What was the purpose of FDR's Court-Packing Bill?

Master the GMAS US History EOC Test. Study with dynamic quizzes and exams, packed with hints and explanations to ensure you're exam-ready!

Multiple Choice

What was the purpose of FDR's Court-Packing Bill?

Explanation:
Understand why FDR wanted to expand the Supreme Court. The Court-Packing effort aimed to tilt the judiciary in favor of his New Deal programs by increasing the number of justices who would support them. By proposing to add up to six new justices, Roosevelt hoped to create a majority that would uphold his policies as constitutional. This followed a period when several New Deal measures had been struck down, making the plan a strategic move to change the Court’s balance. The proposal faced strong opposition as an overreach of power and a threat to checks and balances, and it failed politically, though the Court later became more favorable to some New Deal laws.

Understand why FDR wanted to expand the Supreme Court. The Court-Packing effort aimed to tilt the judiciary in favor of his New Deal programs by increasing the number of justices who would support them. By proposing to add up to six new justices, Roosevelt hoped to create a majority that would uphold his policies as constitutional. This followed a period when several New Deal measures had been struck down, making the plan a strategic move to change the Court’s balance. The proposal faced strong opposition as an overreach of power and a threat to checks and balances, and it failed politically, though the Court later became more favorable to some New Deal laws.

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