Fiveable
Fiveable

Fireside Chats

Definition

A series of radio broadcasts made by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to the nation, beginning in 1933. They were a way for the president to directly communicate with the American people about his plans and policies.

Analogy

Think of Fireside Chats like a popular YouTuber's live stream today. Just as YouTubers use live streams to connect directly with their audience, explain what they're doing, and answer questions, FDR used these radio broadcasts to do the same with the American public.

Related terms

Public Opinion: The collective attitudes or beliefs of the public about specific issues or individuals, such as a president or policy.

Mass Media: Any means of communication that reach very large numbers of people, such as radio or television. In this case, it was how FDR communicated his messages during his presidency.

New Deal: A series of programs and projects instituted during the Great Depression by President Franklin D. Roosevelt that aimed to restore prosperity to Americans.

collegeable - rocket pep

Are you a college student?

  • Study guides for the entire semester

  • 200k practice questions

  • Glossary of 50k key terms - memorize important vocab



© 2024 Fiveable Inc. All rights reserved.

AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.


© 2024 Fiveable Inc. All rights reserved.

AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.