1. American History Chapter 16-4
Taft and Wilson

2. Election of 1908 Rep. William Taft v. Dem. William Bryan.
Taft won easily with support from Pres. Roosevelt.
Passed the 16th Amendment: Power of Congress to levy taxes based on an individual’s income.

3. Republican Party Splits
Taft lost support of the Progressive Republicans:
Signed the Payne-Aldrich Tariff bill, raising tariffs.
Fired Forest Service chief Gifford Pinchot, causing Roosevelt to withdraw his support of Taft.
Election of 1912:
Rep. Party chose Taft as their candidate.
Progressive rep. chose Roosevelt. (Bull Moose Party)
Democrats chose Woodrow Wilson.
Woodrow Wilson dominated & became the 28th president of the United States.

4. 1912 Election Results

5. President Wilson Promised New Freedom:
Lower tariffs, bank reform, stronger antitrust laws.
Underwood Tariff Act: Reduced tariffs & assessed a graduated income tax.
Federal Reserve Act: Created a 3-tier banking system.
Fed. Reserve Board, appt. by the pres. to run the system.
12 Fed. Reserve banks to serve other banks.
Private banks to serve the public.
Clayton Antitrust Act: Specified illegal trusts & made peaceful strikes & boycotts legal.
FTC created to enforce the antitrust law & crack down on deceptive advertising.

6. Federal Reserve System

7. Women Gain Suffrage
National Women’s Party: Started in 1916 by Alice Paul.
Pushed for an amendment to give women voting rights.
Picketed the White House/ chained themselves to fences.
Went on hunger strikes in jail.
Organized marches & lobbied.
19th Amendment: Ratified in 1920 – gave women full voting rights.

8. Progressive Movement
Had limited impact on the rights of black Americans.
Brownsville Incident: Pres. Roosevelt dishonorably discharged 167 African American soldiers in 1906.
Was not corrected until 1972.
WWI would end the Progressive Era in the U.S.