Monday- Mr. Bruns went over ch. 9-4.
Ch.9.4
Roosevelt became President in 1904- Republican
Roosevelt pledged not to run for re-election in 1908
Hand picked Taft to be President
Easy victory over Bryan
Roosevelt put all of his support behind Taft
-Describe the major accomplishments and problems of William Howard Taft's presidency
Born September 15, 1857 in Cincinnati, OH
Attended Yale College; New Haven CT
Lawyer then Secretary of War
Never aimed at being President
After his presidency he was a Professor at Yale Law School
1921, became Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, which was his career goal
Only President to ever serve as Chief Justice
Only President to hold public office after leaving the White House
Accomplishments-
Passed the Payne-Aldrich Tariff which reduced Tariffs
Used Dollar Diplomacy when dealing with other countries-US would use the military and diplomacy to help promote U.S. business interests overseas
Broke up many trusts including the Standard Oil Company in 1911
16th Amendment Passed- Federal Income Tax
Standard Oil Today-
Standard Oil of Ohio became BP
Standard Oil of New Jersey became Exxon Mobil
Continental Oil became ConocoPhillips
Ohio Oil Company of Marathon
Standard Oil Company of California became Chevron
Federal Income Tax
16th Amendment passed 2-3-13
Legalized a graduated federal income tax
Provided $$ to the GOV’T by taxing individual earnings and corporate profits
Problems-
Did not receive credit for his accomplishments
Not popular as President
Did not do what Teddy wanted him to do
Broke up a lot of monopolies
-Payne-Aldrich Tariff
Tariff- Tax on imported goods- Puts high tax on goods from other countries
High protective Tariffs- good for big businesses- designed to get Americans to get American goods which helps big business
When the house passed the Payne Bill, which lowered rates on imported manufactured goods the Senate proposed an alternative bill, the Aldrich Bill, which made fewer cuts and increased many rates
Taft signed the Payne-Aldrich Tariff, c compromise that only moderated the high rates of Aldrich Bill
This angered progressives who believed Taft had abandoned progressivism
Why was Taft not well liked?
Not as energetic and well liked as Roosevelt
Not good at using the “Bully Pulpit”
Promised to lower tariffs but actually increased many with the Payne-Aldrich Tariff upsetting progressives
Appointed wealthy lawyer Richard Ballinger to Secretary of the Interior who removed land TR set aside for conservation
Supported Speaker of the House Joe Cannon(“uncle” Joe Cannon) who was anti-progressive
-Land disputes
Taft gave land back to big businesses
Land came from Roosevelt’s reserved land for conservation
-Breaking up trusts
Broke up many trusts including Standard Oil in 1911
-16th Amendment
Federal Income Tax
16th Amendment passed 2-3-13
Legalized a graduated federal income tax
Provided $$ to the GOV’T by taxing individual earnings and corporate profits
-Policy towards African-Americans
Did not do much to help them
Part of it was racism
“If you do anything to help African Americans we will vote against the Meat Inspection Act”
Progressives had to turn their backs on African Americans in order to get what they wanted
-Break-up of the Republican Party
Due to these problems with Taft, the Republicans split into old-guard republicans and progressive republicans
TR did not get the Republican nomination so he decided to run as a third party candidate in the Progressive Party (Bull Moose Party)
Why would this split guarantee a democrat win?
If you’re a conservative Republican you are going to vote for Taft and if you're progressive Republican you vote for Roosevelt, if you’re a Democrat you are going to vote for Wilson
The republican votes were split between Taft and Roosevelt while the Democratic votes are all one and so Wilson won
Bull-Moose Platform
Direct Election of Senators
Initiative, Referendum, Recall in all states
Women Suffrage
Worker’s Compensation
8 hour workday
Minimum wage for women
Federal Law against child labor
-Describe the outcome of the 1912 Presidential Election.
During the campaign before the election, both Roosevelt and Taft take shots at each other
Taft called T.R. a “dangerous egotist”
Roosevelt branded Taft as “Fat head with the brain of a guinea pig”
Wilson’s quote; “Don’t interfere when your enemy is destroying himself”
Election offered several choices:
Wilson’s New Freedom
Taft’s Conservatism
Roosevelt’s Progressivism
Debs’ Socialism
Republican Split gives Wilson the Presidency
Republican voters split between Taft and Roosevelt
Democrats vote for WIlson
Wilson only received 42% of the popular vote, but won 435 electoral votes
Roosevelt finished 2nd with 4.1 million votes
*If Rockefeller were alive today he would be worth $660 billion dollars
Ch. 9.5
Wilson’s Background
Grew up in the South after the CIvil War and Reconstruction
Son, Grandson, and Nephew of Presbyterian Ministers-strict upbringing
Before entering politics, Wilson worked as:
Lawyer
History Professor
President of Princeton University
Governor of N.J.
-Describe the major accomplishments/issues of Woodrow as President.
Passed Clayton Antitrust Act (1914)
Could break up monopolies
Labor Unions were given the right to exist
Strikes, boycotts, picketing etc. became legal
Federal Trade Commission was established in 1914
Investigated companies for monopolistic practices
17th, 18th, and 19th Amendments were passed during his term
Direct election of Senators (1913)
Prohibition (1919)
Women’s Vote (1920)
Led US during Mexican Crises and WWI
Developed Missionary Diplomacy
African-Americans were for the most part ignored by Roosevelt, Taft, Wilson and the Progressive Movement
Land Disputes
Taft angered conservationists by appointing his secretary, Richard A. Ballinger
Balling disapproved conservationists controls on Western lands, removed 1 million acres of forests and mining lands and returned it to the public domain
-Clayton Anti-Trust Act
-Federal Trade Commission Act/Commission
-Federal Farm Loan Act
-Underwood Tariff
-Federal Reserve Act
American needed stronger banks
Federal Reserve Act of 1913
Divided the nation into 12 districts- regional central bank in each district
“Bankers Bank”
Federal Reserve banks could issue new paper money in emergency situations
Also, helped with giving out loan $$
Banks within the system helped others from closing due to lack of money
Federal Reserve System
Controls the U.S. money supply and the availability of credit in the country
One of President Wilson’s most enduring achievements
We use this same system today as the basis of the nation’s banking system
-Keating–Owen Act
-Adamson Act
-US Neutrality in WWI
-Policy towards African-Americans
The Twilight of Progressivism
Roosevelt, Taft, and the early part of Wilson’s presidencies marked the golden age of Progressivism within the United States
World War I would dominate Wilson’s 2nd term and brought Progressivism to an end
Tuesday and Wednesday- Not in class due to being gone for state vball.
Thursday and Friday- Gone for State Vball.
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