The Progressive Era, 1900-1916 -...

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Progressive PoliticsChapter 18

Unit 6, 1900-1945

Political Reform

• Changes began at the local and state levels to

limit political machines and corruption

• 17th amendment requires to U.S. senators

elected by popular vote

• Initiative and referendum allowed voters to

propose and vote directly on legislation

– Recall allows voters to remove public officials

through popular vote

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Teddy Roosevelt (1901-1908)

• Square Deal: president should do what is in the public’s best interest

• Trust-buster: Used Sherman Act to prosecute monopolies

– Northern Securities controlled three major railroads, dissolved in 1904

– Strengthened ICC

Conservation and Consumers

• Pure Food and Drug Act and Meat Inspection

Act (1906) established consumer protections

– Federal agencies regulated quality and safety

• Antiquities Act allowed federal govt.

purchased land to conserve natural areas

– Created national parks : Yellowstone, Yosemite,

and Glacier

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William Howard Taft (1908-1912)

• Continued Antitrust Cases: Standard Oil broken up in 1911

• Sixteenth Amendment: Allowed for graduated income tax

• Split the Republican party over high tariffs and sale of federal land

Election of 1912

• Taft for Republican Party

• Woodrow Wilson for Democratic party

• Eugene Debs for socialistparty

• Teddy Roosevelt for the Progressive “Bull Moose” Party

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Woodrow Wilson (1912-1920)

• “New Freedom”: restore the

market economy by reducing

influence of big business

• Clayton Act protected union

and strikers rights

• Outlawed child labor and

established 8 hour workday

Federal Banking System

• Increased govt. supervision of the economy

• Federal Reserve System establish 12 regional banks

– Central board issued currency, aided failing banks, and influenced interest rates

• Federal Trade Commission investigated unfair business practices and monopolies