5 Questions
What was the main reason behind President Franklin D. Roosevelt's proposal to increase the number of Supreme Court justices?
To reduce the power of conservative justices blocking his New Deal initiatives
What was the outcome of FDR's attempt to enlarge the Supreme Court in 1937?
The plan was defeated in a final vote
Why did the Supreme Court start ruling in favor of New Deal initiatives after FDR's proposal?
In response to FDR's proposal to increase the number of justices
What was a key reason for opposition to FDR's plan within his own party?
FDR's party members feared changing the composition of the Court
How did President Franklin D. Roosevelt respond to initial resistance towards his plan to enlarge the Supreme Court?
He persistently pushed for Court enlargement despite some success
Study Notes
- In 1937, President Franklin D. Roosevelt proposed increasing the number of Supreme Court justices from 9 to as many as 15, sparking a major political controversy.
- The proposal was a response to the Supreme Court consistently striking down many of FDR's New Deal initiatives as unconstitutional.
- FDR believed that by appointing more justices, he could dilute the power of the conservative justices on the bench who were blocking his reforms.
- The plan faced significant opposition from both conservative and liberal justices on the Supreme Court, as well as from within FDR's own party.
- Despite some initial resistance, the Court started ruling in favor of New Deal initiatives, possibly in response to FDR's proposal.
- FDR continued to push for Court enlargement even after some initial success in getting the Court to change its stance on New Deal laws.
- The final vote on FDR's plan in July 1937 ended in its defeat, marking the end of the attempt to expand the Supreme Court.
Learn about President Franklin D. Roosevelt's proposal to increase the number of Supreme Court justices from 9 to 15 in 1937 as a response to the Court's opposition to his New Deal initiatives.
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