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Outcome: Presidential Leadership
The 1920’s
Woodrow Wilson
1. Woodrow Wilson (D) (1913-1921) a. Sickly during the 20s due to stroke suffered in 1919 while on
a speaking tour trying to promote the League of Nations directly to the U.S. people
i. Wilson’s wife Edith unofficially took over the reigns of power
ii. Wilson died 3 years after leaving office in 1924
Presidential Leadership
b. 1920 Electioni. (D) James Cox, Wilson’s choice, with V.P. running mate F.
Rooseveltii. (R) Warren Harding and V.P. running mate Calvin Coolidge
c. Harding’s win suggested that:i. Isolationist desire was strong!!ii. The League of Nations was dead
Presidential Leadership
Warren Harding
2. Warren G. Harding (R) (1921-1923) *1st president to receive votes cast by females
a. Backgroundi. Small town, rural Ohio; former teacher &
newspaper editorii. Lt. Governor 1902, U.S. Senator ---> average
politicianiii. Described as trusting (to a fault), honest, and
handsome
Presidential Leadership
b. Accomplishments/Strengthsi. Promised a return to “normalcy” = peace +
prosperityii. Signed a separate peace treaty with Germany in
July, 1921iii. 1st to limit U.S. arms through treaties (1921 Washington
Naval Conf.)
iv. Signed strict immigration quota law
Presidential Leadership
c. Controversy/Weaknessesi. Had a loose leadership-Mgt. style and was a poor public speakerii. Choose some corrupt cabinet members ---> His “Ohio Gang”
1. His Secretary of the Interior, Albert B. Fall was responsible for the “Teapot Dome Scandal” (illegal sale of gov’t oil)
2. Fall became 1st Cabinet member to go to jail3. Charles Forbes, head of the Veteran’s Bureau, stole $$4. “Its my friends that keep me walking the floors all night!”
iii. Supported high tariffs, making it difficult for allies to pay war debts
iv. Never controlled Congress like strong presidents do
Presidential Leadership
Teapot Dome Scandal
Teapot Dome Naval Oil Reserve, WY
d. Died in office ---> stroke (1923)i. He was genuinely mourned; the scandals
surfaced later1. Died popular2. Remembered now as a failure & disgrace (friends
ruined him)
ii. V.P Calvin Coolidge took over the office
Presidential Leadership
Calvin Coolidge
3. Calvin Coolidge (R) (1923-1929)a. Background
i. Poor from Vermont was a self-made manii. Lawyer ---> politician ---> Governor of Massachusetts; made
famous through his actions in the Boston Police Strike (broke the union)
Presidential Leadership
b. Accomplishments/Strengthsi. Industrial prosperity is priority #1 ---> Believed in
laissez-faire policy1. Called the 20’s the “Business Decade”2. Equated business and religion
3. Believed in “Trickle-Down” Economic Theory (Take care of the “top” and they’ll take care of the “bottom”)
ii. Kellogg-Briand Pace ---> outlawed war (eventually signed by 62 nations)
Presidential Leadership
Trickle Down Economics
c. Failures/Weaknessesi. Ignored farmers & labor (working class)ii. Poor public relation skills; “Silent Cal”iii. Anti-progressive; failed to regulate the stock market and
industriesiv. Lazy; “Snored as America headed toward the Great
Depression”
d. Declined his party’s offer for nomination in 1928 (Did he foresee problems ahead?)
Presidential Leadership
Herbert Hoover
4. Herbert Hoover (R) (1929-1933)a. Background
i. Iowa farm boy; orphaned at age 8 (poor)ii. Stanford College (engineer); Headed WWI hunger relief
in Belgiumiii. Self-made millionaire by age 40; nickname “Boy
Wonder”iv. Served as Harding’s Secretary of Commerce
Presidential Leadership
b. Won the Election of 1928 (won 42 of 48 states)i. (R) Hoover = rural, conservative, dry,
protestantii. (D) Alfred Smith = urban, liberal, wet,
catholic
Presidential Leadership
c. Accomplishments/Strengths (During the 1920’s)i. Created Federal Farm Board ---> coordinated crop
productionii. Positive thinker; spoke often of prosperity (even after the
“crash”)
Presidential Leadership
d. Failures/Weaknessesi. Timing ---> stock market crashed 8 months into
presidencyii. Appeared inactive & insensitive during Depression; Poor P.R.
(newsreels)iii. Preached “Rugged Individualism” ---> “No Gov’t
Handouts” (relief)
e. Served until 1933 ---> ended “Republican Era” (next elected (R) = Eisenhower in ’52)
Presidential Leadership