Find out why Franklin Pierce is sometimes remembered as one of the worst presidents in American history.

FACT CHECK: We strive for accuracy and fairness. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! HISTORY reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate.

RELATED CONTENT

In 1933, Italian immigrant Giuseppe Zangara attempted to assassinate President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Find out how Franklin D. Roosevelt responded to being called a communist by his detractors during his 1936 presidential campaign.

On March 6, 1933, newly elected President Franklin D. Roosevelt orders the temporary closing of all banks in an effort to stem a financial crisis. On March 12, Roosevelt delivers his first fireside chat radio broadcast to assure the American people that their savings are safe.

In contrast to the grim economic landscape in 1933 when President Franklin D. Roosevelt took office, his second term begins with a brighter outlook. In his January 20, 1937, inaugural address, Roosevelt commends Americans for their hard work over the past four years, but cautions that they must continue their efforts.

In a broadcast from his home in Hyde Park, New York, on July 4, 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt warns Americans who wish not to get involved in the war that "the United States will never survive as a happy and fertile oasis of liberty surrounded by a cruel desert of dictatorship."

Excerpts from Franklin D. Roosevelt's first inaugural address on Saturday, March 4, 1933.