Chapter 21: The Progressive Era,

AP FOCUS The philosophies and strategies of the various Progressive movements The causes of progressivism (Populist movement, Social Gospel) The attempts and relative success of progressives in:  Democratizing the political process  Regulating big business  Providing social welfare Progressives imposing middle-class values on society African-American’s attempts to overcome discrimination Roosevelt, Taft, and Wilson- How did each president pursue progressive policies The impact of World War I on the progressive movement

Progressives and their Ideas Progressives- urban, educated, middle-class  Mostly white Protestant males and females Interpreted Gilded Age beliefs—such as…  Laissez Faire economics  Social Darwinist philosophy …as morally and intellectually wrong! Believed that society (especially government) had the power to correct societal and economic abuses

Progressives and their Ideas The Many Faces of Progressivism  Transformed America’s political and social landscape  Reformers were often moralistic  Focused little attention on racial issues  Interested in a variety of reform

Progressives and their Ideas Muckrackers- Journalists who wrote articles exposing urban political corruption and corporate wrongdoing. Upton Sinclair- “The Jungle”

Progressive Era Presidents Theodore Roosevelt  Wealthy upbringing  Spanish-American War veteran- “Rough Riders”  New York Governor  26 th US President- after McKinley is assassinated  Progressive reforms known as a “Square Deal”  Known as the “Trust Buster”- protected small business, 44 anti-trust suits Regulated Railroads, Food and Drug  Ordered the construction of the Panama Canal  Protected 125 million acres of National Forest  Nobel Peace Prize  “Speak softly and carry a big stick.”  Left office to hunt big game in Africa… go figure

Progressive Era Presidents William Taft  First governor of the Philippines  Oversaw construction of the Panama Canal  Roosevelt’s hand picked successor (served as Secretary of War)  Urged Congress to pass Income Tax Law  Passed the Payne- Aldrich Tariff (not popular amongst progressive Republicans)  Not terribly fond of his time as President  Later (1921) named chief justice of the Supreme Court  Republican Party begins to split (progressives and conservatives)  Roosevelt returns to the US

Progressive Era Presidents Election of 1912  Taft- Republicans (conservative)  Roosevelt- Republicans “Bull Moose Party” (progressives)  Wilson- Democrats

Progressive Era Presidents Woodrow Wilson  Lawyer, history professor, President of Princeton  Governor of New Jersey  28 th President  “New Freedom” program- attack the triple wall of privilege: trusts, tariffs, high finance

Progressive Era Presidents Woodrow Wilson (continued…)  Clayton Anti-Trust Act- strengthened Sherman Anti-trust Act; prohibited stock sharing and monopolizing  Federal Trade Commission- “watchdog” organization over corporate America  Over 400 cease and desist orders during Wilson’s terms  Helped ratify the 16 th Amendment- Federal Income Tax  Federal Reserve System- private banking system under federal control  Committed the US to World War I