Herbert Hoover fishing, 1936 (Image from the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division)

Herbert Hoover, a self-made man and humanitarian, matched the idealism of the booming 1920s economy.

His opponent was the governor of New York, Alfred Smith. The two differed on enforcement of Prohibition (with Hoover promising to enforce it to the fullest) and protective tariffs (also supported by Hoover).

Hoover assured Americans that the prosperity of the 20s was here to stay. He claimed the end of poverty was nearer than ever, famously promising “a chicken in every pot and a car in every garage.” He won the election by a large margin. Within 8 months the worst economic crisis in American history began.

The 1932 election centered on the economic crisis of the Great Depression.  The incumbent, Herbert Hoover, lost the favor of the American people by offering no support for struggling Americans. FDR, on the other hand, campaigned on building government support and federal programs. He won 89% of the electoral votes.

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BOOKS

Davis, Kenneth C., and Pedro Martin. Don’t Know Much about the Presidents. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2014.

DeGregorio, William A., and Aaron Jaffe. The Complete Book of U.S. Presidents. Fort Lee, NJ: Barricade Books, Inc., 2017.

Kane, Joseph Nathan, and Janet Podell. Facts about the Presidents: A Compilation of Biographical and Historical Information. New York: H.W. Wilson, 2009.