In 2009, Barack Obama's inauguration speech is set to echo that of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's in 1933.
America was then in the grip of the Great Depression, with 25 percent unemployment and all but ten of the 48 states forced to close their banks.
In this extract he discusses his plans to tackle America's rising unemployment.
Return to the main article: Tapping Deep into America's Past
The second series of America, Empire of Liberty will broadcast from Wednesday, 19 January 2009 on BBC Radio 4. Listen daily at 15.45 GMT, or catch up on the BBC iPlayer.The accompanying book America, Empire of Liberty is published in the UK in January 2009.
One-Minute World News 
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