William H. Taft: Republican
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 Roosevelt opposed the idea of a third term for any President
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Hand picked successor
Uncomfortable as President
A lawyer - viewed issues through the eyes of a lawyer
Carried on Dollar Diplomacy
Not an activist

The Election of 1912
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Taft v. TR in the primary
TR’s Progressive Party (Bull Moose Party)
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Platform
• strict regulation of corporations
• national tariff commission
• national presidential primary
• federal minimum wage and workman’s comp
• federal laws eliminate child labor
Republican vote split: Democrat Wilson wins

Woodrow Wilson – Personal
Background
 Southerner – Born in Virginia, 1856
 Southern attitudes on states rights and race
 Very devote Presbyterian
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Morals factor into decisions, making compromise difficult
 Lawyer, PhD in History
 President of Princeton, Gov of NJ for one term

The Democrats in 1912
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Believed in the “New Freedom”
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Wilson’s Domestic Plan
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Government should not be large and intrusive. It should pass sharp legislation that would destroy large corporations, trusts and monopolies
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Government should pass laws that set rules of competition

Wilson’ s First Term
 Legislative Achievements – Dramatic
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Underwood-Simmons Tariff Act (1913)
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Federal Reserve Act (1913)
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Federal Trade Commission (1914) (FTC)
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Clayton Anti-Trust Act (1914)

Progressive Actions for Farmers
 Federal Farm Loan Act – Credit system for farmers
 Smith-Lever Act

The Election of 1916
 How would he get reelected?
 Democrats are still the minority party
 Peace keeper – “He kept us out of war”
 Wilson vs. Charles Evans Hughes
 Wilson wins on his record

Civil Rights: Wilson
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Wilson - comfortable with segregation
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In best interest of both races
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Supported separate but equal
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Jim Crowism will continue to flourish
The African American Response
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Build African American Community and Institutions

W.E.B. DuBois – (1868 – 1963)
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Independent scholar
1903 – writes The Souls of Black Folks
Leader of Niagara Movement from 1905-09. This transforms into the NAACP
Sought full equality for blacks
His views
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Vocational education = second class citizens
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Emphasized political activity, right to vote and social equality for blacks
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University education is critical
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Talented Tenth
NAACP charter – objective is for blacks to receive 1st class citizenship.
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“Make 11 million blacks physically free from tyranny, mentally free from ignorance, politically free from disenfranchisement, and socially free from prejudice, bigotry and insult.”