Roosevelt and Progressivism
The Rise of Progressivism
• The rapid growth of cities and industries in the U.S. at the turn of
the century brought many problems – poverty, slums, and poor
conditions in the factories.
• To attack these problems, individuals organized a number of reform
movements.
The Rise of Progressivism
The Rise of Progressivism
• These individuals became known as reformers and they were
mostly native born and lower middle class.
• They could be found in either political party. Their reform
movements came to be grouped under the label of progressivism.
The Rise of Progressivism
• About 1900, a new group of writers began to expose corruption in
American society.
• They were called muckrakers.
• These muckrakers created a public demand for reform.
The Rise of Progressivism
• The progressive reformers shared at least one of the three basic
goals:
1. Reform government and expand democracy.
2. Promote social welfare.
3. Create economic reform.
Reforming Government and Expanding Democracy
• In the late 19th century, elected officials often handed out
government jobs and contracts.
• In return, they won political support. This practice is called
patronage.
Reforming Government and Expanding Democracy
• To combat this practice, the U.S. Congress passed legislation which
required individuals to take a civil service exam for certain
government jobs.
• The law also prevented elected officials from firing civil service
workers for political reason.
Reforming Government and Expanding Democracy
• There were four reforms proposed by Progressives at the start of
the 20th century. These reforms include:
1. Direct Primary – Voters, rather than Party Conventions , chose
candidates to run for Public Office.
2. Initiative – This reform allowed voters to propose a law directly.
3. Referendum – A proposed law was submitted to the vote of the
people.
4. Recall – This allowed people to vote an official out of office.
Promoting Social Welfare
• This goal addressed such problems as poverty, unemployment, and
poor working conditions.
• Leaders in these movements promoted many social-welfare
reforms.
• Progressive reformers pushed for minimum wage laws and limits on
women’s working hours.
Promoting Social Welfare
• Another group of reformers who wanted to improve social welfare
were the prohibitionists.
• They worked to prevent alcohol from ruining people’s lives.
Creating Economic Reform
• The third progressive goal was to create economic reform. This
meant limiting the power of big business and regulating its
activities.
• By the late 1800’s, business leaders in some major industries had
formed trusts.
• This is a combination of businesses who work together to cut prices
and squeeze out competitors.
Creating Economic Reform
• This is a combination of businesses who work together to cut prices
and squeeze out competitors.
• Then the trusts would raise prices and make larger profits.
Creating Economic Reform
• The Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890 made it illegal for corporations
to gain control of industries by forming trusts.
• However, the POTUS did not enforce the law at first. Enforcement
required a strong POTUS.
Roosevelt and the Square Deal
• Teddy Roosevelt – the first progressive POTUS – provided this
strength and leadership.
• He came to be POTUS by accidently. In 1898, Roosevelt returned
from the Spanish American War a war hero and was elected
governor of New York.
Roosevelt and the Square Deal
• Teddy Roosevelt – the first progressive POTUS – provided this
strength and leadership.
• He came to be POTUS by accidently. In 1898, Roosevelt returned
from the Spanish American War a war hero and was elected
governor of New York.
Roosevelt and the Square Deal
• In 1900, Roosevelt ran on the GOP ticket as President McKinley’s
VPOTUS.
• President McKinley was assassinated 6 months after his
inauguration. At age 42, Teddy Roosevelt became the youngest
President ever in American history.
Roosevelt and the Square Deal
• Teddy Roosevelt brought his boundless energy to the office.
• As POTUS, Teddy was often seen at the White House playing with
his six children playing in the yard.
• Americans loved Teddy’s zest for living and it caused the people to
support his reforms.
Roosevelt and the Square Deal
• Roosevelt began his reforms with an effort to break up the
corporate trusts.
• He thought industries should be regulate for the public interest.
Roosevelt and the Square Deal
• Roosevelt saw the government as an umpire. It’s purpose was to
ensure fairness, or a “square deal” for workers, consumers, or big
business.
• To root out “crookedness”, Roosevelt used the Sherman Anti-Trust
Act to break up the trusts and monopolies that existed in the
nation.
Roosevelt and the Square Deal
• At the end of 1901, the nation’s railroads were run by a handful of
companies and the power of the railroads continued to grow.
• Roosevelt busted up the railroad trust in addition to the Standard
Oil Company and tobacco trust.
• In all, the government tried to break up 44 different trust during
Roosevelt’s presidency.
Roosevelt leads Progressive Reforms
• As president, Roosevelt had a great deal of power to push
progressive ideas.
• To make such ideas into law, Teddy caused the voters to put
pressure on their representatives and senators to pass the laws that
changed America.
Roosevelt leads Progressive Reforms
• Roosevelt acted to regulate the meat-packing industry after reading
the novel “The Jungle”.
