Ch 9.5 – Wilson’s New Freedom

Woodrow Wilson establishes a strong reformAgenda as a progressive leader.

I. Wilson Wins Financial ReformA. Wilson’s Background

1. Lawyer – Princeton graduate2. Professor at Bryn Mawr College3. President of Princeton4. New Jersey Governor

B. As president he focuses on trusts, tariffs,high finance (banking)

Wilson asprofessor

Wilson asPresident of Princeton Wilson as NJ Governor

As President

II. Two Key Antitrust Measures - TRUSTSA. Clayton Antitrust Act - Stopped companies

from buying stock to form monopoly (goes after interlocking directorates)B. Ended injunctions against strikers

unless threatened irreparable damageC. Federal Trade Act established the Federal

Trade Commission (FTC) –New“watchdog” agency1. Investigated regulatory

violations2. Ended unfair business practices

III. Wilson Wins Financial ReformsA. A New Tax System

1. Wilson pushed for Underwood Act

to substantially reduce tariffs2. Set the precedent of giving State

ofthe Union message in person

3. Use of the bully pulpit lead to passage

B. Federal Income Tax1. Sixteenth Amendment2. Legalized graduated federal

incometax

C. Federal Reserve System1. Federal Reserve System – private

banking system under federal control

2. Nation divided into 12 districts;central bank in each district

IV. Women Win SuffrageA. Local Suffrage Battles

1. College-educated women spreadsuffrage message to working-

class2. Women went door-to-door, took

trolley tours, gave speeches at stops

- some adopted bold tactics ofBritish Suffragists

Federal Reserve Bank of New York - Gold Bars are held in 122 compartments in the mainAnd auxiliary vaults.

B. Catt and the National Movement1. Carrie Chapman Catt, head of

NAWSA2. Stressed organization, lobbying3. National Woman’s Party

aggressivelypressured for suffrage

amendment4. Work of patriotic women in war

effortinfluenced politicians (Wilson)

5. 1920- Nineteenth Amendment granted

women the right to vote

CarrieChapman Catt

National Woman’s Party

V. The Limits of ProgressivismA. Wilson and Civil Rights

1. As candidate, won support of NAACP

for favoring civil rights2. As president, opposed antilynching

legislation3. Appointed fellow white Southerners

to cabinet who extended segregation

4. NAACP felt betrayed; Wilson ‘sself-defense widened rift

B. The twilight of Progressivism--Outbreak of World War I distracted

Americans; reform efforts stalled

World War I