Progressivism under
Wilson
Goal 7
Essential Idea

Woodrow Wilson further advanced the
idea of Progressivism.
Election of 1912



The Candidate: William
Taft
Political Party: Republican
Details: Taft lost support
when disappointed
Republicans split to
support Theodore
Roosevelt
Roosevelt’s Back!




The Candidate: Theodore
Roosevelt
Political Party: Bull-Moose
Party
Details: TR formed the
Bull-Moose Party against
Taft
TR’s Platform was New
Nationalism, which said
REGULATE big business
Election of 1912



The Candidate:
Woodrow Wilson
Political Party:
Democratic
Details: Wilson’s
platform was New
Freedom, said to
DESTROY big business
(like monopolies/trusts),
not simply regulate
them





The Results:
Taft and
Roosevelt split
the Republican
vote (many voted
for the BullMoose Party)
Wilson won the
election with only
42% of the
popular vote
Election of 1912
Any elections like
this recently?
Wilson’s Reforms: Tariffs




Reform: Underwood
Tariff
What is was: law
that lowered tariffs
by 30%
What its purpose
was: Make foreign
goods more
competitive with
American goods
This would force
American business
to improve quality
Wilson’s Reforms: The Income
Tax




Reform: 16th Amendment
What it was: created the income tax
What its purpose was: the income tax
provided the federal government with
funding it had lost from the Underwood
Tariff
16th Amendment
Wilson’s Reforms: The Fed
Reform: Federal Reserve
Act
What it was: created the
Federal Reserve (the
Fed)
What its purpose was:
control interests rates
that banks changed, kept
the economy stable and
helped avoid economic
depressions
The Fed
Wilson’s Reforms: Business




Reform: Federal Trade
Commission (FTC)
What is was: agency to
regulate business
What its purpose was: could
make “cease and desist”
orders to companies with
unfair business practices that
hurt competition
The FTC
Wilson’s Reforms: Strengthening
Antitrust Laws




Reform: Clayton
Antitrust Act
What it was: law to
break up trusts
What its purpose was:
fix the weaknesses
(loopholes, too vague)
of the Sherman
Antitrust Act
According to the
cartoon, what was the
problem with previous
antitrust laws?
Wilson’s
Reforms:
Labor



Reform: Keating-Owen Child Labor Act
What it was: law against child labor
What its purpose was: prohibited factories from
hiring children under age 14 (only factories who
traded between states, why?)
Wilson’s Reforms: The
Workday



Reform:
Adamson Act
What is was: law
concerning work
hours
What its purpose
was: limited the
workday for
railroad workers
to 8 hours a day
Wilson’s Reforms: Helping
Farmers



Reform: Federal Farm Loan Act
What is was: law to help farmers
What its purpose was: provided low interest
rates for farmers
Progressivism’s Legacy:
Successes
The government passed laws to
PROTECT workers and regulate business
 Americans now EXPECTED the federal
government to play an active role in
regulating the economy and social
programs

Progressivism’s Legacy: Failures


The Progressive Era
did not address racial
or religious
discrimination
However, blacks
began to absorb the
“reform spirit” and
push for changes
Progressivism’s Legacy



Limits of
Progressivism
In 1909, the NAACP
(National Association
for the Advancement
of Colored People)
was founded
Two of the major
founders were Jane
Addams and W.E.B.
Du Bois
Progressive Era Players Activity
For each picture, decide who is
represented and describe the picture. (list
of people, not all used, is on second page)
 Next, from the “details” list on the second
page, copy down each detail that applies
to the person represented by the picture
