introduction to American History
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1104_AmericanHistoryComb_9e_20.pptxChapter 20: The Forging of Modern Government
Introduction to American History Combined
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Learning Objectives
Describe the background, ascendancy, and succession to the Presidency of Theodore Roosevelt.
Describe the major social problems facing the United States.
Discuss the progressive agenda for reform.
Evaluate the successes and failures of the reform agenda.
Describe the influence of Theodore Roosevelt on the presidency.
Introduction to American History Combined
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Learning Objectives (Continued)
Understand Theodore Roosevelt’s program of New Nationalism.
Discuss the problems of the labor movement.
Explain the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire and its impact.
Discuss the background and characteristics of Woodrow Wilson.
Evaluate Woodrow Wilson’s influence on the presidency.
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20.1a Enter Theodore Roosevelt
Republicans had not planned on a Roosevelt presidency.
William McKinley was assassinated September 1901.
Theodore (Teddy) Roosevelt became president.
Mark Hanna, Republican Party strategist, opposed Roosevelt.
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20.1b Presidential Initiative
Presidential initiative
President Roosevelt invoked the Sherman Antitrust Act.
It went against the Northern Securities Company, a railroad holding company.
In 1903, Supreme Court ordered the company dissolved.
Roosevelt invited coal miner’s union and owners to White House to settle a strike.
He was ready to send out the army to seize the mines.
His actions showed Roosevelt’s independence from big business.
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20.2a The New Consensus
Roosevelt reelected on the “square deal.”
Many Progressive reforms came from the Populist program
Populism failed because it was a rural protest.
It was “progressive” because it brought in a civic-minded middle class.
Progressives divided between a business/farmer wing and the social reformers interested in helping the poor.
Progressive “Bull Moose” Party formed around President Theodore Roosevelt.
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20.2b Social Problems
Progressives saw American society as plagued with problems.
Poverty, injustice, and corruption were abundant.
One percent of families owned 7/8 of all the wealth.
Ten million lived in absolute poverty.
Two million children were working.
Industrial accidents killed 25,000 workers a year.
No pension system and no compensation for injury or death were available.
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20.2c The Power of Business
Two-fifths of all companies were monopolies (or close to it).
Six banks controlled 95 percent of railroads.
Consolidation based on fear of competition.
Business interests fought against unions and social reform, such as minimum wages, child labor laws, and factory inspection.
They fought for low taxes, which meant an impoverished education system.
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20.2d Stranglehold on Government
Small and big business were the biggest threat to democracy.
Republicans believed that national welfare depended on cooperation between business and government.
Roosevelt’s attack on Northern Securities was a great symbolic act.
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20.3a Origins of Urban Reform
Great hardships of 1893 depression sparked reform.
1894-1897: Municipal reform candidates competed across the country.
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20.3b State Reforms
State reforms
New York
Governor T. Roosevelt pushed through a corporation tax and factory inspection.
Business interests promoted Roosevelt for vice president to get him out of the state.
Robert La Follette’s plan was the “Wisconsin Idea.”
Direct primary
Initiative, referendum, recall
States imposed inheritance, corporation and graduated income taxes.
Workmen’s compensation, ten-hour days, aid to children, more money for education—all were promoted.
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20.4a The Party Structure
Key to conservative domination of Congress was malapportionment in the states.
Voter turnout was down, especially among workers and farmers (reflected alienation).
State legislatures that were dominated by rural and business interests elected senators.
Democrats controlled by Southern conservatives.
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20.4b Railroad Regulation
Roosevelt’s first major achievement was the Hepburn Act.
Hepburn Act
Strengthened ICC, giving it more power over rates
Added oil pipelines, sleeping-cars to oversight
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20.4c Public Health Controls
Food industries showed a disregard for the public’s health.
Pure Food and Drug Act (1906)
Meat Inspection Amendment (1906)
Federal regulation needed to safeguard people’s health.
Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle influenced the regulation.
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20.4d For Generations Yet Unborn
Roosevelt was in a struggle to control and develop the nation’s natural resources.
Natural resources belong to a people as a whole.
Enlightened ideas directed development of Forest Service (Gifford Pinchot).
Enemies of TR said his programs were destroying states’ right.
He doubled the number of national parks.
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20.4e Variations in Antitrust Policy
Taft intensified the pace of actions against trusts.
In 1911, Supreme Court established the rule of reason: Bigness itself was no crime.
TR made distinction between “good” trusts and “bad” trusts and called for more regulation,
Taft viewed all trusts as illegal under the Sherman Act.
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20.4f Trouble on the Labor Front
Labor made modest gains during the Progressive Era, mostly at the state level.
Government gave no support to unions.
Labor failed to organize basic industries.
National Association of Manufacturers bitterly fought unions.
Most judges cared more for property than human rights and thus issued injunctions.
Industrial Worker’s of the World formed in 1905.
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20.4g The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire
In one of the largest industrial disasters in US history, many died in the garment factory fire (146).
Stairway doors were locked.
The fire escape collapsed, and dozens leaped to their deaths as witnesses watched.
Fire spawned the ILGWU and American Society of Safety Engineers.
