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Manhattan ProjectThe Manhattan Project was a top-secret US government program that developed the world’s first atomic weapons. In 1938, scientists in Germany discovered nuclear fission—the splitting of an atom that releases enormous energy.
Fearing Nazi Germany might build an atomic bomb, President Franklin D. Roosevelt authorized advisory committees to study nuclear weapons—efforts that evolved into the Manhattan Project in 1942. The program was overseen by the US Army Corps of Engineers under the direction of General Leslie Groves, with physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer serving as scientific director.
Work took place across three primary sites—Oak Ridge, Tennessee; Hanford, Washington; and Los Alamos, New Mexico—where scientists produced the fissile material and designs for the first nuclear weapons. The project culminated in the Trinity test in July 1945, when a plutonium implosion bomb was detonated in the New Mexico desert.
The Manhattan Project cost an estimated $27B in today’s dollars and ushered the world into the atomic era, reshaping global warfare, diplomacy, and the balance of power.Explore Manhattan Project
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Eleanor and Franklin Roosevelt were 5th cousins, once removedThis means the couple shared great-great-great-great-grandparents but from different generations of the same family line. Fifth cousins are considered distant relatives, with only a 10% to 15% chance of sharing detectable DNA. Existentialism inspired Franklin Roosevelt and Martin Luther King Jr.The Danish philosopher, sometimes called “the father of existentialism,” believed that individuals needed to resist the temptation of conformity and instead discover their authentic selves. His work became remarkably influential in the 20th century. In 1944, Roosevelt said that reading Kierkegaard made him understand how the Nazis could’ve enacted so much violence. In 1959, King wrote that existentialism was “especially meaningful for our time.” Seen and UnseenIn 1939, an industry group asked Franklin Roosevelt to move ThanksgivingSpecifically, the Retail Dry Goods Association warned Franklin Roosevelt that if the holiday season didn’t begin until after Americans celebrated Thanksgiving on the traditional final Thursday in November, retail sales would tank. In 1941 Congress passed a law that made Thanksgiving the fourth rather than the last Thursday in November. MentalFlossFDR's Good Neighbor policy reversed the interventionism that had grown from the Monroe DoctrineFranklin Roosevelt pledged in his 1933 inaugural address to be a "good neighbor" to Latin America and to oppose armed intervention by American forces. His administration withdrew troops from previous occupations and signed a multilateral agreement stating that no state has the right to interfere in another's affairs. EBSCOEleanor Roosevelt sheltered student activists at the White House after they were subpoenaed by HUACIn 1939, when Congress subpoenaed leaders of the American Youth Congress on suspicion of communist ties, Eleanor Roosevelt attended the hearings herself and then invited all 10 students to stay at the White House, as they had nowhere to sleep. NPRPresident Theodore Roosevelt walked Eleanor Roosevelt down the aisle at her wedding to Franklin D. RooseveltEleanor and Franklin D. Roosevelt, her fifth cousin once removed, were married on St. Patrick's Day in 1905. Because both of her parents had died, her uncle, President Theodore Roosevelt, accompanied her down the aisle. The wedding was a notable social event among NYC elites. Bill of Rights Day is commemorated annually in the United States on Dec. 15The date marks the 1791 ratification of the first 10 amendments. President Franklin D. Roosevelt officially established Bill of Rights Day in 1941, on the document's 150th anniversary. Hear the speech he gave on that day. National ArchivesFranklin D. Roosevelt's 1941 speech framed World War II as a global fight for universal rightsEleven months before the attack on Pearl Harbor, President Roosevelt outlined four fundamental freedoms that, in his words, people "everywhere in the world" ought to enjoy—speech, worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear. FDR Presidential Library and MuseumFranklin D. Roosevelt was the first president to use the term 'State of the Union'In 1934, President Roosevelt became the first president to formally call the annual address the "State of the Union," replacing the older title "Annual Message to Congress" and using the language from the Constitution. Council on Foreign RelationsSee a visual history of the State of the UnionThis gallery offers a visual archive of the State of the Union, featuring photographs from each president's address, beginning with Franklin D. Roosevelt. Explore decades of presidential moments, settings, and historical context tied to the annual speech. CNNRoosevelt's 4 elections were driven by 2 major crisesFranklin D. Roosevelt won third and fourth terms in 1940 and 1944 as Americans emerged from the Great Depression and sought continuity during World War II. Voters prioritized stability, keeping Roosevelt in office until his death in 1945. HISTORYFranklin D. Roosevelt was the only president to serve more than 2 termsFranklin D. Roosevelt broke with precedent by winning four consecutive presidential elections. Serving from 1933 until his death in 1945, he remains the only US president to hold office for more than two terms. FDR Presidential Library and MuseumFDR inspired Rockwell's 'Four Freedoms'In his 1941 State of the Union speech, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt defined "Four Freedoms" that democratic societies provided: freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear. Rockwell conceived of a series of paintings based on those values, using his small-town examples of the principles in action. Below is "Freedom From Want." The Oval Office was completed in 1909Completed during William Howard Taft's presidency, the Oval Office was designed as part of an expansion of the West Wing. President Franklin D. Roosevelt redesigned the room and moved it to the southeast corner of the West Wing in 1934. Beyond FactsThe Social Security Act was formed to protect retired workers amid the Great DepressionPresident Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s New Deal created new government agencies and programs in the wake of the Great Depression, including the Social Security Act. HISTORYThe 22nd Amendment was a reaction to Roosevelt's four termsAfter Franklin D. Roosevelt won four elections, Congress moved to prevent future presidents from holding power indefinitely. Ratified in 1951, the 22nd Amendment set a firm two-term limit as a safeguard against extended presidencies. National Constitution CenterFranklin D. Roosevelt