Question

How did Franklin Roosevelt try to counteract the U.S. Supreme Court as it found his policies unconstitutional?

A.He tried to have six more justices added to the Court.
B.He attempted to reduce the number of justices on the Court.
C.He demanded that some of them resign.
D.He ignored their findings and kept his programs

Answer 1

A.He tried to have six more justices added to the Court.

At the beginning of Franklin Roosevelt's terms (1932-1936 and 1936-1940), he didn't get much support from the Supreme Court toward his New Deal Programs. As a response, Roosevelt proposed the Judicial Reform Bill in 1937.

The bill was a legislative plan that would have allowed him to add more justices to the Supreme Court. It proposed to appoint one new justice for every sitting justice aged 70 years or older, resulting in a total of 50 new judges with six of them on the Supreme Court. This way, Roosevelt would have had more justices in favor of his plans and stop the Court from rejecting his programs.

Answer 2

I believe the answer is: A.He tried to have six more justices added to the Court.

The justices that Roosevelt wanted to add are all fully aligned with his view and would much more likely to support his decision. They also tend to be able to maintain the decision long after his presidency was over since justices held their position until they enter retirement.