The long presidency of Franklin Delano Roosevelt covered a crucial and historical time in America. From the day his first campaign began until his death in 1945, FDR led a nation through perilous and defining times; the Great Depression and World War II brought challenges that no other president had faced then or since. Although history will continue to identify the advances and accomplishments of his terms in office, the following timeline represents important events occurring during the years of 1932-1934, 1936-1937 and 1944-1945, the most formative years of the Roosevelt presidency.

• June 22 - July 2, 1932: Governor of New York Franklin Delano Roosevelt received the Democratic nomination for the presidency in a four-ballot runoff against former New York Governor Al Smith.
• July 3 - November 8, 1932:Roosevelt ran on a platform of reducing federal spending, repealing prohibition and a New Deal for the American people. He won with 57% of the popular vote and 89% of the electoral votes.
• March 4, 1933: Franklin Delano Roosevelt's first inauguration as the 32nd President. Appointed Francis Perkins Secretary of Labor, the first woman to be a cabinet member.
• March 5, 1933: President Roosevelt declared a four-day bank holiday to stop the banking collapse resulting from people removing deposits for fear of losing their money.
• March 9, 1933: Congress, in a special session, passed the Emergency Banking Act to allow only solvent banks to reopen, which immediately stopped the banking crises and restored public confidence.
• March 12, 1933: President Roosevelt broadcasted his first "fireside chat," one of several that served as a direct line of communication with the American people.
• March 31, 1933: The Reforestation Relief Act passed by Congress formed the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) providing immediate work for 250,000 young men; it eventually employed several million.
• April 5 -19, 1933: On April 5, FDR issued Executive Order 6102 requiring that all gold held by individuals be returned to the federal government in exchange for paper currency. On April 19, he issued a presidential proclamation eliminating the gold standard to make more money available to stimulate the economy.
• May 12, 1933: The Federal Emergency Relief Act is passed, providing states grant money instead of federal loans to hire unemployed workers for state construction projects. On the same day, the Agricultural Adjustment Administration was formed to limit crop production and to pay farmers subsidies for not farming.
• May 18, 1933: The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) is formed to provide jobs, control flooding and to make electricity available in remote regions of the Tennessee Valley. It became one of FDR's most successful social projects during his administration.
• May 27, 1933: The Federal Securities Act is passed requiring that all stocks and bonds issued be approved and registered by the U.S. government.
• June 16, 1933 (Last day of FDR's 100 days): The National Industry Recovery Act to revitalize industry was passed. The establishment of the Public Works Administration (PWA) occurred to provide construction jobs for federal projects, and the National Recovery Administration was formed to help consumers and producers through production limits and price controls. Congress also passed the Banking Act of 1933 which created both the Federal Bank Deposit Insurance Corporation to protect bank deposits and the Farm Credit Act to provide short and long-term credit to farmers.
• August 5, 1933:Franklin Roosevelt formed the National Labor Board to enforce the collective bargaining rights of unions, which was a drastic change in the way the federal government viewed labor.
• November 8, 1933: FDR issued an executive order to establish the Civil Works Administration (CWA) for the purpose of hiring the unemployed for federal work.
• January 30, 1934: The Gold Reserve Act is passed by Congress giving the president authority over the value of the U.S. dollar.
• January 31, 1934: FDR signed the Farm Mortgage Refinancing Act to help farmers refinance mortgages on better credit terms.
• April 28, 1934: President Franklin Roosevelt signed the Home Owners Loan Act to promote home construction and provide jobs for the unemployed.
• June 6, 1934: The Securities Exchange Act is signed by FDR to create the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) responsible for overseeing stocks.
• June 7, 1934: Congress passed the Corporate Bankruptcy Act to allow corporations to reorganize before declaring bankruptcy in an effort to prevent another depression.
• June 28, 1934: FDR signs bills creating the Federal Farm Bankruptcy Act to stop farm foreclosures and the Federal Housing Administration to promote homebuilding.
• January 4, 1935: In his State of the Union Address, President Roosevelt discusses the second phase of his New Deal, which will focus on long-term issues, such as improved housing, changing them from a temporary to a sustained measure to protect the vulnerable citizens.
• April 8, 1935: The Emergency Relief Appropriation Act is passed by Congress which will help rural and urban families move to productive regions of the U.S.
• May 6, 1935: FDR issues as executive order establishing the Works Progress Administration (WPA) to provide federal and state work for the employed.
• May 11, 1935: Roosevelt establishes the Rural Electrification Administration (REA) to loan money for the building of power plants and installation of power lines to rural areas.
• August 14, 1935: The Social Security Act is signed by President Roosevelt guaranteeing citizens over the age of 65 as well as dependent children and the blind a form of income and financial security.
• June 27, 1936: Franklin Delano Roosevelt was nominated for his second presidential term.
• November 3, 1936: President Franklin Roosevelt is elected to his second term by defeating Alf Landon. FDR won 61% of the popular vote and 99% of the electoral votes.
• January 20, 1937: Franklin Roosevelt is inaugurated for his second term, promising to continue restoring the economy of America through more New Deal programs.
• July 22, 1937: Congress passes legislation forming the Farm Securities Administration (FSA) to provide low-cost loans to farmers.
