The Progressive The Progressive PresidentsPresidents

US History: Spiconardi US History: Spiconardi

Theodore Roosevelt Theodore Roosevelt

Despite being a conservative, Teddy Despite being a conservative, Teddy used the power of the presidency to used the power of the presidency to deal directly with social and deal directly with social and economic problemseconomic problems Presidency had any power not Presidency had any power not

specifically denied in the Constitutionspecifically denied in the Constitution

Theodore Roosevelt: The Square Theodore Roosevelt: The Square Deal Deal

Consumer ProtectionConsumer Protection Upon reading Upton Sinclair’s The Upon reading Upton Sinclair’s The

Jungle, TR orders investigationsJungle, TR orders investigations TR supports legislation to ensure purity of TR supports legislation to ensure purity of

food & drugsfood & drugs Pure Food and Drug Act (1906)Pure Food and Drug Act (1906) Meat Inspection Act (1906)Meat Inspection Act (1906)

Theodore Roosevelt: The Square Theodore Roosevelt: The Square DealDeal

Regulating BusinessRegulating Business The “Trustbuster”The “Trustbuster”

TR was not against trusts; he believed there TR was not against trusts; he believed there were good ones and bad oneswere good ones and bad ones

Uses Justice Department to prosecuteUses Justice Department to prosecute Railroad, meatpacking, and oil trustsRailroad, meatpacking, and oil trusts

Encouraged companies that wanted to Encouraged companies that wanted to merge to work with the government merge to work with the government

Theodore Roosevelt: The Square Theodore Roosevelt: The Square DealDeal

Labor ConditionsLabor Conditions Investigated coal mines in Pennsylvania Investigated coal mines in Pennsylvania

when company refused to go to when company refused to go to arbitration with striking workersarbitration with striking workers

Threatened to re-open mines using federal Threatened to re-open mines using federal troopstroops

This forced management to go to arbitration This forced management to go to arbitration TR wants a square deal TR wants a square deal fair for everyone: fair for everyone:

management, labor, consumersmanagement, labor, consumers

Theodore Roosevelt: The Square Theodore Roosevelt: The Square DealDeal

ConservationConservation ““We are prone to think of the resources We are prone to think of the resources

of this country as inexhaustible; this is of this country as inexhaustible; this is not so.”not so.”

Protected nations environment and Protected nations environment and wildernesswilderness

Purchased parkland, forests, Purchased parkland, forests, monuments and wildlife refugesmonuments and wildlife refuges

Triples the amount of public landTriples the amount of public land

William Howard TaftWilliam Howard Taft

o Hand picked successor of TR (Teddy Hand picked successor of TR (Teddy kept GW’s precedent of two-terms)kept GW’s precedent of two-terms)

William Howard Taft: ReformsWilliam Howard Taft: Reforms

ReformsReforms Contrary to popular belief, busts more Contrary to popular belief, busts more

trusts than TRtrusts than TR Supported eight-hour workday and mine Supported eight-hour workday and mine

safety legislationsafety legislation Sixteenth AmendmentSixteenth Amendment federal income federal income

taxtax Seventeenth AmendmentSeventeenth Amendment direct direct

election of senatorselection of senators

William Howard Taft: ReformsWilliam Howard Taft: Reforms

William Howard Taft: ProblemsWilliam Howard Taft: Problems

ProblemsProblems Not a great politician like TRNot a great politician like TR Wanted to lower tariffs, while Congress Wanted to lower tariffs, while Congress

raised themraised them Progressives felt he backed down on this by Progressives felt he backed down on this by

not vetoing a tariff raising bill not vetoing a tariff raising bill Republican Party spilt over protecting American Republican Party spilt over protecting American

business, while combating trustsbusiness, while combating trusts

Election of 1912Election of 1912

Election of 1912Election of 1912 TR upset that Taft allows business men to buy TR upset that Taft allows business men to buy

public land in Alaskapublic land in Alaska Decides to run against Taft as a member of Decides to run against Taft as a member of

“Bull Moose Party”“Bull Moose Party”

Election of 1912Election of 1912

Best showing of a third party Best showing of a third party candidatecandidate

Woodrow WilsonWoodrow Wilson

Republicans split vote and democrat Republicans split vote and democrat Woodrow Wilson wins presidency Woodrow Wilson wins presidency

Woodrow Wilson: New FreedomWoodrow Wilson: New Freedom

New FreedomNew Freedom Concentrated economic power threatened Concentrated economic power threatened

individual libertyindividual liberty Monopolies had to be broken up so the Monopolies had to be broken up so the

marketplace could truly be openmarketplace could truly be open ““Without …interference of the government…Without …interference of the government…

there can be no fair play between individuals there can be no fair play between individuals and such powerful institutions as the trust.”and such powerful institutions as the trust.”

Woodrow Wilson: Financial Woodrow Wilson: Financial ReformsReforms

Financial ReformsFinancial Reforms Underwood Tariff Act Underwood Tariff Act

lowers tariffs for the first times lowers tariffs for the first times since the Civil Warsince the Civil War

provides for graduated income provides for graduated income tax/progressive taxtax/progressive tax

Creates Federal Trade Creates Federal Trade Commission to investigate Commission to investigate businesses businesses

Federal Reserve SystemFederal Reserve System National Banking System (12 National Banking System (12

banks)banks) Provided for fair interest ratesProvided for fair interest rates Money no longer would Money no longer would

depend on gold supplydepend on gold supply

Income level Tax rate

up to $20,000 1%

$20,000 - $50,000 2%

$50,000 - $75,000 3%

$75,000 - $100,000 4%

$100,000 - $250,000 5%

$250,000 - $500,000 6%

over $500,000 7%

Woodrow WilsonWoodrow Wilson

Bye-Bye Progressives Bye-Bye Progressives

End of the Progressive EraEnd of the Progressive Era World War I causes US to focus on war World War I causes US to focus on war

effort and not social changeeffort and not social change