BRAIN DRAIN: Complete the following graphic organizer with as many blurbs as you need. What political, social, and economic problems needed to be fixed? Who should fix them and why?
Directions: Complete a SOAP of your assigned President. Annotate (make notes/underline) as you read. When you are finished reading, complete the following organizer for your President. How did this Progressive President change the way people viewed the role of government in society? How did this Progressive President change the way people viewed the role of government in business? Teddy Roosevelt William Howard Taft Woodrow Wilson
Theodore Roosevelt (1901-1909) The Conservation Movement Theodore Roosevelt was the nation's 26th President and is considered by many to have been our country's "Conservationist President." While on a hunting trip, TR became increasingly alarmed by the damage that was being done to the land and its wildlife. Conservation increasingly became one of Roosevelt's main concerns. During his presidency, Theodore Roosevelt protected approximately 230,000,000 acres of public land. Over the course of his presidency he established 150 national forests and 5 national parks. The Department of Commerce and Labor One of Teddy Roosevelt s biggest aspects of the Square Deal had to do with breaking up trusts and monopolies. TR was appalled at the way business owners used ruthless methods to crush competition and exploit workers. But, he saw a difference between good trusts and bad trusts. Good trusts were fair and should be left alone. Bad ones took advantage of workers and eliminated competition. In 1904, TR convinced Congress to pass the Sherman Anti-Trust Act outlawing bad trust and monopolies. Beginning in the 1890's, Congressmen introduced bills (laws) to establish a new government agency called the Department of Commerce and Labor that would represent both business owners and the laborers. Samuel Gompers, labor union leader, demanded for the labor force s "direct representation in government so that workers and owners could both have legal rights and negotiate for the best working conditions and the best business conditions. When Theodore Roosevelt became President, he created a new cabinet member to address the needs of the Department of Commerce and Labor. President Roosevelt signed the Department of Commerce and Labor into a new government agency in February 1903 thus allowing workers to directly communicate their issues with the government, such as minimum wage or maximum working hours.
William Howard Taft (1909-1913) William Howard Taft became President in 1909 and took a different approach to the presidency. Taft supported many Progressive causes and broke up even more trusts than TR. In 1910, following a decade in which the number of coal mine deaths exceeded 2,000 per year, he even persuaded Congress to establish the Bureau of Mines to conduct research and to reduce accidents in the coal mining industry. Taft also established the Children s Bureau which was the first federal agency within the U.S. Government and in fact, the world to focus exclusively on improving the lives of children and families. Since its creation by President Taft in 1912, the bureau has tackled some of our nation s most pressing social issues, including: Infant and maternal death Child labor Orphanages Abused and neglected children Foster care Taft was instrumental in outlawing child labor. However, when it came to doing anything to further conservation, help minority groups such as African-Americans and women, and creating more policies to help workers he often fell short not wanting to upset anyone. In fact, Taft removed over 1 million acres of forest and mining lands from the reserved list and sold it to the public.
Woodrow Wilson (1913-1921) Attacking the Triple Wall of Privilege Woodrow Wilson wanted to bring about change and called this change the NEW FREEDOM. Wilson envisioned an ideal society of small, educated farmers and small businesspeople. Wilson tried to achieve this vision by attacked the TRIPLE WALL OF PRIVILEGE the tariff, the banks, and the trusts. 1. Tariffs (taxes) protected the large businessmen at the expense of small farmers who would have to pay the high tariff prices. Wilson signed the UNDERWOOD-SIMMONS ACT into law in 1913, which reduced tariff rates. 2. The banking system also hurt small farmers and small businessmen. Loans were too expensive. Wilson created Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to watch over businesses and make it easier for people to get loans. 3. Unlike Roosevelt, Wilson did not distinguish between "good" trusts and "bad" trusts. Any big business and any trust were bad in Wilson's eyes. The CLAYTON ANTITRUST ACT OF 1914 added to the Sherman Antitrust Act by specifically naming certain business tactics illegal. This same act also helped labor unions and declared strikes, boycotts, and peaceful picketing perfectly legal. Wilson was not necessarily against alcohol, but faced a lot of pressure from the temperance movement to ban the use of alcoholic beverages. People believed that alcohol was the reason for any problems in society. Frances Willard and Carrie Nation worked tirelessly for the Women s Christian Temperance Union to educate people about the evils of alcohol. In 1919, under President Wilson, the 18 th Amendment was ratified making alcohol illegal. Wilson was also strongly pressured by women to grant them suffrage (the right to vote). In 1920, President Wilson passed the 19 th amendment granting women the right to vote.