• The novel described a packing plant in which dead rats end up in the
sausage. The author focused attention on the poor sanitary
conditions by which the meat-packers workerd.
Roosevelt leads Progressive Reforms
• Roosevelt launched an investigation of the meat-packing industry. In
1906, he signed the Meat Inspection Act.
• This act created a government meat inspection program.
• He also signed a law that banned the sale of impure foods and
medicines.
Roosevelt leads Progressive Reforms
• While Roosevelt tried to win a square deal for most Americans, he
did not push for civil rights for African-Americans.
• He believed that discrimination was morally wrong.
• However, he did not take the political risk of leading a fight for civil
rights.
Taft and Wilson as Progressives
Progressive reforms continued under President William Howard Taft and President Woodrow
Wilson. Constitutional amendments passed during this time continue to affect Americans today.
Taft and Progressivism
• In the 1908 election, William Howard Taft was elected POTUS
because he was President Roosevelt’s handpicked successor after
his 8 years as POTUS.
• Roosevelt's popularity swayed many people to vote for Taft, who
promised to follow Roosevelt’s progressive policies.
Taft and Progressivism
• President Taft continued Roosevelt’s attack on trusts.
• During his four years in office, Taft purposed almost twice as many
antitrust suits as Roosevelt had in nearly eight years in office.
Taft and Progressivism
• Taft received less credit for his progressivism because he aligned
himself with conservative republicans than progressive republicans.
• Nevertheless, Taft moved forward with progressive reforms and two
of the major progressive achievements under Taft were
constitutional amendments.
Two Progressive Amendments
• The Sixteenth Amendment (16th) was passed in 1909 and ratified in
1913.
• It gave Congress the power to create income taxes.
• The U.S. Constitution did not allow direct taxes on an individuals
income.
Two Progressive Amendments
• This amendment was intended to provide a means of spreading the
cost of running the government among more people.
• The income tax soon became the main source of federal revenue.
Two Progressive Amendments
• The Seventeenth Amendment (17th) was ratified in 1913.
• It provided for the direct election of U.S. senators by voters in each
state.
• Formerly, state legislatures had chosen their U.S. senators.
Two Progressive Amendments
• Under this system, many senators obtained their positions through
corrupt bargains.
• The Seventeenth Amendment (17th) gave people a more direct voice
in the government.
The Election of 1912
• Taft achieved a number of progressive reforms.
• However, a deep split developed between him and progressive
leaders in the Republican party because he was NOT progressive
enough.
The Election of 1912
• However, many progressive Republicans supported former President
Teddy Roosevelt.
• He had entered the race and formed the Progressive Party, also
known as the Bull Moose Party.
• With the Republicans deeply divided, Woodrow Wilson (A
Democrat) won the election of 1912.
The Wilson Presidency
• As president, Wilson established a progressive record. Wilson
believed that “bigness” itself was dangerous.
• Wilson believed the government must use its powers to break up
monopoles – groups that sought complete control over an industry.
• He also wanted the government to help workers in their struggles
against business owners.
The Wilson Presidency
• At Wilson’s urging, the Congress passed the Clayton Antitrust Act of
1914.
• The new law laid down rules for bidding, business practices that
lesson competition.
• A business, for example, could no longer buy the stock of a
competitor.
The Wilson Presidency
• The government also had more power to regulate trusts.
• The new antitrust act was also pro-labor:
1. It said labor unions could merge and expand.
2. It limited the ability of the Courts to force workers to end strikes.
3. It legalized labor tactics such as strikes, picketing, and boycotts.
The Wilson Presidency
• During Wilson’s two terms, reforms to the nation’s financial system
occurred.
• In 1913, the Federal Reserve Act was passed. This improved the
nation’s monetary and banking system.
• The Federal Reserve Act created a more flexible currency system by
allowing the banks to control the money supply.
The Wilson Presidency
• Wilson did no more to advance civil rights for African-Americans
than Roosevelt did.
• In fact, Wilson approved segregation, or separation, of AfricanAmerican and white employees in the federal government.
• Throughout the Progressive Era, President’s Roosevelt, Taft, and
Wilson did not promote civil rights for African-Americans.
The Eighteenth Amendment
th
(18 )
• Another amendment passed during the Progressive Era – it was
called the Prohibition Amendment.
• During Wilson’s administration, supporters of prohibition started to
gain strength.
• Reformers thought an alcohol ban would reduce poverty because
they believed alcohol led to unemployment and violence.
The Eighteenth Amendment
th
(18 )
• Finally, in 1917, Congress passed a constitutional amendment that
banned the manufacture and sale of alcoholic beverages – the 18th
amendment.
• The states ratified the 18th amendment to the U.S. Constitution in
1919.
Women Win New Rights
Women became leaders in social reform movements and won the right to vote during the
Progressive Era. Today, American women enjoy the right to vote because of the women reformers
in the Progressive Era