The Battle for National Reform

Do Now: Review

1. Write one sentenced describing the progressive era.

2. Who are the three progressive era presidents?

3. What are the 3 c’s of Roosevelt’s “Square Deal”?

4. What piece of legislation did Roosevelt use to break up trusts and monopolies?

Do Now: Preview

1. How did Howard Taft anger progressives?2. What was the name of Taft’s foreign policy?3. What was the name of the newly formed

third party in the election of 1912?4. What was the name of Wilson’s progressive

era plan?5. What was the name of Wilson’s foreign

policy?

Main Ideas

Progressive reformers responded to economic instability, social inequality, and political corruption by calling for government intervention in the economy, expanded democracy, greater social justice, and conservation of natural resources.

Progressives promoted federal legislation to regulate abuses of the economy and the environment, and many sought to expand democracy.

3 Areas to Focus On

• Work, Exchange, Technology• Environment and Geography• Ideas, Beliefs, and Culture

Work, Exchange, and Technology

This theme focuses on the development of American economies based on agriculture, commerce, and manufacturing. • Students should examine ways that different economic and

labor systems, technological innovations, and government policies have shaped American society.

• Students should explore the lives of working people and the relationships among social classes, racial and ethnic groups, and men and women, including the availability of land and labor, national and international economic developments, and the role of government support and regulation.

Work, Exchange, and TechnologyObjectives

• Major Historical Question– How have debates over economic values and the role of

government in the U.S. economy affected politics, society, the economy, and the environment?• Be able to explain how arguments about market capitalism, the growth

of corporate power, and government policies influenced economic policies from the late 18th century through the early 20th century

• Be able to compare the beliefs and strategies of movements advocating changes to the U.S. economic system since industrialization, particularly the organized labor, Populist, and Progressive movements

• Explain how and why the role of the federal government in regulating economic life and the environment has changed since the end of the 19th Century

Environment and Geography – Physical and Human

This theme examines the role of environment, geography, and climate in both constraining and shaping human actions. • Students should analyze the interaction between the

environment and Americans in their efforts to survive and thrive.

• Students should also explore efforts to interpret, preserve, manage, or exploit natural and man-made environments, as well as the historical contexts within which interactions with the environment have taken place.

Environment and GeographyObjectives

• How did economic and demographic changes affect the environment and lead to debates over use and control of the environment and natural resources?– Be explain how and why debates about and

policies concerning the use of natural resources and the environment more generally have changed since the late 19th century.

Ideas, Beliefs, and Culture

• This theme explores the roles that ideas, beliefs, social mores, and creative expression have played in shaping the United States. – Students should examine the development of

aesthetic, moral, religious, scientific, and philosophical principles and consider how these principles have affected individual and group actions.

– Students should analyze the interactions between beliefs and communities, economic values, and political movements, including attempts to change American society to align it with specific ideals.

Ideas, Beliefs and CultureObjectives

• How and why have changes in moral, philosophical, and cultural values affected U.S. history?– Be able to Analyze ways that philosophical,

moral, and scientific ideas, were used to defend and challenge the dominant economic and social order in the late 19th centuries.

Progressive Era Presidents

• Theodore Roosevelt (1901-1909)• William Howard Taft (1909-1913)• Woodrow Wilson (1913-1921)

Progressive Era Presidents

• Progressive Reform– Economic Regulation– Political Reform

• Domestic Programs– Conservation– Civil Rights

• Foreign Policy– Imperialism

• Big Stick Policy– Roosevelt Corollary

• Dollar Diplomacy• Moral Diplomacy

Objectives

• Understand how Teddy Roosevelt used his power as president to support progressive movement goals.

• Improvement of conditions for workers and consumers (social welfare)

• Providing a more responsive and responsible government (economic/political reform)

• Women gaining the right to vote and the outlawing of alcohol in the United States (moral welfare)

• Fostering efficiency

Theodore Roosevelt• 1901-1909• assumed presidency September

1901 after President McKinley assassinated.

