February 15, 1933
On February 15, 1933 there was an attempt to assassinate President-elect Roosevelt, while he was sitting in an open car in Miami, Florida. Although six shots were directed at him, thanks to the intervention of a bystander, Mrs. William F. Cross, the President-elect was not injured. Several others in the party including Mayor Anton Cermak of Chicago were hit by the shots.

March 5, 1933
President Roosevelt calls Congress to convene on March 9 in special session. At the same time, using the 1917 Trading With The Enemy Act, he declares a nationwide bank holiday effective March 6 through March 9, closing virtually every financial institution in the country, including the Federal Reserve. Roosevelt also proclaims an embargo on the export of gold, silver, and currency.

March 6, 1933
Mayor Anton Cermak of Chicgo dies of wounds received during the attempted assassination of the President on Feb. 15.

March 9, 1933
Congress meets and immediately passes the Emergency Banking Relief Act, which gives the Treasury Department power to control various transactions in currency, credit, and bullion. It also makes it illegal, effective May 1, to own or export gold, and empowers the Treasury Department to regulate the reopening of the banks.

March 12, 1933
President Roosevelt addresses the nation in the first of his radio "fireside chats." Addressing his listeners as "My friends," he explains the purpose of the national bank holiday and the measures being taken to deal with the financial crisis.

The Banking Act was signed in 1933.

March 13-27, 1933
Banks start to reopen, and within two weeks over 75 per cent of all banks, with well over 90 percent of the nation's banking assets, are operating. During the same period about $1,000,000,000 is re-deposited and gold is returned to the U.S. Treasury.

March 20, 1933
President Roosevelt signs the Economy Act, which reduces salaries by up to 15% to save about $100,000,000 a year, and reduces veterans' benefits by a total of $400,000,000 a year.

March 22, 1933
The President signs into law a measure to legalize, effective April 17, beer and wine with a maximum alcoholic content of 3.2 percent by weight. The measure also places a tax of $5 per barrel (31 gallons), which quickly brings in much needed revenue.

March 31, 1933
The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) is established to provide employment for young men between the ages of 18 and 25 in various projects aimed at conserving or improving the country's natural resources, such as reforestation, soil erosion and flood control, fire prevention, road building, and park and recreational area improvement.

April 19, 1933
President Roosevelt announces that the United States is going off the gold standard and will no longer redeem currency for gold.

May 1, 1933
The final day for returning illegally held gold to the U.S. Treasury arrives, with an estimated $700,000,000 in gold still in private hands.

May 12, 1933
The Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA) is established and Harry Hopkins of New York is made administrator of the program, which is to distribute $500,000,000 through grants to state and local agencies to relieve the poor and hungry.

May 12, 1933
The Agricultural Adjustment Act (AAA) was passed to bring the farmers more purchasing power and limit their production of agricultural surpluses. This goal was to be accomplished by paying farmers a subsidy when they reduce their production of rice, cotton, tobacco, wheat, corn, dairy products, and hogs.

May 18, 1933
The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) was created to develop the hydroelectric resources of the destitute Tennessee valley. This was established to run the Muscle Shoals power and nitrate plants on the Tennessee River, built by the Government during the World War. The TVA was also authorized to build additional dams and power plants, develop rural electrification, plan for flood and erosion control, build recreation areas, and help with reforestation.

May 27, 1933
Congress passes the Federal Securities Act, which instructs the Federal Trade Commission to police all new stock and bond issues.

June 5, 1933
In joint resolution, Congress supports President Roosevelt's earlier proclamation and takes the country off the gold standard by making all Government and private obligations payable in "lawful money."

June 13, 1933
The Home Owners Loan Corporation (HOLC) is set u p with a capital of $200,000,000 and authority to raise ten times that amount by issuing bonds. The money is to be used to help nonfarm homeowners escape from high mortgage payments by refinancing all obligations on the home into one long-term, low-payment mortgage.

June 16, 1933
The Banking Act of 1933 (The Glass-Steagall Act) is passed, setting up the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) which guarantees individual accounts in banks up to $5,000.

June 16, 1933
The Farm Credit Act becomes law, to assist farmers with loans for production and marketing and for providing refinancing of farm mortgages at favorable terms. The act is administered by the Farm Credit Administration (FCA), set up earlier in the year to handle all Federal legislation pertaining to farm credit.

June 16, 1933
The National Industrial Recovery Act (NRA), is passed with the purpose of improving business activity and providing jobs. Specifically the act sets up codes of fair practice concerning working conditions, wages, and business practices. These codes are to be enforced by the National Recovery Administration (NRA). Another section of the NIRA gives workers the right to "organize and bargain collectively through representatives of their own choosing." Title II of the NIRA sets up the Public Works Administration (PWA), with the purpose of stimulating the economy through the construction of huge public works projects that require large numbers of workers, such as dams, port facilities, sewage plants, roads, airports, bridges, and hospitals.

August 1, 1933
The Blue Eagle, the sign that a company has agreed to abide by the NRA's codes of business and wages, appears in windows of all types of establishments.

August 5, 1933
President Roosevelt sets up the National Labor Board (NLB) headed by Senator Robert F. Wagner to enforce the collective-bargaining provisions of the National Labor Relations Act.

August 17, 1933
Secretary of Labor Frances Perkins announces that employment has reached the level of Oct. 1931 and payrolls are running $29,000,000 a week higher than in March. Over 1,000,000 workers have found jobs during the past four months.

August 23, 1933
The Government's plan to take 6,000,000 hogs off the market goes into effect in Chicago as the first 30,000 are slaughtered. The animals are to be made into fertilizer or possible for sausage for distribution to those on relief. By purchasing only younger hogs (under 100 pounds) and those about to bear, the Agricultural Adjustment Administration hopes the effort will have a long-term upward effect on prices.

November 8, 1933
The Civil Works Administration (CWA) is set up to create jobs for 4,000,000 workers. Most of the jobs are to be for relatively unskilled workers, who will be paid only the minimum wage.

November 16, 1933
The United States and the Soviet Union establish full diplomatic relations.

December 24, 1933
Under a decree issued by President Roosevelt, civil rights are restored to 1,500 men who served jail sentences for their opposition to the World War.