-Temperance Movement-18th Amendment
The Temperance Movement took place in the late 19th century and early 20th century. It was a push to get rid of alcohol in the US. This led to the 18th Amendment, banning the transportation, creation, but not the consumption of "the devil's drink". The 21st Amendment repealed the 18th Amendment in 1933.
-Muckrakers-Upton Sinclair, Ida Tarbell, Lincoln Steffens
The muckrakers were journalists who would expose crime. They often tried to give solutions to the problems that they exposed. Theodore Roosevelt coined the term muckrakers. Upton Sinclair exposed the meat packing plants, he put this into a book titled The Jungle. Ida Tarbell wrote about the Standard Oil Company and Johnny Rockefeller and all of their wrongdoings. This eventually lead to the formation of anti-trusts. Lincoln Steffens looked into corruption in state and city governments in the US.
-Laws making the workplace better, safer, etc
Workers compensation, 8 hour work days, fair pay/minimum wage, child labor laws, labor unions, quality of products, and health laws.
-Direct Election of US Senators-17th Amendment
Before the Direct of Election of US Senators, the state legislatures chose the representatives for each state, this lead to the state choosing whoever they wanted, which led to corruption. After the 17th Amendment was passed the common people could vote for who they wanted.
-Women's Suffrage Movement-19th Amendment
The 19th Amendment gave women the right to vote. Women had to work for a long time to get this right. Susan B. Anthony was a big supporter of the Women's Suffrage Movement, along with Elizabeth Stanton.
-Teddy Roosevelt's Background
Theodore Roosevelt Jr. was born October 27, 1858 in New York City. He came from a wealthy family. his first wife died during childbirth, he remarried and had five children. Moved to the Dakota territory and started a ranch, two years later he returned to New York and got into politics. In 1899 he volunteered to fight in the Spanish-American War, he formed the "Rough Riders" He became President after the assassination of William McKinley. He was president from 1901-1909. At age 60 he died of coronary thrombosis on January 6, 1919.
-Teddy Roosevelt's Domestic Presidential Accomplishments/Issues:
1. Square Deal
The square deal was the campaign platform of Theodore Roosevelt It had three big ideas: conservation of natural resources, control of corporations, and consumer protection. Teddy was considered the first "green" president. His square deal helped to bring about better food quality and national parks.
2. Breaking up strikes
The biggest strike that Teddy broke up was the mine strike of 1907. He sent in the army to make sure that everything was under control. He was the first president to really support and listen to the common people. This made him one of the most popular presidents ever.
3. Breaking up trusts-trustbuster
Roosevelt was nicknamed "The Trustbuster" because he started to break up the 300 monopolies. He broke up a total of 30 monopolies, most of them were railroad monopolies. He was also the first president to start breaking up the bad monopolies.
4. Regulating railroads-Elkins Act, Hepburn Act
The Elkins Act helped to lower the prices that railroads charged. It got rid of the free passes that were given out by the railroads to the monopolies of the time. The Hepburn Act came from William Hepburn, who lived in Iowa, It improved the safety and efficiency of the railroads. Both of these acts allowed the Federal Government to fight back against corruption within the railroads.
5. Pure Food and Drug Act
Passed in 1906, it forced companies to put labels on their products, telling consumers what exactly what was in the things that they were buying. They could not be misleading, they had to be 100% true. This helped to get rid of addictive drugs from foodstuffs and medicine.
6. Meat Inspection Act
Upton Sinclair's book The Jungle lead to the Meat Inspection Act to pass in 1906. President Theodore Roosevelt toured the Chicago Meat Packing Plant multiple times from 1904-1906. The act states that meat must be properly and truthfully labeled.
7. Conservation-Transfer Act, Antiquities Act
The Conservation-Transfer Act moved the responsibilities of national parks from the Department of the Interior to the Department of Agriculture. It also set up the park rangers to care for all national parks. The Antiquities Act was used to keep people off of government owned land. This lead to the creation of many of today's national parks.
8. Newlands Reclamation Act
The Newlands Reclamation Act helped to irrigate many arid states in the Southwest, so more crops could be grown. It also set aside money for public places in these lands. It increased the US's food production. This affected 13 states.
9. Gentleman's Agreement
The Gentleman's Agreement helped to strengthen relations between the United States and Japan to stop racism against Japanese and to slow the rate of immigrants from Japan. Both sides eventually agreed on these terms and it worked until the outbreak of World War II.
10. Federal Employers Liability Act
This Act dealt with railroad workers. Essentially it was worker's compensation for railroad workers who were hurt on the job. This lead to other businesses implementing their own form of worker's compensation. This was the first act of this type passed by the Federal Government.
11. Policy toward African-Americans
President Theodore Roosevelt was not predujiced toward African-Americans, he was one of the first presidents to respect and be respected by African-Americans. Although, he did not do anything to stop other people from acting against African-Americans. Part of the reason that he did not help them was because he wanted to make sure that other laws he created would be judged fairly by Congress.