• Reputation as an independent and wild man

• became champion of cautious and moderate change,

• reform to protect society against more radical changes

• Roosevelt saw fed government as mediator of the public good. – Not opposed to industrial

combinations but realized potential for abuse of power

Theodore Roosevelt• Supported regulation of trusts

– EX. Created Department of Commerce and Labor 1903 to publicly investigate corporations.

• Did make effort to break up some trusts– used Sherman Antitrust Act to

break up Northern Securities Company monopoly over RRs in Northwest

• Saw government as impartial regulator for labor as well– 1902 strike by United Mine

workers led Roosevelt to ask labor and management to accept impartial federal arbitration

– threatened to seize mines if management balked

Progressive Era Presidents

• Theodore Roosevelt – “Square Deal” for all Americans – 3 C’s

• Incorporates Progressive Reform and Domestic Policies

1. Control of Corporations 2. Consumer Protection 3. Conservation of Natural

Resources

Control of Corporation

• 1902 Coal Strike:– Miners in PA

• 20% pay raise• 9 hr. day• union

– T.R. called both sides to White House to negotiate

– Threatened to take over mines

– Legislation: none

• Trusts:– “Good” v. “Bad” trusts– Filed suits under Sherman

Antitrust Act• Railroad, beef, oil, tobacco

and others

– Ordered Justice Dept. to sue Northern Securities Company• NSC est. monopoly over

Northwestern Railroads

– Legislation: Sherman Antitrust Act

– Know as a Trustbuster

Control of Corporation

• Unregulated Big Business:– Strengthened the

Interstate Commerce Act

– Fought for passage of :• Elkins Act• Hepburn Act

– Legislation: Interstate Commerce Act, Elkins Act, and Hepburn Act

• Worker’ Rights– Favored

• 8 hour work day for labor,

• workmen’s compensation

• inheritance and income taxes

Control of Corporation• Panic of 1807

– Despite reforms government still had little control over industrial economy• in 1907 production outgrew

domestic and foreign demand, speculation and poor management led to panic.

• JP Morgan pooled assets of NY banks to prop up banks, made deal with President to allow U.S. Steel to purchase Tennessee Coal and Iron Company shares– Roosevelt makes a deal with Big

Business to save economy

Consumer Protection

• Dangerous Foods and Medicine:–Appointed a commission to study the

meatpacking industry.• Response to Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle

–Legislation: •Meat Inspection Act• Pure Food and Drug Act– can’t change or alter goods or labels on goods

Conservation of National Resources

• Shrinking Wilderness and Natural Resources:– Promoted conservation of natural resources– Set aside thousands of acres of forest reserves

• Water-power sites• Wilderness sanctuaries• National parks

– Pinchot to head U.S. Forest Services• Irrigation projects

– saw goal of “conservation” to carefully manage development and to apply same scientific method of management being used in cities

– Legislation: National Reclamation Act (Newlands Act)• Act funded dam construction, reservoirs, canals in West to open new

lands for irrigation, cultivation and power development

Conservation of National Resources

• Hetch Hetchy Controversy– Hetch Hetchy Valley in Yosemite seen as beautiful land by

naturalists, but San Francisco residents and Roosevelt’s head of National Forest System Gifford Pinchot wanted land to build dam and reservoir for city’s growing water needs.• Pinchot saw needs of city more important than claims of preservation• Issue placed in 1908 referendum, dam approved by large margin in election• Referendum: a general vote by the electorate on a single political question that

has been referred to them for a direct decision.

Other Policies During Roosevelt’s Administration

• Tariff– During early administration called on Congress

to lower tariff (a progressive demand), – refused to oppose Republican Old Guard.• Wanted to get re-elected in 1904

– Result was Payne-Aldrich Tariff • reduced tariffs little, raised others

– progressives resented inaction

Roosevelt on Racial Discrimination• On February 13, 1905, President Theodore Roosevelt delivers a stirring speech to the New York City

Republican Club.

