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Article: Creating the tree army.(Civilian Conservation Corps)
- Article from:
- Cobblestone
- Article date:
- April 1, 2005
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2005 Carus Publishing Co. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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While campaigning for president in 1932, Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) pledged a "New Deal" for Americans. He meant to keep that promise.
FDR loved the outdoors and had set up conservation programs in New York, where he had served as governor (1928-1932). He thought that similar programs on a larger scale might help the nation.
On March 9, 1933, Roosevelt held a meeting with the secretaries of war, agriculture, and the interior to discuss his plan. On March 21, FDR sent a bill to Congress: "I propose to create a civilian conservation corps to be used in simple work, not interfering with normal employment, and confining itself to forestry, the ...