The Works Projects Administration
Americans are divided upon whether the federal government should play a small or large role in the economy. People who argue for a larger role for the federal government can cite its response to the Great Depression—specifically, the creation of the Works Progress Administration (WPA).
The WPA was a social program instituted in 1935 by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. The WPA allowed the federal government to invest billions of dollars to create new jobs. Most of these jobs were construction projects. Others were jobs for artists, like painters or actors. The goal of the WPA was to provide at least one job for every family living in the United States, and it succeeded most of the time. The program managed to train millions of unskilled workers. It also resulted in the construction of buildings, roads, and parks still in existence today. Due in part to the WPA's success, the American economy improved and experienced unprecedented prosperity.
Which statement is the best thesis for this passage?
A.
Some people believe that if the federal government played a smaller role, this would lead to economic prosperity.
B.
Roosevelt used an executive order to establish the WPA as part of his New Deal program.
C.
Americans disagree on how the country should recover from an economic depression.
D.
The WPA boosted the American economy by helping the country recover from widespread unemployment.