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Progressive Presidents – Teddy Roosevelt

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Progressive Presidents – Teddy Roosevelt

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  1. Theodore Roosevelt became a war hero in the Spanish-American War and later was elected to governor of New York. He then ran as the VP with McKinley. When McKinley was assassinated in 1901, Teddy Roosevelt became president at 42 years old…”It is the duty of the president to act upon the theory that he is the steward of the people.” Progressive Presidents – Teddy Roosevelt • Federal Power: • ‘Trustbusting’ – breaking up large, harmful trusts • sued Northern Securities Company (RR monopoly) & won • 1902 Coal Strike – 5 month strike. • Roosevelt called in a mediatorto end the strike • Railroad Regulation – • Passed to acts to regulate the RR & activities w/ elected officials • Health & Environment: • Meat Inspection Act– strict cleanliness requirements for meat packers & inspections inspired by The Jungle • Pure Food & Drug Act– no sale of contaminated food & medicine, & truth in labeling • Natural Resources –ignored in late 19th Century • TR set aside millions of acres in parks, forests & water reserves • Conservation – resources not unlimited, preserve some wilderness areas; John Muir • Civil Rights: • Not as progressive w/ idea of civil rights for Afr.-Am. • Invited Booker T. Washington to the White House • Afr.-Am. Held a civil rights conference in Niagara Falls • 1909 – NAACP formed; National Association for the Advancement of Colored People; worked for political & social justice for blacks

  2. Progressive Presidents – Teddy Roosevelt “A vote is like a rifle; its usefulness depends upon the character of the user.” “Character, in the long run, is the decisive factor in the life of an individual and of nations alike.” “A typical vice of American politics is the avoidance of saying anything real on real issues.” 1901-1909

  3. Progressive Presidents – Howard Taft After defeating Wm. Jennings Bryan in the 1908 election, Taft took the presidency as the next progressive Republican. Taft wanted to consolidate rather than expand Teddy Roosevelt’s reforms. • Tariffs: • Wanted to lower tariffs • Met w/ opposition from congress • Payne – Aldrich Tariff , which increased some rates • Angered many as a betrayal of progressives • Public land: • Appointed Richard Ballinger as Interior Secr. (wealthy lawyer) • Ballinger removed 1 mil acres from reserved list • Again, angered Progressives • Republicans split over progressivism: • Party is in shambles, voters voiced concern & democrats control the House • As a result of the Rep. Convention, the Repub. Party splits into 2 wings, Progressives & Conservatives • Nominated T. Roosevelt for President (Bull Moose Party!) Election of 1912: Despite breaking up 90 trusts during his presidency, Taft was in for a messy election. Democrats nominated Woodrow Wilson, who had a progressive platform. Republicans split their vote between Progressives for TR & Conservatives for Taft. Wilson, the democrat, won , & Taft went to Yale to teach law.

  4. Progressive Presidents – Howard Taft “Enthusiasm for a cause sometimes warps judgment.” “Politics makes me sick.” “I'll be damned if I am not getting tired of this. It seems to be the profession of a President simply to hear other people talk.” 1909-1913

  5. Progressive Presidents – Woodrow Wilson1913-1921 • Women: • Locally, suffrage movements strengthened • Carrie Chapman Catt, new leader of NAWSA • Alice Paul & Lucy Burns form Congressional Union • 19th Amendment • Civil Rights: • Wilson spoke of equal rights in election of 1912 • Afr.-Am. Leaders were dismayed at the lack of action by the white leaders • During his 2nd term, Wilson would be even more pitiable, extended segregation – gov’t Wilson’s New Freedom • Financial Reform: Wilson wanted to attack big corporations. • Clayton Antitrust Act: (1914), forbid corporations from forming monopolies; also said that unions were legal organizations • Federal Trade Commission : given power to investigate corporate activities • Tariffs: Underwood Act cut tariff rates • Income Tax: 16th Amendment started a graduated income tax system • Federal Reserve System:(1913), set up a system of ‘banker’s banks’; had 12 districts in the U.S. each with a regional central bank

  6. Progressive Presidents – Woodrow Wilson “Absolute identity with one's cause is the first and great condition of successful leadership.” “Democracy is not so much a form of government as a set of principles.” . “Neutrality is a negative word. It does not express what America ought to feel. We are not trying to keep out of trouble; we are trying to preserve the foundations on which peace may be rebuilt.” 1913-1921

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