PROGRESSIVE PRESIDENTS

Roosevelt, Taft, and Wilson

President’s that are

not laissez-faire.

Theodore Roosevelt

Huge supporter of Progressive Reform and forest conservation

His plan to fix America was the Square Deal: Keep the rich and powerful

from taking advantage of small business owners and the poor

Make sure there is no corruption in government (ensure a square [fair] deal)

Roosevelt the Reformer (Good and Bad Trusts)

Elkins Act: fined railroads that gave special rates/rebates to favored shippers Set up because the Supreme Court had decreased the

power of the Interstates Commerce Commission (ICC) Hepburn Act: strengthened the power of the ICC

Government can set and limit shipping rates Set maximum prices for ferries, bridge tolls and oil

pipelines Northern Securities vs. US: Roosevelt broke

up a railroad trust (trustbuster or trust-tamer?) Anthracite Coal Strike: Roosevelt helped coal

miners on strike to get a pay raise and 9 hour workday First time government had sided with workers

Roosevelt Cleans House

After the publication of The Jungle, Roosevelt demands reform Meat Inspection Act:

government inspects meat crossing state lines and inspects meat processing plants

Pure Food and Drug Act: placed the same controls on other foods and medicines Labels on food Consumed items are now

tested and approved by the Food and Drug Administration

William Howard Taft in Office

Hand picked by Roosevelt to carry on with his plans but Taft set his own agenda Did not distinguish between good and bad

trusts…busted all big businesses that were unreasonable Standard Oil and US Steel

Mann Act: gave the government control over telephone and telegraph rates

Payne- Aldrich Tariff: lowered tariffs but not enough to make Roosevelt happy Led to many Progressives withdrawing their

support for Taft

Progressive/Bull Moose Party

Roosevelt was so unhappy with Taft’s policies

Progressives form their own party (splits the Republican party)

Roosevelt claims that he was as “strong as a bull moose” to break up trusts (New Nationalism)

The Election of 1912

Progressives: Roosevelt (17%)

Republicans: Taft (1%)

Democrats: Woodrow Wilson (82%), had the best chance Wins because the

votes were split between Roosevelt and Taft

Wilson’s New Freedom

Looked a lot like Roosevelt’s New Nationalism plan

Put strict government controls on big corporations (monopolies)

Provide more freedom for small businesses

Attacked tariffs, banks and trusts

Wilson in Office

16th Amendment: graduated income tax Wealthy pay a higher percentage than poor

people Federal Reserve Act: put banks under the

control of the government and Federal Reserve Sets interests rates and the reserve rate (how

much money banks must have in the bank) Clayton Antitrust Act: strengthened

previous antitrust laws and spelled out what trusts could not do

18th Amendment

Prohibition: Outlawed the production and sale of alcohol Became law with the

18th Amendment Supported by women

who had supported Temperance (moderation) Carrie A. Nation

attacked bars with hatchets and Bibles

Volstead Act: law that enforced the amendment

Prohibition would improve families and society “A noble experiment” Result: increase in

organized crime to get liquor outMoonshineRum runners

Read pages 507-510 Page 507: 4 RFQ Page 510: 1-4

Read page 511 Answer the Analyze the Impact question. Brown v Board of Education Information can

be found on pages 911-913