Learn how FDR began The New Deal with an ambitious set of programs during his first 100 days in office. The New Deal was a series of programs and projects instituted during the Great Depression to restore prosperity to Americans. Never had so much transformative legislation been passed by congress in so little time. Fifteen major bills brought about significant reform in banking, real estate, public works, and the job market. The program perhaps most dear to FDR was the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). The CCC rovided jobs for young, unemployed men during the Great Depression. Over its 9-year lifespan, the CCC employed about 3 million men nationwide.