The 1930s and 1940s were a volatile time full of misfortune and hardship for America. After serving only one term, incompetent President Herbert Hoover was ousted and replaced by Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Roosevelt faced many adversities during his term, both domestic and foreign. Facing a country in deep depression and global war, Roosevelt proved himself a skilled and competent leader. Despite some mistakes during his administration, Roosevelt demonstrated his ability to take action and accomplish what needed to be done. Franklin Delano Roosevelt receives a 7 out of 10 for his effectiveness in office and ability as president. After having had a relatively indecisive president in office for years, America desperately needed a president who could take charge of government. Franklin Roosevelt was more than equal to the task of reversing the spiral of the American economy. Almost immediately after taking office, Roosevelt declared a four-day “national holiday” in an attempt to prevent the banking system from collapsing. Roosevelt was able to pass the Emergency Banking Act through Congress, which gave him “broad discretionary powers over all banking and foreign exchange transactions” (Faragher, Buhle, Czitrom, & Armitage, 855). The measure was used to inspect banks and ensure they were healthy before reopening. Roosevelt wanted to restore confidence in the banking system after a disastrous and widespread bank failure. This shows that Roosevelt was much more decisive than his predecessor and got to work immediately after taking office. Another extraordinary task that Roosevelt was able to accomplish was to restore confidence in the federal government. The fact that... half the paper... and the savings. The ordinance has since been revoked and civil liberties laws have been passed to prevent future civil rights violations. Despite the many advances Roosevelt made to help America recover from the Depression, these failures significantly hindered progress. Franklin Roosevelt was, overall, an effective president, although he had some serious mistakes during his administration. Without Roosevelt, the Great Depression might have lasted much longer. Roosevelt's New Deal provided jobs for millions of people and provided relief to struggling farmers. Roosevelt's public works projects and water policy improved living standards in underdeveloped rural areas. For the first time in American history, the government has taken on the responsibility of helping its citizens. With Roosevelt's leadership, America was able to recover from the Great Depression and emerge as an economic superpower.