-William Howard Taft's Background
William Howard Taft was born September 18, 1857. He was born to a wealthy family in Ohio, he went to Yale University. His health deteriorated severely after he became Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, and he died on March 8, 1930. He also served as the American Governor of Cuba, the Secretary of War the US Solicitor General, and The Governor-General of the Philippines. William Taft was also an avid golfer. After his presidency he lost over 80 pounds and explored the Alaska Territory. He is the last president to sport facial hair while in office.
-William Howard Taft's Domestic Presidential Accomplishments/Issues:
1. Payne-Aldrich Tariff
The Payne-Aldrich Tariff for the most part kept tariffs the same but lowered some and raised others. This caused people from each side of the spectrum to dislike Taft. This helped to lead to him not winning the reelection.
2. Ballinger/Pinchot Land Dispute
Taft allowed Government Land to be given away by Pinchot to big businesses. This enraged Theodore Roosevelt a lot and the progressives retracted their backing of Taft. Ballinger was the person who was pro conservation, he tried to reverse Taft's decision.
3. Breaking up trusts
Taft broke up 80-90 trusts. He is the President that has broken the most trusts. He broke up both good and bad trust, and in a way he bent the laws on the trusts.
4. Income Tax-16th Amendment
This act was adopted in 1913 right before the inauguration of Woodrow Wilson. The 16th Amendment imposed an income tax on the US population and the government could not change the rate of the tax based on the population of each particular state. At the time it was not a graduated income tax, at this time it is.
5. Policy towards African-Americans
Taft is usually not considered racist but like Roosevelt he did not enforce the laws. But he did help set up the NAACP. He did help out Booker T. Washington and helped to abolish the grandfather clause.
-1912 Presidential Election
1. Democratic candidate and platform
The democratic candidate was Woodrow Wilson, his platform called for reduced tariffs, federal income tax, women's suffrage, prohibition, stronger anti-trust laws, and currency reform. He won the election because the Republican vote was split between Taft and Wilson.
2. Republican candidate and platform
William Howard Taft was the Republican candidate, his platform was reduced tariffs, make the navy larger, pass child labor laws, and breaking up trusts. He was not liked very much by the American public and the Government. This ultimately led to him only getting third in the election, the only former president to do so.
3. Progressive(Bull Moose) Party and platform
The Progressive candidate was Theodore Roosevelt. He wanted to regulate monopolies, set minimum wage standards, conservation, 8 hour work days, national highway system, and a reduced tariff. TR originally tried to become the Republican candidate, but the party thought that he was too progressive.
4. Socialist candiate and platform
Eugene V Debs was the Socialist candidate. He wanted 8 hour work days, child labor laws, one presidential term limit, women's suffrage, and reduced tariff. He only received about one million votes.
5. Results and why Wilson won
Wilson won the election, although he lost the popular vote. Part of the reason that he won the electoral vote is because the Republican vote was split between Taft and Roosevelt.
-Woodrow Wilson's Background
MY TOPIC
-Woodrow Wilson's Domestic Presidential Accomplishments/Issues:
1. Clayton Anti-Trust Act
The Clayton Anti-Trust Act strengthened the Sherman Act. This act also was the first time that the Government allowed labor unions exist. It also said that you could not be fired for striking or being in a labor union.
2. Federal Trade Commission Act/Commission
The FTC helped to regulate monopolies. It is run by a board of 5 with a maximum of 3 from one party. It helped consumers by regulating companies/businesses. They have the right to break up a business or sue them for damages. Businesses also have to ask permission
3. Federal Farm Loan Act
In 1916 the government gave out more credit/loans to rural farmers. This helped farmers get better equipment and land so they could farm more.
4. Underwood Tariff
The Underwood Tariff act was passed in 1913 by Woodrow Wilson. The act reinstated income tax and it affected goods imported by lowering the tariff from about 40% to 25%. This reduction helped consumers by lowering prices for imported goods and promoted competition between businesses.
5. Federal Reserve Act
Enacted in 1913 by Wilson, it is our central banking system. It is divided into 12 districts spanning the entire United States. The banks in each district have the power to issue new money in emergency situations. The Federal Reserve is only used by smaller banks, not by everyday people. The can also take money out of circulation, changing inflation rates throughout the country. The Federal Reserve can also lower or raise interest rates.
6. Keating–Owen Act
The Keating- Owen Act was passed in 1916. It banned goods produced by factories using child labor. At the time there was over 2 million children working in factories and mines. It eventually was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.
7. Adamson Act
This act established the standard of 8 hour work days. It also lead to time and a half pay, helped to make work better for the workers. Congress passed it to try to eliminate strikes.
8. US Neutrality in WWI
MY TOPIC
9. Policy towards African-Americans
Woodrow Wilson's attitude toward African-Americans was considered somewhat racist. He segregated Washington DC, and he felt that separation was necessary and he made interracial marriage a felony. In Wilson's defense segregation was a popular idea at the time.
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