On March 5, 1933 President Roosevelt launched the New Deal and called Congress in for a Special Session to begin on March 9.

At 1:00 a.m. on Monday, March 6,  President Roosevelt declared a national bank holiday, effective immediately, closing the nation’s banks until Thursday, March 9 and later extended to Monday, March 13. On March 9, the first day of the special session, Congress swiftly passed the Emergency Banking Act, complete with new banking regulations. The “First Hundred Days” had begun.