American History Chapter 16-4
Taft and Wilson
Election of 1908
• Rep. William Taft v. Dem. William Bryan.
• Taft won easily with support from Pres. Roosevelt.
– Passed the 16th Amendment: Power of Congress to levy taxes
based on an individual’s income.
Republican Party Splits
• Taft lost support of the Progressive Republicans:
– Signed the Payne-Aldrich Tariff bill, raising tariffs.
– Fired Forest Service chief Gifford Pinchot, causing
Roosevelt to withdraw his support of Taft.
• Election of 1912:
– Rep. Party chose Taft as their candidate.
– Progressive rep. chose Roosevelt. (Bull Moose Party)
– Democrats chose Woodrow Wilson.
• Woodrow Wilson dominated & became the 28th
president of the United States.
1912 Election Results
President Wilson
• Promised New Freedom:
– Lower tariffs, bank reform, stronger antitrust laws.
• Underwood Tariff Act: Reduced tariffs & assessed a
graduated income tax.
• Federal Reserve Act: Created a 3-tier banking system.
– Fed. Reserve Board, appt. by the pres. to run the system.
– 12 Fed. Reserve banks to serve other banks.
– Private banks to serve the public.
• Clayton Antitrust Act: Specified illegal trusts & made
peaceful strikes & boycotts legal.
– FTC created to enforce the antitrust law & crack down on
deceptive advertising.
Federal Reserve System
Women Gain Suffrage
• National Women’s Party: Started in 1916 by Alice Paul.
– Pushed for an amendment to give women voting rights.
• Picketed the White House/ chained themselves to fences.
• Went on hunger strikes in jail.
• Organized marches & lobbied.
• 19th Amendment: Ratified in 1920 – gave women full
voting rights.
Progressive Movement
• Had limited impact on the rights of black Americans.
– Brownsville Incident: Pres. Roosevelt dishonorably
discharged 167 African American soldiers in 1906.
– Was not corrected until 1972.
• WWI would end the Progressive Era in the U.S.