The program established to fund public works and provide employment during the New Deal was called what?

• A. The Works Progress Administration
• B. The Civilian Conservation Corps
• C. The Social Security Act
• D. The National Labor Relations Act

Answer: (A)

The Works Progress Administration stands out as the program created to fund public works and provide employment during the New Deal. Established in 1935, the WPA financed a vast array of projects—from roads, bridges, and schools to libraries and post offices—while directly employing millions of Americans to carry them out. This approach was designed specifically to reduce unemployment by investing in infrastructure and public facilities across the country.

Other options reflect different New Deal aims or programs. The Civilian Conservation Corps did provide work, especially for young men, on conservation projects, but its focus was narrower and tied to a youth corps. The Social Security Act created old-age pensions and unemployment insurance rather than funding public works. The National Labor Relations Act protected workers’ rights to organize and bargain collectively, not public employment programs.