President Franklin D. Roosevelt picked up the nation’s spirits during one of the low points in American history, when the Great Depression robbed many of their work, their life savings, their dignity. No end was in sight, and the public began clamoring for their leaders to do something. Against that backdrop, Roosevelt began sitting down in the White House to give a weekly live radio address to the nation.

On this day, March 12, in 1933 Roosevelt broadcast the first presidential fireside chat. It was in a sense a continuation of a tradition started back in 1929, when Governor Roosevelt sometimes took to the air to explain himself to his constituents.

Roosevelt took great care into choosing the words for his address. He wanted to be direct, and easily understood. He made sure to use simple words understandable to everybody, and sprinkled his conversation with sports and other common analogies.