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The New Deal remained popular, but the Supreme Court did not always agree with it. In January 1936, the Court decided that the Agricultural Adjustment Act was unconstitutional. The Court was also preparing to make decisions on Social Security and the Wagner Act. This meant the Court might end other New Deal programs.

Roosevelt was very angry. After his reelection, he tried to change the Court’s political balance. He sent Congress a bill that would increase the number of justices. It would also allow the president to appoint an additional justice if a sitting justice who had served 10 years did not retire within six months of reaching age 70. The bill, if passed, would have allowed Roosevelt to appoint up to six new justices. Roosevelt’s idea became known as the court-packing plan. It was a major political mistake.

How did the Supreme Court react to Agricultural Adjustment Act?

Why did Roosevelt feel the need to increase justices?

How does the cartoon reflect the reaction to Roosevelt’s plan?