• Roosevelt had just won his second reelection, and in this speech, he discussed the country’s current state of race relations and his plan for improving them. In 1905, many white Americans’ attitude of superiority to other races still lingered. Much bitterness still existed between North and South and, in addition, Roosevelt’s tenure in office had seen an influx of Asian immigrants in the West, which contributed to new racial tensions. In his argument for racial equality, Roosevelt used the rising tide raises all ships metaphor, stating that if morality and thrift among the colored men can be raised then those same virtues among whites, already assumed to be more advanced, would rise to an even higher degree. At the same time, he warned that the debasement of the blacks will in the end carry with it [the] debasement of the whites.

• Roosevelt’s solution to the race problem in 1905 was to proceed slowly toward social and economic equality. He cautioned against imposing radical changes in government policy and instead suggested a gradual adjustment in the attitudes of whites toward ethnic minorities. He referred to white Americans as the forward race, whose responsibility it was to raise the status of minorities through training the backward race[s] in industrial efficiency, political capacity and domestic morality. Thus, he claimed whites bore the burden of preserving the high civilization wrought out by its forefathers.

• While Roosevelt firmly believed in the words of the Declaration of Independence that all men are created equal, his administration took only a passive, long-term approach to improving civil rights. His successors in the 20th century would take the same route–it was not until Lyndon Johnson passed the Civil Rights Act in 1964 that government efforts to correct racial bias would be encoded into law.

Roosevelt’s Foreign Policy

• Roosevelt wanted to use American power in the world

• Believed “civilized” countries (based on race and degree of economic development, industrialization) had right to intervene in “uncivilized” nations in order to access markets and raw materials, provide stability and order

Roosevelt’s Foreign Policy

• Big Stick Diplomacy

• The use of military force when necessary to protect American interests in other parts of the word.• Mainly Latin America

Roosevelt’s Foreign Policy

• Roosevelt believed in the idea that U.S. had special interest in Latin America

• After European powers threatened Venezuela over debts, Roosevelt 1906 issued “Roosevelt Corollary”

• Roosevelt Corollary – Addition to Monroe Doctrine– America will help Latin American countries in debt pay off

European debtors– US had right to oppose European intervention in W. Hemisphere

and intervene itself in Latin countries to maintain order and sovereignty

– “Bad Neighbor Policy” • U.S. looks like an Empire

Roosevelt’s Foreign Policy

• Platt Amendment– 1902 – Gave Cuba independence, also gave US right to

intervene in case of foreign threat

Roosevelt’s Foreign Policy

• Panama Canal– Needed for trading– Needed to move military easily– Panama chosen as site for canal b/c of French canal work

that had already been started there. – Colombia controlled Panama and would not allow US Sec of

State John Hay to negotiate lands for building• US Supports Panamanian revolution• Panama breaks from Columbia in revolution, America looks bad

– New independent government granted US 6-mile wide “canal zone” for $10 million

– “Cowboy Diplomacy” – America looks bad

Roosevelt’s Foreign Policy

• Preserving the Open-Door Policy in Asia– Roosevelt won Nobel Peace Prize 1906 for

negotiating end to Russo-Japanese War. – Japan now dominant naval power in Pacific and

began blocking some US trade.– Roosevelt sent “Great White Fleet” around

world to remind Japan (and other nations) of US power.

Roosevelt’s Presidency• Reform not priority during first years as president, more concerned with

winning re-election by not alienating conservative Republicans– winning support of businessmen and using patronage—won 1904

election• Under Roosevelt U.S. becomes imperial power in Latin and Central

America• Because of Panic of 1907 and promise made in 1904 to step down four

years later Roosevelt did not seek re-nomination and reelection for 1908 bid– Supported William Howard Taft

• Teddy Roosevelt used his power as president to support progressive movement goals.

• Roosevelt becomes known in history as the first modern-day president.

William Howard Taft• 1909-1913• Bigger trustbuster than

Roosevelt – 90 indictments vs. 44

• Ballinger-Pinchot controversy– Ballinger selling public land– Pinchot complains then fired.

• Angered Roosevelt– Payne-Aldrich Tariff

• actually signs bill that increases tariffs on most items

• angers support

Do you know I got stuck in a

bath tub!!!!

Successes and Failures

Successes• Trust-busting• Empowering of the Interstate

Commerce Commission (ICC) to set railroad rates.

• Support of constitutional amendments – Mandating a federal income tax – Direct election of senators by

the people (as opposed to appointment by state legislatures).

