The Battle for National Reform
Chapter Twenty-two Main Themes
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1. The guiding ideology, domestic interests, and foreign entanglements of Theodore
Roosevelt's administration.
2. The troubled succession of William Howard Taft to the presidency, and how it paved
the way for the ascension of Woodrow Wilson.
3. The administration of Woodrow Wilson as both a conservative and progressive leader.
4. America's embrace of a much more assertive and interventionist foreign policy,
especially in the Caribbean and Latin America.
A thorough study of Chapter Twenty-two should enable the student to understand:
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The nature and extent of Theodore Roosevelt's "square deal" progressivism.
The similarities and differences between the domestic progressivism of William Howard
Taft and of Roosevelt.
The distinction between conservation and preservation, and why this distinction
ultimately triggered the split between Taft and Roosevelt.
The consequences of the split in the Republican Party in 1912.
The philosophical and practical differences between Roosevelt's New Nationalism and
Wilson's New Freedom.
The differences between Woodrow Wilson's campaign platform and the measures
actually implemented during his term.
The social limits of Wilson progressivism, particularly with regards to women's suffrage
and segregation.
The new direction of American foreign policy introduced by Roosevelt, especially in
Asia and the Caribbean.
The similarities and differences between Taft's and Roosevelt's approaches to foreign
policy.
The reasons for the continuation of American interventionism in Latin America under
Wilson.
The unfolding of the diplomatic crisis between Mexico and the United States in the
years before American entry into WWI.
Chapter Summary
Theodore Roosevelt became president as a consequence of the assassination of William
McKinley, but he quickly moved to make the office his own. In many ways, Roosevelt was the
preeminent progressive, yet it sometimes seemed that for him reform was more a style than a
dogma. Although Roosevelt clearly envisioned a more activist national government, the shifts and
contradictions embodied in his policies toward trusts, labor, and conservation reflected the
complexity and diversity of progressivism. Despite being Roosevelt's hand-picked successor,
President William Howard Taft managed to alienate Roosevelt and other progressive Republicans
by his actions regarding tariffs, conservation, foreign policy, trusts, and other matters. In 1912,
Roosevelt decided to challenge Taft for the presidency. When he failed to secure the Republican
nomination, Roosevelt formed his own Progressive party. With the Republicans divided,
Woodrow Wilson won the presidency. In actuality, Wilson's domestic program turned out to be
much like the one Roosevelt had advocated. In the Caribbean, Wilson continued the pattern of
intervention that Roosevelt and Taft had established.
Internet Resources
For Internet quizzes, resources, references to additional books and films, and more,
consult the text’s Online Learning Center at www.mhhe.com/brinkley12.
KEY Terms
17th Amendment
Theodore Roosevelt
Trust Buster
1902 UMW strike
Square Deal
Hepburn Act
JP Morgan
WH Taft
Payne Aldrich Tariff
Pinchot Ballinger
Controversy
New nationalism
Progressive Party
Bull Moose Party
Woodrow Wilson
New Freedom
Underwood Simmons Tariff
16th Amendment
Federal Reserve Act
Federal trade Commission
Act
Clayton Anti Trust Act
Robert LaFollette
Pure Food and Drug Act
Upton Sinclair
The Jungle
Federal reserve Act
Keatings-Owen Act
Big Stick policy
Open Door
Roosevelt Corollary
Platt amendment
Teller Amendment
Panama Canal
Dollar Diplomacy
Panamanian Revolt
Meat Inspection Act
John Muir
Speak softly but carry a big
stick!
National Park System
Graduation And End Of Course Test Items
Enrichment
(Some movies carry “R” rating.)
The Jungle, Upton Sinclair
88.
89.
90.
91.
92.
93.
94.
95.
96.
97.
98.
Spanish American War- American Imp.
Roosevelt Corollary
Panama Canal
US Neutrality in WW1
Unrestrictive sub warfare
Great Migration
Espionage Act
Eugene Debs
AEF
Wilson's Fourteen Points
Amendments 18-19