FDR knew the country's economy was in really bad shape—that was kind of an open secret—so perhaps the most important aspect of his "First Fireside Chat" was to remind Americans of their duty to help the situation.
In this case, duty was more synonymous with "being responsible than, say, "fighting for your country." Roosevelt wanted people to understand the logical, rational effects of their actions…and he really wanted them to stop keeping their cash under their beds.
Questions About Duty
- What types of words or phrases does it take to be able to reach out to millions of people at different levels of education, and convince everyone to behave the same way?
- Were any Americans skeptical of Roosevelt's message about duty, thinking that this was all some government ploy? How could FDR have convinced them otherwise?
- Did acting responsibly really help the country exit the Great Depression?
Chew on This
Check out some potential thesis statements about First Fireside Chat.
In appealing to Americans' sense of duty, President Roosevelt made the Great Depression about individual behavior.
Roosevelt's "First Fireside Chat" attempted to convince Americans that it was their responsibility to pull the country out of the Great Depression.