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Progressivism Through Three Presidents
Roosevelt Taft Wilson
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Theodore (Teddy) Roosevelt
-1898 leader of the Rough Riders -National War Hero -Governor of New York -William McKinley’s vice-president in his second term in office
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-William McKinley is assassinated -Roosevelt becomes the 26th president in Sept. 1901 Big Business men are NOT happy. -Youngest president at 42 -Wins a second term
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Roosevelt’s Square Deal
The Square Deal was based on four basic ideas: -control of corporations, -conservation of natural resources, -consumer protection -concerns of labor The Square Deal sought to protect both business and labor. It sought to ease the radical voice in both and come to compromise.
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Regulating Big Business
One of Roosevelt’s major goals was regulation of railroads. -Hepburn Act in 1906 -Gave Interstate Commerce Commission power to set maximum railroad rates.
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Roosevelt as the “Trust-Buster”
*Another target was trusts – legal bodies created to hold stock in many companies *By 1900, trusts controlled 80% of U.S. industries. *Roosevelt filed 44 antitrust suits under the Sherman Anti-Trust Act
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Roosevelt and Labor Unions
*Roosevelt was the first President to get between labor and big business. *He set himself and government up as the “middle man” to arbitrate conflicts. *He used a method called collective bargaining- - a process of negotiations between employers and a of employees aimed at reaching agreements that regulate working conditions.
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1902 Coal Strike- -United Mine Workers
*In 1902, 140,000 coal miners in Pennsylvania went on strike for increased wages, a 9-hour work day, and the right to unionize. Mine owners refused to bargain. *Roosevelt called in both sides and settled the dispute. *Thereafter, when a strike threatened public welfare, the federal government was expected to step in and help.
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Roosevelt and Conservation of Natural Resources
Before Roosevelt’s presidency, the federal government paid very little attention to the nation’s natural resources. Roosevelt made conservation a primary concern of his administration. Roosevelt set aside 148 million acres of forest reserves, 1.5 million acres of water-power sites, 50 wildlife sanctuaries, and several national parks.
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Roosevelt and Consumer Protection
*The Jungle by Sinclair leads Roosevelt to get involved in regulating food and drug companies for the good of the public. Meat Inspection Act 1906 -authorized the Secretary of Agriculture to inspect and condemn any meat product found unfit for human consumption. This law was to protect the American diet. Pure Food and Drug Act -principally a "truth in labeling" law designed to raise standards in the food and drug industries. All labeling on any product had to be accurate. Created the FDA – Food and Drug Administration
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Lack of Progress during the Progressive Era
**One issue was consistently ignored by Roosevelt and the other progressive presidents: the plight of African-Americans in the United States. -consistent racism in the form of segregation in public -lynchings -disenfranchisement from the political process, -no access to quality healthcare, education and housing. **Booker T. Washington -advisor to Roosevelt -Roosevelt supported Tuskegee Institute
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Progressivism Under Taft
**Republican William Howard Taft easily defeated Democrat William Jennings Bryan in the 1908 presidential election. *Taft Presidency -“busted” 90 trusts in 4 yrs. -expanded acres of national forest -Children’s Bureau -safety rules for mining -”Dollar Diplomacy” in Central Am. dollars instead of bullets **Taft was not popular with the American public or reform-minded Republicans. He called the Presidency, the “lonesomest” job in the world.” By 1910, Democrats had regained control of the House of Representatives.
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Election of 1912 **Republicans split on who should get nomination- Taft **Bull Moose Party is formed by Republicans who disagree with Taft nomination- Teddy Roosevelt **Democrats – Woodrow Wilson
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Woodrow Wilson and the New Freedom
**Wilson vowed to take on tariffs, trusts, and banks. (Triple Wall of Privilege) Reduced tariffs to help farmers Clayton Antitrust Act -Strengthened Sherman Antitrust -Prevented companies from acquiring stock from another company -supported workers’ unions. Federal Reserve Act -brought banks under control with rules and regulation
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Federal Trade Commission
-1914 -Watchdog agency to end unfair business practices -protects consumer from business fraud
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16th Amendment -graduated federal income tax -made up for loss revenue from lowering tariffs
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Women’s Suffrage **Native-born, educated, middle-class women grew more and more impatient. Through local, state, and national organizations, as well as vigorous protests, women finally realized their dream . 19th Amendment -1920 -women right to vote
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Tennessee’s Role in Women’s Suffrage
**Three-fourths of the states must ratify a proposed amendment for it to be added to the U.S. Constitution. In 1920, there were 48 states. (three-fourths of the states was 36) Tennessee became the 36th state to ratify the 19th amendment ; therefore Tennessee is known as the “perfect 36.” Anne Dallas Dudley Albert H. Roberts Harry Burn -head of TN Equal Suffrage governor of TN TN legislator Association called a special session of who cast winning TN General Assembly to vote like mom consider ratifying the 19th said to vote
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**Not all women welcomed the right to vote.
**Josephine Pearson -Tennessean -Lobbied the state legislature to vote AGAINST women’s suffrage. **Why? -Promised her mom on her death bed she would fight against it. -Would be the demise of the family unit.
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