Progressive Presidents

1. Progressive Presidents

2. Get Started! 9/24 • Please take a notes packet from the front table. • Clear your desks for the quiz on Progressive Reforms.

3. Progressivism in the White House • There were three “Progressive” Presidents who implemented various reforms during their time in office • Teddy Roosevelt • William H. Taft • Woodrow Wilson

4. Teddy Roosevelt • Progressivism entered the White House when Roosevelt became President. • 1901 – William McKinley assassinated • Roosevelt becomes President

5. Teddy Roosevelt • Republican • Huge personality, loved politics • Believed U.S. should adopt progressive reforms so that it could become a stronger nation and better compete with other countries.

6. Teddy Roosevelt • “Square Deal” • “I shall see to it that every man has a square deal, no less and no more” • Becomes the name for his set of reforms. • Three main goals – Three “Cs” • Control of corporations • Conservation of natural resources • Consumer protection

7. Control of Corporations • Roosevelt believed trusts and corporations could be very efficient. • But he also believed they could be harmful to the public. • Wanted to regulate big business, not destroy it.

8. Control of Corporations • Roosevelt was the first president to use the Sherman Anti-Trust Act to control corporations who were preventing fair competition. • Northern Securities • Huge Holding Company (JP Morgan) • Roosevelt sues the company for violating Sherman Anti-Trust Act • Company forced to break up. • TR’s new nickname – “trust buster”

9. Control of Corporations • Anthracite Coal Strike • Massive coal strike in Pennsylvania. • Coal shortage, winter approaching • TR threatens to send in troops to force the mine owners to come to an agreement. • First time federal government sided with workers in a strike!

10. Control of Corporations • Bureau of Corporations • TR created to investigate and monitor corporations. • Corporations could come to an agreement before a lawsuit happened. • Hepburn Act • Strengthened the power of the Interstate Commerce Commission.

11. Consumer Protection • Began with Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle. • Meat Inspection Act: • Meat must be inspected and meet standards set by the federal government. • Pure Food and Drug Act: • Prohibited the manufacture, sale, or shipment of falsely labeled food and drugs.

12. Conservation of Natural Resources • TR believed in conservation, not exploitation, of our natural resources. • Newlands Reclamation Act: • Federal money to be used for irrigation and land development projects. • Appointed Gifford Pinchot as head of U.S. Forest Service. • New national forests, national parks, wildlife reservations.

14. Roosevelt’s Legacy • Americans increasingly looked to the federal government to solve the nation’s economic and social problems. • Increased power of executive branch of government • Inspect food • Set railroad rates • Monitor business

15. William H. Taft • Secretary of War under Roosevelt • TR selected him to run for president. • Did not like politics or being the center of attention.

16. William H. Taft • Tariff Reform • Taft believed high tariffs were anti-progressive and protected big business. • Pushes for tariff reform, signs Payne-Aldrich Tariff • Only slightly reduced tariffs, some tariffs actually increased. • Progressives felt betrayed! • Divides the Republican Party.

17. William H. Taft • Ballinger-Pinchot Controversy • Richard Ballinger – Secretary of the Interior • Tried to take federal lands and sell them to private companies • Gifford Pinchot (US Forestry) tells Taft, investigation doesn’t reveal anything. • Pinchot then leaked the story and asked Congress to investigate. • Taft fired Pinchot for insubordination • Revealed that Taft was not willing to follow conservation efforts of T. Roosevelt.

18. William H. Taft • Progressive Reforms • Despite political problems, he did have some success. • Busted more trusts than Roosevelt. • Established Children’s Bureau to investigate child labor. • Mann-Elkins Act – further increase powers of ICC. • Anti-Trust Lawsuit against US Steel • Offends T. Roosevelt – had approved US Steel’s actions

19. William H. Taft • Taft had offended Roosevelt and other Progressives too many times. • Payne-Aldrich Tariff • Ballinger-Pinchot Controversy • Handling of trusts • Roosevelt decides to run for President again in 1912.

20. The Election of 1912 • Teddy Roosevelt – Progressive Party (“Bull Moose Party”) • William H. Taft – Republican • Woodrow Wilson - Democrat

21. Election of 1912 • Roosevelt’s “New Nationalism” • Big business was now way of life, need to regulate, not eliminate. • Protect women and children in the labor force. • Wilson’s “New Freedom” • Monopolies need to be destroyed.

22. Roosevelt (Bull Moose) Taft (Rep.) Wilson (Dem.)

23. Woodrow Wilson • Wins election - Republican Party was split. • Economic Reforms • Underwood Tariff – reduced tariffs • Federal Trade Commission – created to monitor American businesses, prevent “unfair trade practices” • Clayton Anti-Trust – more restrictions on companies who were preventing competition. • Also gave labor unions the legal right to exist.

24. Woodrow Wilson • Federal Reserve System • Purpose • To restore confidence in banking system. • To provide a financial cushion for banks. • Board of Governors – appointed by president • 12 Districts, each have a bank.

26. The Impact of Progressivism • Greater role of government in people’s lives. • Americans beginning to expect the government to solve their economic and social problems. • Raised quality of life for many people. • Limitation: did not address African-American issues. • National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) was formed, though. – goal to end discrimination and lynching.