The stock market crash on October 29, 1929, also known as Black Tuesday, left America in an economic depression. With little hope of repair, America spiraled into a national frenzy which lasted for roughly a decade. This time, known as the Great Depression, is the worst in American history. By 1933 a vast number of banks were closed and 15 million people were left unemployed. A hope for the future came as Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected President in 1933. His first call to action was to close all banks in order to fix the banking crisis. After doing so, he addressed the nation by radio, which was an immediate tool of communication then. This address is also known as the First Fireside Chat.
Although not sitting by a fire, he addressed the nation about his current decision to have a “bank holiday.” His goal overall was to instill confidence in the crippling nation and to rehabilitate banking facilities all across America. Roosevelt successfully did so by using ethos, pathos, logos and other rhetorical devices to mend hope in the public's trust in banks. Roosevelt's tone during the chat was very comforting and concerning. By taking his audience in consideration, he chose language that a majority of the American people …show more content…
He wanted the people to feel at ease and to feel comfortable while listening. Referring back to the overall tone of the First Fireside Chat, it definitely helped people to be calm, which helped them focus on the importance behind the message. As Roosevelt begins to close, he states that everyone shall have confidence, courage and faith. He wants everyone to unite as one because together they cannot fail and together they can escape the financial rut which they have found themselves in. Overall the effectiveness of his words soothed the panicking public. In fact, only days after his message, lines had begun to form outside banks where people were waiting to deposit