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20.4h Forecasts of the Welfare State
Despite opposition, executive power continued to expand under Roosevelt.
During TR’s two years as president, Congress gave him nothing.
Supreme Court ruled a maximum-hours law unconstitutional (Lochner v. New York, 1905).
Roosevelt’s message to Congress on January 31, 1908
He called for stringent regulation of business.
TR upbraided “decent citizens” for permitting “those rich men whose lives are evil and corrupt” to control the nation’s destiny.
Editors, lawyers, and politicians had been brought by corporations and were “puppets who move as the strings are pulled.”
Roosevelt lost support of conservatives and did not run in 1904.
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20.5a Taft’s Background
Taft was not as much of an activist president as Roosevelt.
TR’s chosen successor and backed by business
Taft lacked political boldness and energy.
He suffered from obesity and defeated William Jennings Bryan in “fattest election.”
Roosevelt was beloved with “Teddy Bears,” whereas Taft was disparaged for needing an oversized bathtub.
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20.5b The Tariff Fiasco
Midwesterners blamed rising prices on the Dingley Tariff .
Taft said he would lower tariffs, but “old guard” Republicans raised them instead.
Taft accepted a compromise that led to little change, which offended progressive Republicans.
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20.5c The Rise of Insurgency
Taft was besieged by problems.
Progressive Republicans in the House, led by George W. Norris, stripped dictatorial speaker Joseph Cannon of control over legislation.
The Ballinger-Pinchot fight in the Interior Department further split the party.
Taft supported anti-conservationist Ballinger.
Lewis Glavis provided evidence that Ballinger illegally released federal land for exploitation.
Taft disagreed with Glavis.
Gifford Pinchot leaked the Ballinger affair to the press.
Taft fired Pinchot, angering Roosevelt and his supporters.
Taft did not grasp concept of planned development.
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20.5d Roosevelt Challenged Taft
Roosevelt was dismayed by Taft’s repudiation of Progressive policies.
Roosevelt called for “New Nationalism” in his 1910 speech.
TR put the nation before sectional or personal interests.
Human welfare had priority over rights of property.
Taft attempted to pacify progressives with vigorous trust-busting.
The GOP lost 58 House seats and 10 in the Senate.
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20.5e The “Bull Moose” Party
Republicans refused to nominated Roosevelt.
He formed the Progressive (“Bull Moose”) Party.
The 1912 election was essentially a contest between Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson, as Taft made little effort to campaign.
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20.5f Ironies of American Socialism
The 1912 election drew largest Socialist vote up to that time.
Eugene Debs headed the ticket.
Debs generally supported Progressive-type programs.
There wasn’t a huge difference between Socialists and Progressives.
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20.6a Wilson’s Background
Had strong moral and religious convictions
Was a Southerner by birth and son of Presbyterian minister and inflexible moralist
Earned PhD from Johns Hopkins
Became president of Princeton University and then Reform governor of New Jersey
Courted second wife, Edith Gault, while in office
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20.6b The New Freedom Program
Wilson’s program was known as the “New Freedom.”
New Freedom programs: No group should get special privileges.
It advocated regulated competition and turn of social programs over to states.
It also reduced tariffs; enforced antitrust laws; reduced power of Wall Street
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20.6c Tariff and Banking Reform
Wilson hoped to destroy special privilege for industry.
Underwood Tariff was the first substantial tariff reduction since Civil War.
Federal Reserve Act was adopted in December 1913.
Clayton Antitrust Bill
Federal Trade Commission Act
Wilson opposed women’s suffrage based on states’ rights.
Louis Brandeis appointed to Supreme Court
Child labor bill struck down in Hammer v. Dagenhart
Adamson bill
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20.6d Moving Toward the New Nationalism
Progressive movement had too much momentum to be halted by presidential indifference.
Clayton Antitrust Act prohibited certain activities in violation of fair trade.
Federal Trade Commission was given the authority to prosecute business for unfair trade practices.
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20.6e “We Are Also Progressives”
Wilson became more progressive.
He appointed Lewis Brandeis, who was known as the “people’s lawyer” to the Supreme Court.
He supported pro-labor legislation.
Wilson’s bill banning child labor was struck down by the Supreme Court in Hammer v. Dagenhart.
Adamson Bill established an 8-hour day for railroad workers.
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20.6f Politics and Blacks
For African Americans, Progressivism was more an illusion than a reality.
Roosevelt was moderately sympathetic to blacks and spoke out against lynching and peonage.
Roosevelt dined with Booker T. Washington amid criticism.
Race riots occurred in 1906 (Atlanta) and 1908 (Springfield, IL).
TR appointed blacks to federal offices in the South.
Brownsville incident led to discharge of three companies of black soldiers.
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20.6f Politics and Blacks (Continued)
Taft offered no help for blacks.
Wilson segregated federal offices.
NAACP founded in 1909.
National Urban League founded in 1911.
Supreme Court overturned “Grandfather Clause” in Oklahoma.
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20.6g The Progressive Era in Retrospect
The best hopes of reformers were not achieved.
Distribution of wealth did not change.
Farmers continued to have trouble.
There was no social security or unemployment insurance and no medical care or legal service.
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