Failures• Raising of protective tariff• Firing of Pinchot• Angered many progressive

supporters including Roosevelt

Taft’s Foreign Policy

• “Dollar Diplomacy”– Use of money not force to protect economic interests in foreign countries– Taft interested in overseas economic interest

• worked to extend US investment in less developed countries. Called “Dollar Diplomacy” by critics

Election of 1912

Candidates• Progressive- Theodore Roosevelt

– Bull Moose Party– Formed when Roosevelt did not get

Republican nomination– 1910 outlined “New Nationalism”

that moved away from conservatism and argued only effort of strong fed government could bring social justice

• Republican- William Howard Taft

• Democratic- Woodrow Wilson• Socialist- Eugene Debs

Party Views• Progressive: Supported govt. action

to supervise big business, but did not oppose all big business monopolies.

• Republican: Favored business, but fought to break up trusts.

• Democratic: Supported small business and free market competition; thought that all big business monopolies were evil.

• Socialist: Felt that big business was evil and that the solution involved doing away with capitalism and distributing wealth more equally among the people.

Election of 1912

Wilson Wins!

Woodrow Wilson

• 1913-1919• Scholar• Wilson bold and

forceful• Used position as

leader of Dems to build coalition to support his program – (Dem majorities existed

in both houses)

Woodrow Wilson

• Held that bigness was unjust and wanted to destroy, not regulate monopoly

• “New Freedom” – assault on “the triple wall of privilege”– tariff– banks – trust

New Freedom

• Tariff– Greatly lowered tariff in Underwood-Simmons

Tariff in order to introduce competition into market and breakup trusts

– to make up for revenues past graduated income tax (16th Amendment)

New Freedom

• Banks– Federal Reserve Act 1913 – 12 regional banks run by gov’t - Money now

easily increased• regional Fed banks made up of regional banks + issued

loans at “discount” rate • issued Fed Reserve notes backed by government, • shifted funds to meet credit demands and protect

banks. • Supervising Federal Reserve Board members selected

by President

New Freedom

• Trusts– Anti-Trust Act of 1914• Clayton Anti-Trust Act – allows for labor protests – tries to control sneaky tricks of trusts» one man runs 4-5 different companies,

controls costs– Federal Trade Commission Act • regulatory agency to help business determine

whether their actions were legal, also power to prosecute “unfair trade practices”

Domestic Reform

• Wilson Retreats on Civil Rights:– Opposed federal anti-

lynching legislation– Appointed

segregationists to his cabinet

– Failed to oppose the resegregation of federal offices

• New developments that brought success of female suffrage movement:– Increased activism of local

and grass roots groups– Use of bold new strategies

to build enthusiasm for the movement

– Regeneration of the national movement under Carrie Chapman Catt

Regulation of Working Conditions

• 1916 • Keating-Owen Act – regulated child labor– Forbid interstate sale of

goods made by children

• 1914 • Smith-Lever Act– help agricultural

extension education– Help educated farmers

about new technologies

Wilson’s Foreign Policy

• Moral Diplomacy– This promotes the growth of the nation's ideals

and damages nations with different ideologies.– Used by Wilson to support countries with

democratic governments and to economically injure non-democratic countries • seen as possible threats to the U.S. • He also hoped to increase the number of democratic

nations, particularly in Latin America.

Wilson’s Foreign Policy

• Mexico– 1911-1913-Mexican government had been

overthrown 2 times and the new leader, General Victoriano Huerta, favored the wealthy and foreign investors while many citizens were living in poverty and were being treated unfairly.

–Moral Diplomacy-Woodrow Wilson tried to aid morality to foreign affairs and refused to back Huerta.

–He sent the military to support Carranza, and forced Huerta to resign.

Wilson’s Foreign Policy

• “Pancho” Villa– Revolutionary who led an uprising against the

new government and also came across the border to raid the town of Columbus, New Mexico.

– President Wilson sent John J. Pershing to capture Pancho Villa.

– After a year of pursuing him, his forces came back to the U.S. without him. He is viewed as a folk hero in Mexican history