Name ___________________________
Page 65
What were the effects of progressivism in the national
government in the early 1900s? PART 1: THE FIRST PROGRESSIVE
PRESIDENT
Background:

_______________________________________________________ politician that
becomes McKinley’s Vice President

became _________________________ when ____________________ was
______________

first ______________ president; expands the __________ of _____________________
The 3 C’s of his _______________________________
1st = C

accepted ___________________________________, but attacked irresponsible
ones as the “________________________________________”

took on _________________________ with the _______________ Act and
_________________________ Act for fair _________________________

first president to ____________________ between owners and labor in the
_______________________________________________________
2nd = C

unchecked business created ____________________ for
________________________

after ________________________________, TR gets passed the:
 Pure __________ and __________ Act
 Meat ______________________________ Act
 __________ and __________ Administration (FDA)
3rd = C

expanded national ______________ and _____________________
Design a cartoon to show Teddy Roosevelt as a reformer. Pick one thing that he did to change
the country for the better and show a cartoon version of this.
 You may use a metaphor (i.e. showing TR as a wrestler and a railroad as his opponent) to
show what is happening. It may help to describe what he is doing in figurative language
(i.e. squeezing money out of the trusts, fighting the railroads, etc.)
 You may show an exaggeration of what TR did to emphasize its effects (i.e. showing TR
screaming fanatically at owners and workers in the Anthracite coal mine strike)
some examples we have seen:
The metaphor here is TR’s
trustbusting (he is in the window
overseeing this) represented as a
vice squeezing money out of the
trusts.
The metaphor here is TR’s supporting the
Elkins and Hepburn Acts represented by TR
wrestling the railroads.
category
0 points
1 point
2 points
3 points
shows no
subject understanding of
matter political concept
shows some
understanding of
political concept
mostly shows
understanding of
political concept
clearly shows
understanding of
political concept.
point of view is poorly
point of conveyed
view
point of view is
marginally conveyed
point of view is mostly
well conveyed
point of view is clearly
conveyed
Text and graphics are
somewhat legible.
Text and graphics are
mostly legible.
Text and graphics are
clearly legible.
visual
Text and graphics are
not legible.
Includes none of these: Includes one of these: Includes two of these: Includes all of these:
• TR
• TR
• TR
• TR
• one of the three C’s • one of the three C’s
necessary • one of the three C’s • one of the three C’s
(noted on back)
(noted on back)
(noted on back)
(noted on back)
parts
• result of the reform • result of the reform
• result of the reform
• result of the reform
(noted on back)
(noted on back)
(noted on back)
(noted on back)
Name ___________________________
Page 66
What were the effects of progressivism in the national
government in the early 1900s? PART 2: TAFT, 1912, AND WILSON
Sample:
#1: Theodore Roosevelt
Identify the main idea in the paragraph by underlining it (Remember, 75% of the time it is the first
sentence, 20% of the time it is the last sentence, and 5% of the time it is in the middle of the paragraph.)
Change the main idea into a question:
How did Theodore Roosevelt change America as a progressive president?
Now, the paragraph will answer this:
Theodore Roosevelt took many actions to change America as a progressive president. He
broke up irresponsible trusts, such as the Northern Securities Company. He also signed laws
such as the Pure Food and Drug Act to protect American consumers. Finally, he expanded
national forests to conserve our natural resources. Through these actions, he expanded the
role of the presidency.
Finally, answer the question from what you remember in the text. Try to give a general statement and
include any other information that you think is important.
Example: Teddy Roosevelt changed America through progressive reforms such as the Pure
Food and Drug Act.
Now, lets do one together:
#2: William Howard Taft
Identify the main idea of the paragraph by underlining it.
Change it into a question here:
William Howard Taft would anger Roosevelt as his handpicked successor. Teddy Roosevelt
decided that he would not run for president in 1908, but he did want to continue his progressive
reforms. His plan, however, would prove unsuccessful. He picked William Howard Taft, his
secretary of war, to succeed him in the office. Taft only wanted to be a judge and therefore was
a reluctant candidate, but his wife convinced him to accept the Republican nomination for
president. Due to Roosevelt’s popularity, Taft easily won the presidency in 1908 as Roosevelt’s
choice. Roosevelt expected Taft to continue his progressive reforms just like Roosevelt himself
would have. Instead, Taft proved to be more conservative (this means against change) and
strict obeying the wording of law than Roosevelt and his cautious approach separated him from
the progressive politicians of the time. Taft actually “busted” more trusts than Roosevelt and
supported the 16th Amendment that would tax the income of the rich; but, unlike Roosevelt, did
not only get rid of irresponsible ones. Despite a campaign promise to lower tariffs (taxes on
imports), he signed the Payne-Aldrich Tariff into law, which raised tariffs. This helped the
“robber barons” of the east by protecting American industry from foreign competition and
therefore allowing them to charge consumers more for their goods. The final straw for
Roosevelt was Taft’s firing of Gifford Pinchot, head of the Forest Service and a good friend of
Roosevelt’s. When Roosevelt returned from an African safari in 1900 and learned of these
things, he was very disappointed in Taft.
Answer the question from what you remember in the text (without looking):
Do this one in your groups.
The Election of 1912
Identify the main idea of the paragraph by underlining it.
Change it into a question here:
Roosevelt’s disappointment with Taft would lead to a Republican split in the 1912 election that
allowed Woodrow Wilson to become the next president of the United States. Roosevelt
returned from safari in Africa and quickly became the leader of the progressive Republicans,
while Taft was picked to lead the conservative Republicans. The Republicans officially
nominated Taft as their presidential candidate for 1912. Because of this, an angry Roosevelt
began his own party officially called the Progressive Party, but more commonly known as the
Bull Moose party because Roosevelt said that he felt “as fit as a bull moose.” The Bull Moose
party would be even more progressive than Roosevelt had been as president. Roosevelt
appealed to progressive Republicans with a platform he called New Nationalism, calling for
reforms such as women’s suffrage and a minimum wage. In the election, half of the
Republicans voted for Taft and the other half voted for Roosevelt. Meanwhile, all of the
Democrats voted for Woodrow Wilson, so he became the next progressive president.
Answer the question from what you remember in the text (without looking):
Do this one on your own.
#3: Woodrow Wilson
Identify the main idea of the paragraph by underlining it.
Change it into a question here:
Before the nation turned its attention away from progressive reforms and towards fighting World
War I, Woodrow Wilson continued to change America with his progressive reforms, collectively
called the New Freedom. Unlike Roosevelt, Wilson would have the support of Congress,
something that Roosevelt had to fight for during his presidency. This made reforms much
easier. Wilson saw tariffs as protecting unfair competition in business such as monopolies, and
therefore worked with Congress to lower tariffs. His greatest domestic achievement was getting
the Federal Reserve Act passed in Congress. This set up the Federal Reserve Board, a
national government agency to oversee monetary policy (such as determining how much
interest banks will charge you for a loan) and to supervise private banks to ensure legal and fair
operation. Now, the federal government controlled the financial policy of the U.S. instead of
private banks. Another important achievement was the Clayton Antitrust Act, which
strengthened the Sherman Antitrust Act, attacking the ways that businesses had found around
the law against trusts. Before Wilson had reached his ultimate goal of breaking up big business,
however, World War I erupted and turned his attention to foreign conflict instead of domestic
reform.
Answer the question from what you remember in the text (without looking):
Name ___________________________
Page 67
What were the effects of progressivism in the national
government in the early 1900s? PART 2: TAFT, 1912, AND WILSON
Instructions: Use what you already know about the progressive presidents to explain the
following political cartoons in complete sentences below or to the right of each.