britain was bombarded by Nazi Germany, FDR helped them out by supplying them with battleships ("Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential..., par 7 ). Couple years earlier toward the depression, America needed a leader that knew what he was doing and would not be terrified to take a risk and to aid the situ ation this nation was in. Roosevelt did exactly what was needed, he was determin ed to help America prosper, and most importantly aid the struggle throughout the nation. Roosevelt changed the relationship between government and people by sup plying more trust between the two, and transforming the nation into something a lot greater. Therefore, FDR had a lot of bravery and was the greatest president of the USA. Roosevelt lost both of his legs to the terrible disease of polo (Schnell, pa r 8). That never stopped him from believing that the nation could prosper, and c ould survive the darkest moments. At terrifying times such as the Great depressi on, and World War Two, Roosevelt always kept a positive outlook on the situation . When Roosevelt took office he introduced the New Deal that inspired hundreds of people over the nation, and it made them believe that America could go back to n ormal, not where it was in depression. From the perspective of where the country was at the point, Roosevelt set programs that helped the nation financially, an d it generated billions of dollars throughout the American economy. It also incr eased the incomes of the people, and caused tax revenues to take a half step up to the federal government and state (Schnell, par 10). He helped the Americans p ut food on their tables, shoes on their feet, and a roof over their head. Withou

t such a positive thinking president at the time, the nation could have collapse d. FDR kept the nation within his hands, peeling away the dangers that came to i t. Therefore, FDR is the greatest president of the United States because of his optimism. On the other hand, one may state FDR is not the greatest president of Americ a, because some of his actions were unconstitutional when he was in office. FDRs biggest blunder was when his reform proposal sent to Congress about increasing t he number of justices and forcing retirement on the septuagenarians, or 70 year olds. He wanted to pack the Supreme Court, because they were calling his New Deal pro grams unconstitutional. In other words, he believed that the courts had more pow er than the other two branches in the federal government and so he wanted to bala nce them out (Volpe, par 4). Truthfully, the only reason FDR was doing this was s o the majority of conservative justices would leave the Supreme Court, and so mo re liberal justices could come in and accept his proposals (par 4-5). Also, when his presidential years were over, he damaged the economy by provoking an enormo us national debt (Schnell, par 15). Therefore, FDR is not the greatest president of the United States of America. The greatest president that has ever served our country was Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln, the sixteenth president of the United States, and lived through one of the greatest historical movements of Americas history. The civil war, a four yea r period of destruction between the nation.The nation was on the corner of divid ing itself from one another. Lincoln upheld the nation together, he banished sla very, distributed over two million from treasury funds helping the Union win the war, and gathered over 75,000 volunteers without declaring war (Abraham..., par 2 ). The United States was about to split into two nations, the South wanted slave ry, but the North wanted to abolish slavery and promote equal rights to civilian s throughout the nation. In result, a war broke through, and Lincoln helped main tain it so the nation would still be together not fall apart (par 3). Therefore, Lincoln is the greatest president of the United States of America. It is true that FDR tried to pack the supreme court and reform it, because the se justices that he was targeting were not approving some of his New Deal programs . FDR was making these new deal programs for the better of the community, and so more jobs and money could flow the economy of the nation. The idea to pack the co urt system was not bright, but FDR planned to uplift the entire nation from the Great Depression (Volpe, par 4). Plus, the only reason FDR left office and the n ational debt was so high was because of what happened previously. In order to sc oop the nation out of the unemployment, and bank failures was to put in very big sums of money, and programs that would help the people get out of such a bad si tuation. Therefore, FDR may of committed a mistake, but he still turned out to b e the greatest president this country ever had. Lincoln and FDR both have contributed greatly to our country, and both of th em served under huge historical circumstances. Both presidents were greatly invo lved in a wartime era, such as the second World War for FDR, and the Civil War f or Lincoln. Both men equally contributed their hearts out to these situations, a nd both had to suffer from civil rights acts that they both acquired. In other w ords, Lincoln abolished slavery, while FDR helped the African Americans achieve their civil rights . Therefore, these presidents were so closely related at the way they served our country and the only way to distinguish whether one of them is better than another is by opinion. The thirty second president of the United States was Franklin Delano Rooseve lt. He suffered from a dangerous disease, and he served this country at its dark est hour. FDR is the greatest president of the United States, because he was har dworking, brave, and optimistic. Works Cited: "Abraham Lincoln Biography." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, 2012. Web. 20 May 2012. <http://www.biography.com/people/abraham-lincoln-9382540?page=4 >.

"Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum." - Roosevelt Facts and F igures: 101 Questions. Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum. We b. 20 May 2012. <http://www.fdrlibrary.marist.edu/facts.html>. "Franklin D. Roosevelt." The White House. Web. 20 May 2012. <http://www.whitehou se.gov/about/presidents/franklindroosevelt>. North, Gary. "Lincoln and FDR." Lincoln and FDR. Lewrock, 2001. Web. 20 May 2012 . <http://www.lewrockwell.com/north/north34.html>. ""Only Thing We Have to Fear Is Fear Itself": FDR s First Inaugural Address." Hi story Matters. American Social History Productions, 10 Apr. 2012. Web. 20 May 20 12. <http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/5057/>. Schnell, J. Christopher. "Franklin D. Roosevelt." Dictionary Of World Biography: The 20th Century. 2000. Literary Reference Center. Web. 20 May 2012. <http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail> Volpe, Paul. "Court Packing." Court Packing. University of Virgina, 2002. Web. 2 0 May 2012. <http://xroads.virginia.edu/~MA02/volpe/newdeal/court.html>.