Wilson’s New Freedom
Chapter 17, section 5
Woodrow Wilson
• Grew up in the South during and after the Civil
War
• Was the son of a Presbyterian minister; had a
strict moral upbringing
• Tapped by the Democratic political machine to
run for governor of New Jersey
• He turned against the machine ASAP!
New Legislation
• Clayton Antitrust Act
▫ Passed in 1914
▫ Declared certain business practices illegal
 No more monopolies
 Unions were OK
• Federal Trade Act of 1914
▫ Created the Federal Trade Commission
▫ Ended unfair business practices
More Policies
• Wilson lowered tariffs
• The 16th Amendment added a federal income tax
to replace the lost income
• The Federal Reserve System
▫ New money could be issued without the gold
backing
▫ Saved banks from closing and protected people’s
money
Woman Suffrage
• Local groups were on the
rise
• Were inspired by British
suffrage
• The National American
Woman Suffrage
Association and its
president Carrie Chapman
Catt were on the rise
• The 19th Amendment was
passed in 1919 giving all
women the right to vote!
Limits to Wilson’s Progressivism
• He opposed a federal child labor law
• He opposed anti-lynching legislation
• He didn’t fight segregation and it actually
increased during his presidency
Quick Questions….
1. In what region did Wilson grow up?
▫ The South
2. What practices did the Clayton Antitrust Act deem
illegal?
▫ Monopolies and Anti-union Legislation
3. Which Amendment created the federal income tax?
▫ 16th
4. Which Amendment gave women the right to vote?
▫ 19th
5. How was Wilson’s progressivism limited?
▫ Anti-kids and hated African Americans,