• September 2, 1937: Congress passed legislation that formed the U.S. Housing Authority to administer financing for rural home construction.
• January 3, 1938: FDR uses his State of the Union Address to speak about self-defense and building up the U.S. military forces, a precursor to entering World War II, while continuing to address economic recovery and social changes.
• June 25, 1938: The Fair Labor Standards Act is signed into law establishing the forty-hour work week and raising the minimum wage, which is limited to business dealing in interstate commerce.
• July 14-26, 1939: President Roosevelt asked Congress to revise laws and cancel trade agreements with Axis countries in the likelihood that the U.S. will enter the war.
• September 1, 1939: Germany invades Poland - World War II begins.
• September 3, 1939: FDR declares U.S. neutrality in the war.
• October 18, 1939: President Roosevelt closes all waters and ports in the U.S. to Axis countries, particularly submarines.
• May 10, 1940: Winston Churchill became Prime Minister of Britain and sent FDR the first of several telegrams requesting American participation and aid in the war.
• May 25, 1940: FDR founded the Office for Emergency Management in support of his belief that entrance into the war will come for the U.S.
• June 10, 1940: President Roosevelt announced that the U.S. will support the Allies in the war without actually engaging in warfare.
• June - July, 1940: Roosevelt is nominated for a third term running against Wendell L. Willkie, a Republican.
• June 28, 1940: Congress passed the Alien Registration Act requiring all aliens to register with the government. The bill also made it illegal to advocate an overthrow of the U.S. government through force.
• September 16, 1940: FDR signed the Selective Training and Service Act which allowed for the first peace-time military draft; it required all men from twenty-one to thirty-five to register for military training and possible drafting.
• November 5, 1940: In a close election, FDR is elected to an unprecedented third presidential term.
• January 6, 1941: President Roosevelt asked Congress to support his desire to help the Allies in defense of the "four freedoms." This State of the Union Address became known as "The Four Freedoms" speech, a motto for the military in all subsequent wars.
• January 20, 1941: President Roosevelt is inaugurated for a third term.
• March 11, 1941: FDR signed the Lend-Lease Act, allowing the U.S. to lend arms and war materials to the Allies without officially declaring war against the Axis.
• June 25, 1941: The Fair Employment Practices Committee is formed by FDR's executive order for the purpose of preventing discrimination in the growing defense industry. This action permitted women to enter the workforce in large numbers, changing the role of women in the workplace forever.
• September 11, 1941: Because of attacks on U.S. ships, FDR ordered Navy planes to shoot any Axis ships operating in U.S. defensive water.
• December 7, 1941: Japan attacked Pearl Harbor in the morning and declared war on the U.S. that evening.
• December 8, 1941: In a special session of Congress, FDR said the bombing of Pearl Harbor was "a date which will live in infamy" and asked Congress to declare war on Japan. Congress complied that same day.
• December 11, 1941: Congress declared war on Germany and Italy in response to those countries having declared war on the U.S.
• February 20, 1942: FDR authorized a program to move Japanese-Americans to internment camps to prevent them from providing any sort of aid to the enemy.
• May 15, 1942: The Women's Auxiliary Army Corps (WAC) and WAVES (for the Navy) are formed to support the men during wartime. Gasoline rationing begins in seventeen states.
• January 27, 1943: FDR approved an all-American bombing raid on Germany.
• March 1, 1943: Food rationing began in the U.S. starting with canned goods and extending to all food. Rationing coupons were issued to buy such food.
• April 8, 1943: In order to curb inflation, FDR froze salaries, wages and prices.
• June 22, 1944: The Servicemen's Readjustment Act providing financial aid to military veterans for housing, education and other services is signed by President Roosevelt. This Act would eventually become known as the G. I. Bill.
• July 1 - 22, 1944: Forty-four nations hold a conference on monetary and financial matters. The World Bank was formed to oversee international policies regarding the global economy and an international money fund to regulate currency values in a balanced way.
• July 19 - 21, 1944: The Democratic Party nominated Franklin Roosevelt for his fourth term as president in spite of concern for FDR's declining health.
• August 21 - October 7, 1944: FDR and his representatives participated in a conference with Britain, the U.S.S.R. and China to formulate plans for the United Nations to promote peace through legal solutions to global problems.
• November 7, 1944: Franklin Roosevelt won his fourth election over Thomas Dewey with 54% of the popular vote and 432 electoral votes. His message and platform centered on world peace and the position of the U.S. to lead the change.
• January 20, 1945: President Franklin D. Roosevelt is inaugurated for a fourth and final term. Due to security concerns, food rationing and a general shortage of supplies, the inauguration was held at the White House without a parade or any celebrations.
• February 4-11, 1945: FDR, Winston Churchill and Joseph Stalin attend the Yalta Conference to plan the last assault on Germany and democratic forms of government for all European countries following the end of the war.
• April 12, 1945: President Franklin Delano Roosevelt died of a cerebral hemorrhage while vacationing at his home in Warm Springs, Georgia. Vice President Harry S. Truman is sworn in as the new president.
• April 15, 1945: FDR is buried at his lifelong home, Springwood, in Hyde Park, New York.