by Miriam Bamberger
Special Projects Reporter

Herbert Hoover (1874­1964)
On March 4, 1929, Herbert Hoover, a Republican and former secretary of commerce, was sworn into office as the 31st president of the United States. In a time of great prosperity, Hoover was a popular expected to continue the economic stability the United States enjoyed in the wake of World War I.

On the East Portico of the White House, Hoover addressed the nation in his inaugural speech, touching on the issues of judicial reform, Prohibition enforcement, education, public health and the relationship between the government and private business. The confident address was later seen as foreshadowing the disastrous years the new president was about to face.

"I have no fears for the future of our country. It is bright with hope," Hoover said.

Although he had previously garnered strong public support, Hoover lost the trust of the nation after the 1929 stock market crash less than a year into his term in office. During his reelection campaign in 1932, Hoover lost by a wide margin to Democrat Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Franklin Delano Roosevelt (1882­1945)
After winning a landslide election, Franklin Delano Roosevelt took the oath of office from Chief Justice Charles Evans Hughes on March 4, 1933. Roosevelt faced a shattered economy; the Great Depression had left unemployment, homelessness and hunger in every region of the nation. In his powerful inaugural address, Roosevelt promised to repair the economy, focusing on aid and relief.

"With this pledge taken, I assume unhesitatingly the leadership of this great army of our people dedicated to a disciplined attack upon our common problems," the new president proclaimed.

During his first 100 days in office, Roosevelt introduced extensive programs that were to become part of the New Deal ­ legislation that gave the federal government a more active role in the economy. After stabilizing banks, establishing work programs and creating Social Security Administration, Roosevelt was credited with ending the Great Depression and restoring the American economy. With the help of his wife Eleanor, President Roosevelt ushered in a new era of social change by appointing women and African-Americans to federal posts.