1. The Progressive Presidents

2. Theodore Roosevelt: The Square Deal
Consumer Protection
Upon reading Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle, TR orders investigations
TR supports legislation to ensure purity of food & drugs
Pure Food and Drug Act (1906)
Meat Inspection Act (1906)

3. Theodore Roosevelt: The Square Deal
Regulating Business
The “Trustbuster”
The Sherman Antitrust Act: It prohibits certain business activities that federal government regulators deem to be anticompetitive
been used to oppose the combination of businesses that could potentially harm competition, such as monopolies or cartels.
TR used Justice Department to prosecute
Railroad, meatpacking, and oil trusts

4. William Howard Taft: Reforms
Contrary to popular belief, busts more trusts than TR
Supported eight-hour workday and mine safety legislation
Sixteenth Amendment  federal income tax
Seventeenth Amendment  direct election of senators

5. William Howard Taft: Problems
Not a great politician like TR
Wanted to lower tariffs, while Congress raised them
Progressives felt he backed down on this by not vetoing a tariff raising bill
Republican Party spilt over protecting American business, while combating trusts

6. Woodrow Wilson: New Freedom
Concentrated economic power threatened individual liberty
Monopolies had to be broken up so the marketplace could truly be open

7. Woodrow Wilson: Financial Reforms
Underwood Tariff Act
lowers tariffs for the first times since the Civil War
provides for graduated income tax/progressive tax
Creates Federal Trade Commission to investigate businesses
Federal Reserve System
National Banking System (12 banks)
Provided for fair interest rates
Money no longer would depend on gold supply
Income level
Tax rate
up to $20,000 1%
$20,000 - $50,000 2%
$50,000 - $75,000 3%
$75,000 - $100,000 4%
$100,000 - $250,000 5%
$250,000 - $500,000 6%
over $500,000 7%

8. Bye-Bye Progressives End of the Progressive Era
World War I causes US to focus on war effort and not social change