1.  1912-1916

2.  The Candidates o William H. Taft- Republican Party o Woodrow Wilson- Democratic Party and the “New Freedom” Platform o Theodore Roosevelt- Bull Moose (Progressive Party) and the “New Nationalism” Platform o Eugene V. Debs- Socialist Party

3.  An actual ballot from the 1912 election.

4.  The Results: o Woodrow Wilson (Democrat) Wins with only 41% of the popular vote! o 2 nd Place: Roosevelt (Bull-Moose/Progressive) o 3 rd Place: Taft (Republican) o 4 th Place: Debs (Socialist)  Real winner: Progressivism

6.  1 st Southern born man to win presidency since before the Civil War.  Before becoming president, Wilson was governor of New Jersey with a reputation as an idealist reformer and a progressive.  Wilson believed that the president should lead Congress by example.  First president to make statements in person, directly to Congress rather than sending a letter. (This broke a precedent set by Thomas Jefferson!)

7. 1. The Tariff: Underwood Tariff Bill lowered tariff rates 2. The Banks: 1913 Federal Reserve Act created a new national bank with 12 regional districts. This allowed currency to be quickly distributed to parts of the country in need. This helped prepare the US for WWI… 3. The Trusts: 1914 Clayton Antitrust Act made price discrimination and interlocking directorates illegal. It also exempted labor unions from prosecution as trusts.

8.  Victoriano Huerta takes control of Mexico, creating a military dictatorship.  Americans upset, worried about economic ties with Mexico.  Causes a flood of immigration from Mexico into the border states.  US Sailors arrested in Tampico, Mexico April 1914 o Released shortly after, but Wilson could not let this slide.  Navy sent to seize Vera Cruz, but before any military damage was done, the Huerta dictatorship collapsed in 1914.

9.  Causes: o Austro-Hungarian Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated in Serbia by a nationalist organization called the Black Hand in 1914. o Austria declared war on Serbia. o Russia (defending Serbia) declared war on Austria-Hungary. o Germany entered war on the side of Austria-Hungary, and invaded France through Belgium. o Britain and France declared war on Germany and Austria-Hungary  Central Powers: o Germany, Austria-Hungary, Turkey, Bulgaria  Allies: o France, Britain, Russia, Japan, Italy

11.  What would America do? o Thankful we left the drama of Europe centuries ago, America and Wilson decide to stay neutral.  How does this impact trade? o Due to British blockade we are unable to trade with Germans even if we wanted to. o Most of our trade therefore flowed into the Allied nations of Britain and France. o Frustrated Germans turn to other methods to disrupt trade… German U-Boat or Unterseeboot

12.  German U-Boats (submarines) patrolled North Atlantic, threatening to sink any British marked ship.  The Lusitania, a passenger vessel, is sunk with 128 Americans on board. o Germans believe they are justified since the ship carried ammunition for the war.  Wilson demanded an end to “unrestricted submarine warfare” in the North Atlantic. o Germans agreed to stop IF the U.S. could end the British naval blockade (impossible). Wilson agreed to the terms.