Theodore Roosevelt

1901-1909

Theodore Roosevelt• Became president after assassination of

President McKinley in 1901• Known as a “modern president”• Believed that gov’t should assume control

whenever states proved incapable of dealing w/ problems

• “It is the duty of the president to act upon the theory that he is the steward of the people…”

Theodore Roosevelt

• Believed he could influence the news media & shape legislation

• Wanted to stop or curb the actions of those that hurt the public interest

• Square Deal: program of progressive reforms designed to protect the common people against big businesses

Theodore Roosevelt

• “Trustbusting” President• Concentrated efforts on filing suits under

the Sherman Antitrust Act• Filed 44 antitrust suits, won many of them• Real goal during presidency was federal

regulation of:– Businesses– Food & Drugs (medicines)

Theodore Roosevelt

• Also made conservation a primary concern– Some wilderness areas would be preserved

while others would be developed for the common good

• John Muir persuaded TR to set aside 148 million acres of forest reserves

• Also set aside 1.5 million acres of water-power sites

Theodore Roosevelt

• Failed to support civil rights for African-Americans

• However, he did support a few individual African-Americans

• After winning the election in 1904, he pledged not to run for reelection in 1908 (at this time in history, presidents were able to run for more than two terms if they desired to)

William Taft

1909-1913

William Taft

• Secretary of War under TR• Handpicked by TR to run for President• Initially did not want to expand Roosevelt’s

reforms • Busted 90 trusts in his one term as

president

William Taft

• Established the Interstate Commerce Commission to set railroad rates

• Submitted to the states amendments for a Federal income tax and the direct election of Senators

William Taft

• During his campaign, he vowed to lower tariffs (taxes on imported and exported goods)

• In 1909, Taft signed the Payne-Aldrich Tariff, which was a set of tax regulations on imported manufactured goods

• The Payne-Aldrich Tariff was a failure as it failed to significantly reduce tariffs on manufactured goods

William Taft

• Taft faced problems within the Republican Party during his presidency; there was a growing divide between the progressives and the conservatives

• During the 1912 presidential campaign, Theodore Roosevelt decided to run for a 3rd term, pitting him against Taft

• Both Taft and Roosevelt lost to Woodrow Wilson

Woodrow Wilson

1913-1921

Woodrow Wilson

• Supported a stronger government role in economic affairs

• Supported small business and free-market competition

• He characterized all business monopolies as evil

Woodrow Wilson

• Believed in giving freedom to average citizens

• However, Wilson did not use his federal power to help fight off attacks directed at the civil rights movement of African-Americans

Woodrow Wilson

• Anti-trust legislation established a Federal Trade Commission to prohibit unfair business practices.

• Laws prohibiting child labor; another limited railroad workers to an eight-hour day.

• Lowered Tariffs: reduced prices on goods for the lower class

Woodrow Wilson

• The following amendments were passed under President Wilson:– 17th Amendment: US Senators are elected by

popular vote– 18th Amendment: Prohibition – 19th Amendment: Women gain the right to

vote

Woodrow Wilson• One of Wilson’s biggest achievements

while he was in office was the creation of the Federal Reserve System, which controlled the US money supply and the availability of credit in the country

• Following TR’s conservation plans, the National Park Service was established in 1916 which protected parks such as Yellowstone Nat’l Park & the Grand Canyon

Woodrow Wilson

• Like Roosevelt and Taft, Wilson retreated on civil rights while president

• Opposed federal anti-lynching legislation • Appointed fellow white Southerners to his

cabinet who extended segregation

Woodrow Wilson

• World War I broke out in Europe in 1914• The remainder of his presidency would be

consumed by the war