Progressive Presidents

Theodore Roosevelt Born into a wealthy New York family Harvard Educated Rough Riders/San Juan Hill 26th President of the U.S.(1901-1909) Took office after McKinley was assassinated Big Stick Diplomacy

Square Deal domestic program formed upon three basic ideas: conservation of natural resources control of corporations consumer protection Aimed at helping middle class citizens

Trustbuster Roosevelt ordered the attorney general under Sherman Antitrust Act to file suit against Northern Securities. Supreme court ruled that Northern Securities did in fact violate the Sherman Trust Act. “The most powerful men in the country were held to accountability before the law”

Trustbuster Cont. Brought about over 40 antitrust lawsuits against some of the largest corporations in the country. Sherman Antitrust Act (1890) Regulation- Department of Labor would work with large trust to keep them under control. Regulation without hurting the economy

Reform….. Meat Inspection Act (1906) Required federal inspection of meat sold through interstate commerce. Required the Agriculture Department to set standards of cleanliness in meat packing plants. Direct result of The Jungle Upton Sinclair

More Reform…. Pure Food and Drug Act (1906) Prohibited the manufacture, sale, or shipment of impure or falsely labeled food and drugs. Think labels on the back of the food you buy

Conservation Newlands Reclamation Act (1902) Used federal funds from public land sales to pay for irrigation and land development projects. Created U.S. Forest Service Manage the timber resources of the west Gifford Pinchot

More Conservation American Antiquities Act (1906) Gave power to the president to restrict the use of pubic land owned by the Federal Government. Used Presidential Power to create 51 Federal Bird Reservations 4 National Game Preserves 150 National Forests 5 National Parks

Recap on Teddy…… Name two progressive acts he backed while in office. Name two more. What is the Sherman Antitrust Act? Was Roosevelt a conservationist, and what evidence do you have to support that claim?

William Howard Taft Born into the powerful Taft family of Ohio. Educated at Yale. Governor General of the Philippines Secretary of War 27th President of U.S. (1909-1913)

Payne-Aldrich Tariff Called a special session of Congress to attempt to lower tariffs. Progressives (Wanted Lower Tariffs) Conservative Republicans (High Tariffs) Essentially cut tariffs very little and actually raised them on some goods.

Another Trustbuster? Taft brought in twice as many antitrust suits in four years as Roosevelt did in seven. Standard Oil and the American Tobacco Company were two major victories for the Taft administration. Taft also managed to break up the “sugar trust” of the American Sugar Refining Company

Reform… Bureau of Mines (1910) Children’s Bureau (1912) Monitor the activities of mining companies Expand national forests Protect water power sites from development Children’s Bureau (1912) This agency investigated and publicized the problems of child labor Exists to this day, dealing with issues such as child abuse prevention, adoption, and foster care.

Recap on Taft…… Name two progressive reforms he backed while in office. Can you name two more? Would you say Taft successfully lowered Tariffs? If yes explain. If no explain. What is a Tariff?

Woodrow Wilson Born into a slave holding family from Virginia Educated at Princeton and John Hopkins President of Princeton University Governor of New Jersey 28th President of U.S. (1913-1921)

Governor of New Jersey Introduced the Direct Primary Established utility regulatory boards Allowed cities to set up commissioner form of government Within 2 years New Jersey became a model of what a PROGRESSIVE state should be

Tariffs and Banks Underwood Tariff (1913) Reduced average tariff on imported goods to half the tariff rate of the 1890’s Established the Graduated Income Tax you make more $$$$ you pay the Government more in taxes.

Table 1. 2015 Taxable Income Brackets and Rates Single Filers Married Joint Filers Head of Household Filers 10% $0 to $9,225 $0 to $18,450 $0 to $13,150 15% $9,225 to $37,450 $18,450 to $74,900 $13,150 to $50,200 25% $37,450 to $90,750 $74,900 to $151,200 $50,200 to $129,600 28% $90,750 to $189,300 $151,200 to $230,450 $129,600 to $209,850 33% $189,300 to $411,500 $230,450 to $411,500 $209,850 to $411,500 35% $411,500 to $413,200 $411,500 to $464,850 $411,500 to $439,000 39.6% $413,200+ $464,850+ $439,000+

Federal Reserve Act Federal Reserve Act (1913) Allowed national supervision of the banking system Government could set the interest rates Control amount of money in circulation

More Trust-busting… Clayton Antitrust Act (1914) Banned price discrimination, (could not charge different customers different prices) Gave workers unions the right to exist Corrected loopholes in the Sherman Anti-Trust Act

Busting more trusts…. Federal Trade Commission (1914) Monitor American business Prevent unfair trade practices that hurt competition Enforce the Clayton Anti-Trust Act

Reform… Adamson Act (1916) Keating-Owen Child Labor Act (1916) Established 8 hour work day for railroad workers Keating-Owen Child Labor Act (1916) Prohibited the employment of children under the age of 14

Other Reforms 19th Amendment (Women’s Suffrage) 16th Amendment(Federal Income Tax) 17th Amendment (Direct Election of Senators)

Recap on Wilson……. What is a trust? Name two progressive reforms Wilson passed. What two significant reforms dealing specifically with labor were passed under Wilson?