This address took place in the throes of the Great Depression and Franklin Roosevelt said "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself" and in an upbeat address he spoke first of the strong challenges that faced the nation with25% unemployment and the economy in shambles but then gave hope to theAmerican people and pledged to use the resources of the government to, as it turned out forge a New Deal to put people back to work on government infrastructure projects and thus get the economy moving again.