1. Chapter 29: Wilsonian Progressivism at Home and Abroad 1912-1916 Mark Walker

2. Progressivism At the beginning of the 1900’s, the American people were fixated on a new reform movement. The new “progressives" sought to reform several issues in society including the food industry, corruption, inefficiency, and social injustice.

3. The “Bull Moose” Campaign at Home and Abroad For the election of 1912, the Democrats selected Woodrow Wilson as their presidential candidate. Wilson went up against William Howard Taft from the Republican Party and Theodore Roosevelt as a 3rd party candidate. Roosevelt's ideal of New Nationalism or Wilson's ideal of New clashed at the election. Both of them favored a more active government role in economic and social matters. Roosevelt's New Nationalism campaigned for stronger control of trusts, woman suffrage, and programs of social welfare. Wilson's New Freedom favored small enterprise, entrepreneurship, and of unregulated and unmonopolized markets. Democrats were opposed to the social-welfare programs and wanted to break up trusts. Roosevelt was shot by a fanatic during campaigning, but he recovered.

4. Woodrow Wilson: A Minority President The Republican votes were split between Taft and Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson emerged with the presidency. Roosevelt's Progressive Party died out shortly after due to a lack of state and local officials.

5. Wilson: The Idealist in Politics Wilson lacked people skills and was not great at reaching out to the public He was known for being sincere and having a strong sense of morals Wilson would become a stubborn negotiator due to his idealist manner and strong morals

6. Wilson Tackles the Tariff President Wilson went to war against "the triple wall of privilege": the tariff, the banks, and the trusts. In 1913, Wilson called a special meeting of Congress to address the tariff. He convinced Congress to pass the Underwood Tariff Bill, which significantly reduced the tariff rates and reduced import fees. Congress also passed a graduated income tax.

7. Wilson Battles the Bankers In 1913, President Wilson tried to persuade Congress to reform the banking system. Congress passed the Federal Reserve Act shortly after. The new Federal Reserve Board was created which managed a system of 12 regional Federal Reserves. Each reserve bank served as the central bank for its region. The Federal Reserve Board was granted large authority and had a great deal of control over the public. The board had the ability to issue paper money, Federal Reserve Notes.

8. The President Tames the Trusts In 1913, Wilson persuaded Congress to pass the Federal Trade Commission Act of 1914. The law was designed to crush monopolies and gave commission appointed by the president the ability to oversee industries engaged in interstate commerce. The Clayton Antitrust Act of 1914 was passed and further restricted business practices. It aimed to keep labor and agriculture from being prosecuted. It also was helpful to workers as it legalized strikes and peaceful protests.

9. Wilsonian Progressivism at High Tide The Federal Farm Loan Act of 1916 was passed and made loans available to farmers at low rates of interest. The Warehouse Act of 1916 allowed backs to give loans to farmers on the security of staple crops. The La Follette Seamen's Act of 1915 benefited sailors by giving them better treatment and better wages on American ships. The Workingmen's Compensation Act of 1916 gave assistance to civil-service employees during periods of disability. The Adamson Act of 1916 created an 8-hour work day for all employees on trains.

10. New Directions in Foreign Policy President Wilson was against imperialism and was not aggressive towards foreign matters. In 1914, Wilson persuaded Congress to repeal the Panama Canal Tolls Act of 1912, which allowed American coastal shipping exemption from tolls. In 1916, The Jones Act was passed which gave the Philippines territorial status and their independence as soon as they had a stable government. In 1915, After political turmoil broke out in Haiti, marines were sent there to protect American lives and property. In 1916, a treaty with Haiti was negotiated which gave the United States supervision of finances and the police. In 1917, Wilson purchased the Virgin Islands from Denmark.

11. Moralistic Diplomacy in Mexico In 1913, the Mexican revolution exploded when the president was murdered and replaced by General Victoriano Huerta. Millions of mmigrants fled to America to escape the revolution. Wilson refused to get involved with the war in Mexico at first, but after several American sailors were accidentally captured by the Mexicans. Wilson ordered the navy to seize the Mexican port of Vera Cruz. Huerta stepped down as president and Venustiano Carranza took his place. A rival to Carranza, Francisco Villa, tried to start a war between the United States and Mexico by killing Americans. Wilson ordered Villa's gang to be broken up, and American troops completely left Mexico in 1917 as Germany became a possible threat.

12. Thunder Across the Sea In 1914,World War I began in Europe after the archduke of Austria-Hungary was murdered by a Serbian assassin. Austria- Hungary presented an ultimatum to Serbia to hand over the assassins responsible. Serbia refused to budge and Germany and Russia entered the conflict due to alliances with Austria- Hungary and Serbia respectively. Russia began to mobilize its army and France joined the war against Germany. Germany initiated the fighting by attacking France. The Central Powers were Germany, Austria-Hungary, Turkey, and Bulgaria. The Allies were France, Britain, Russia, Japan, and Italy.

13. A Precarious Neutrality President Wilson issued the neutrality proclamation at the begging of World War I. Most Americans were against Germany from the outset of the war due to the leader of Germany being portrayed as a villainous person. But the majority of Americans were against getting involved in the war.

14. America Earns Blood Money American industry prospered from trading with the Allies. Although Germany protested against the United States trading with the Allies, America wasn't violating the international neutrality laws. In 1915, several months after Germany started to use submarines in the war, one of Germany's submarines sunk the British liner Lusitania, killing 128 Americans. Americans were furious and demanded to go to war but President Wilson refused. After Germany sunk another British liner in 1915, the Germans agreed to not sink any more unarmed passenger ships without warning. However, Germany continued to sink innocent ships and Wilson proclaimed he would go to war with Germany if they did not stop their unrestricted submarine warfare. Germany agreed to Wilson's ultimatum, but also demanded that the United States persuade the Allies to modify their blockade.

15. Wilson Wins Reelection in 1916 In 1916, Wilson was up for reelection against the republican candidate, Charles Evans Hughes. The Democrats continued to run an anti-war campaign. Woodrow Wilson won the election of 1916 and served a second term.