THE PRESIDENTS OF THE PROGRESSIVE ERA

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THE PRESIDENTS OF THE PROGRESSIVE ERA

• From New York
• Cowboy
• Rough Rider during Spanish American War
• NY State Assemblyman
• Police Commissioner of NYC
• Governor of NY
• VP for McKinley

Theodore Roosevelt 1901-1909
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William Howard Taft(1909 1913)

• Never held elected office until he was President
• Served as a Judge
• Was Governor of the Philippines during US
  occupation (appointed)
• Later served as Chief Justice of the US Supreme
  Court

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Woodrow Wilson(1913 1921)

• From Virginia
• History Professor
• President of Princeton University
• Governor of New Jersey

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Eugene V. Debs (1855-1926)

• Born in Terre Haute, Indiana
• Immigrant parents
• Age 14 painted RR cars 50 cents/day
• Formed American Railway Union (1893)
• 1893 - Jailed for Debs Revolution sympathy
  protest of Pullman RR Strike (ignore court order)
• 1918(-1920) convicted under Espionage Act for
  criticizing the war
• Ran for President of the USA 5 times for
  Socialist Party
• 1920 Election won 3.5 of vote while in GA prison!

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Campaign Ideas Conservative Old Guard - Status quo New Freedom ? tariff Break up monopolies Restore competition Banking reform New Nationalism ? tariff Regulate trusts Govt action to help people womens vote workers comp child labor laws End capitalism System too corrupt Need new system based controlled by working class.
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Popular /Electoral College Votes

• REPUBLICAN
• 3,486,333 8 electors
• DEMOCRATIC
• 6,293,152 435 electors
• BULL MOOSE
• 4,119,207 88 electors
• SOCIALIST
• 900,369 0 electors

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Results
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Importance of the Election of 1912

• Presence of third party effected outcome of
  race
• TR ran the role of spoiler (If TR couldnt win,
  neither would Taft)
• Split in Republican party enabled Democratic
  candidate to win
• Ends 16 year control of White House for
  Republicans

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Actions on CONSERVATION
WW

• Antiquities Act of June 8, 1906 allows
  President to proclaim historic landmark status to
  preserve areas, monuments, etc.
• Made conservation a primary concern for federal
  government

• Set up the National Parks Service

• Removed 1 million acres of forest land from
  reserved list to allow for development
• Accused of letting commercial interests exploit
  natural resources
• His Sec. of the Interior Ballinger opened public
  lands in Alaska for private development

TR
WHT
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Controversy concerning environmental programs

• Conservation to use and manage the nations
  resources WISELY
• Gifford Pinchot

• Preservation to leave the resources in the
  natural state let nature take its course
• John Muir (founder of the Sierra Club)

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Actions on Labor

• In response to The Jungle, set up commission to
  investigate meatpacking industry
• Pushed for the passage of the Meat Inspection Act
  and the Pure Food and Drug Act

• Keating Owen Act child labor laws
• Safety Standards for maritime workers
• 8 hour day for Interstate railroad workers

WW
TR

• Payne-Aldrich Tariff Act ultimately raised the
  tariff

WHT
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Actions on Discrimination

• Established idea that Federal Government is
  responsible for well-being of the nation
• Failed to support Civil Rights reforms
• Did appoint African Americans to federal offices
• Invited Booker T. Washington to the White House
  for dinner

• Women gained the right to vote with the passage
  of the 19th amendment
• Retreated on Civil Rights
• Opposed federal anti-lynching laws
• Segregated federal offices and Capitol

WW
TR

• Did little to advance Civil Rights and equality

WHT
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Actions on Trusts

• Promised a New Freedom which would limit big
  business and big government, bring reform by
  ending corruption and revive competition by
  supporting small business

• More conservative approach to reform,
  BUTActually broke up more trusts than TR did

WHT
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• Promised a New Nationalism and Square Deal
  for Americans with more government regulation of
  business unions

TR