Progressivism

1. Progressivism Review Created By: Michael Crews

2. Theodore Roosevelt • Panama Canal – needed to ferry merchants and military through Central America instead of around South America • U.S. acquired land from Columbia through revolt and money • Created the country of Panama and then built canal • Roosevelt Corollary – Only the U.S. would/could intervene in affairs of Latin America • Collect debts owed to other nations (including Europeans) • Maintain the peace • Great White Fleet – 16 brand new battleships sent on a global “goodwill” mission • Really served to show the military might of the U.S. • Trust-busting – Roosevelt used Sherman Anti-Trust Act to break up monopolies • Roosevelt took the matter to Supreme Court in 1902 and won

3. Muckrakers • Muckrakers – journalists who investigated and wrote articles to expose injustice, corruption, and spark social change • Helped influence the creation of legislature • Important writings and authors: • Wealth Against Commonwealth- Henry Demarest Lloyd = investigated monopolies like Standard Oil Company • History of Standard Oil Company- Ida Tarbell = also targeted Standard Oil • How the Other Half Lives- Jacob Riis = used photography to illustrate living conditions of urban poor • The Shame of the Cities- Lincoln Steffens = municipal corruption • The Jungle- Upton Sinclair = described unsanitary conditions of meat packing plants

4. Regulatory Legislation • Elkins Act (1903)- instituted penalties for giving and receiving railroad rebates • Hepburn Railroad Regulation Act (1906) – gave Interstate Commerce Commission power to control railroad rates, inspect books, assign a uniform standard of bookkeeping • Meat Inspection Act (1906) - required federal inspectors to examine meat • Pure Food and Drug Act (1906) – allowed federal government to regulate the sale of medicine and food

5. Progressivism on the State Level • Direct Primary – to elect nominees for office instead of political machines • Legislative Initiative – allowed the electorate to vote directly on specific legislation • Referendum – allowed electorate to vote to accept or reject government legislation • Recall – allowed electorate to vote out officials in special elections • Robert La Follette – Worker’s Comp., Environmental Conservation, Higher taxes on railroads and corporations, First Modern State Income Tax

6. Taft and Wilson • Taft = Dollar Diplomacy, More Trust-Busting • Believed smaller, developing nations would support the U.S. if we gave them $ • Did not work • Broke up Standard Oil and went after U.S. Steel • Wilson = Pro State’s Rights and Economic Reform • Compromised New Nationalism and New Freedom Plans • New Nationalism = Greater regulation of business, graduated income tax, tariff reform, strong central government • New Freedom = Support small business, limited federal government, state’s rights

7. Economic and Business Changes • Underwood-Simmons Tariff (1913) – lowered protective tariffs • Glass-Owen Federal Reserve Act (1913) – established a system of 12 regional Federal Reserve banks. Each bank came under the supervision of the Federal Reserve Board. • Clayton Anti-Trust Act (1914) – outlawed unfair business practices • Federal Trade Commission Act (1914) – created a regulatory board (Federal Trade Commission) to prosecute businesses engaged in illegal practices