used radio to connect directly with Americans through his fireside chatsBeginning in 1933, FDR harnessed the new medium of radio to explain policies and reassure the public during the Great Depression and World War II. His conversational fireside chats revolutionized presidential communication. White House Historical SocietyExplore the use of executive orders over timeAn executive order is a presidential directive that manages the federal government and carries the force of law when authorized by the Constitution or statute. Since 1789, more than 16,000 have been issued—Franklin D. Roosevelt used the most, signing 3,721 during his 12 years in office. USAFactsSee the presidents with the most vetoesFranklin D. Roosevelt issued a record 635 vetoes—more than twice as many as any other president. Other frequent users include Grover Cleveland (584), Harry Truman (250), and Dwight Eisenhower (181), reflecting long tenures, divided government, high legislative output, and assertive executive leadership. BritannicaThe New Deal shifted economic and social authority to the federal governmentFranklin D. Roosevelt's response to the Great Depression expanded federal power through economic regulation and social welfare programs, permanently reshaping federalism by shifting responsibility for financial security to Washington while leaving states to administer many of these programs. Center for the Study of FederalismThe iconic National Parks posters were the product of a New Deal arts initiativeRanklin Delano Roosevelt established the Works Progress Administration in 1935 as a part of his New Deal. The program was intended to both create American jobs and inspire regular citizens through art. The Federal Art Project, as a part of the WPA, employed over 5,000 artists to work on projects, including the now-iconic National Parks posters. The Library of CongressEleanor Roosevelt's son wrote mystery novels starring his motherElliott Roosevelt wrote 20 novels about a fictional version of his mother, an amateur detective. Titles included "Murder and the First Lady," "The White House Pantry Murder," and "New Deal for Death." Literary HubRoosevelt’s post-Pearl Harbor address became one of America’s most iconic speechesDelivered to a joint session of Congress on Dec. 8, 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt declared Dec. 7 “a date which will live in infamy.” The speech, heard by tens of millions of Americans, helped consolidate national support for entering the war. War Archives'Men and nature must work hand in hand. The throwing out of balance of the resources of nature throws out of balance also the lives of men.'- President Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882–1945) UC Santa BarbaraRoosevelt formally recognized the Soviet Union in 1933In 1933, President Franklin D. Roosevelt formally recognized the Soviet Union—ending 16 years of nonrecognition and aiming to improve trade and stabilize relations amid growing global instability. US State DepartmentThe 1941 Atlantic Charter was a World War II alliance and model for the UNThe Atlantic Charter was a pivotal 1941 agreement between Franklin D. Roosevelt and Winston Churchill, outlining shared goals for a post-World War II world rooted in freedom and self-determination. These ideals later inspired the founding principles of the United Nations. Norman Rockwell MuseumThe Social Security System was created to protect Americans from economic disasters like the Great DepressionPresident Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s New Deal created new government agencies and programs in the wake of the Great Depression. FDR Presidential LibraryHow two US Presidents defined WWII and its aftermathThe National WWII Museum’s “To the Best of My Ability” podcast series delves into how Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman steered the US through World War Two. Best of My Ability Podcast - National WWII MuseumThe Fair Labor Standards Act gave workers more time for vacationsThe Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 guaranteed time off for full-time employees, offering the opportunity for more vacations. Passed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt and celebrated by the labor movement, the law limited working hours, established overtime pay, and provided a minimum wage. TIMENew Deal programs still shape mandatory federal spending todayMany of the largest items in today's federal budget—especially mandatory programs—trace their origins to Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal. This podcast explores how those policies reshaped federal spending and government responsibility. This is Democracy PodcastThe National Housing Act established the Federal Housing AdministrationDuring the Great Depression, 1,000 homes were foreclosed on per day, and half of the mortgages across the country defaulted. To address this crisis, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the National Housing Act. It established the Federal Housing Administration, which is still around today and helps protect lenders and buyers. BankrateFranklin D. Roosevelt's 1937 court-packing plan sought to expand the Supreme Court—and failedFrustrated by Supreme Court rulings against the New Deal, Franklin D. Roosevelt proposed expanding the court in 1937. The failed plan triggered fierce backlash and is regarded as the last serious presidential attempt to alter the court's size for ideological ends. Smithsonian MagazineCourt-packing is the attempt to change the number of Supreme Court justices to shift the balanceBecause the Constitution leaves the court's size to Congress, presidents have periodically sought to expand or reshape it. This explainer examines past efforts—including Franklin D. Roosevelt's failed 1937 plan—and why court-packing remains so controversial. National Constitution CenterFrances Perkins was the first woman in the US to hold a cabinet positionPresident Franklin D. Roosevelt named her the United States Secretary of Labor in 1933. In her cabinet seat, she not only helped establish the first federal minimum wage in the US, but also the Social Security Act. Encyclopaedia BritannicaFDR changed the date of Thanksgiving, then changed it backIn the waning years of the Great Depression, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt attempted to move Thanksgiving up by a week, giving merchants a longer holiday shopping season. After pushback from lawmakers, he reversed course in 1941, permanently fixing the date of Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday of November. VoxEinstein warned the president that splitting atoms could lead to powerful bombsIn a 1939 letter to Franklin D. Roosevelt, Albert Einstein explained that nuclear fission could produce immense energy—and devastating weapons. The warning helped spur the Manhattan Project, a role Einstein later deeply regretted. BBC