Progressive Presidents

Who were the three progressive presidents?

• Teddy Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, Woodrow Wilson

How did Roosevelt become president in 1901?

• Republican President McKinley was assassinated in 1901

• The VP, TR became the nation’s youngest Pres ever at 42

How was TR's view of the role of the president different from

Presidents before him?

• Believed in strong, active government

• Believed government should protect people from big business

• Beginning of “big government”

What did TR mean when he said people would get a “square

deal?”

• Government would protect people from big business

What labor precedent did TR set in 1902?

• Set up arbitration (negotiations) over a coal strike

• Owners refused to negotiate• TR threatened to send in the

Army & nationalize the mine• Gov’t could intervene if a strike

threatened public welfare

What was TR’s belief about trusts?

• Nicknamed “trustbuster”• Some could be good• Sued big businesses using

the Sherman Anti-trust Act if the monopoly hurt the public

What was TR’s reaction to Sinclair’s The Jungle?

• He was grossed out• Pure Food & Drug Act

required mandatory labeling• Meat Inspection Act enacted

food inspection• More gov’t intervention in

business

Why is TR considered the 1st environmental president?

• Active in conservation• Believed in preserving natural

resources• Established the national parks

system

What happened in the election of 1908?

• Roosevelt chooses Taft as successor

• Taft failed to live up to TR’s expectations

• TR returned to run for President again in 1912

Who Ran in the election of 1912?

• Taft won the Republican nomination

• TR formed his own Progressive Party: “The Bull Moose” Party

• Wilson got the Democratic nomination

Comparing TR’s“New Nationalism”

to Woodrow Wilson’s “New Freedom.”

• Names of the Platforms for each candidate

• Both were progressive

• Both believed govt should be more active in regulating business

New Nationalism (TR)• Some trusts beneficial• Only get rid of monopolies

that hurt consumersNew Freedom• All trusts bad• Govt should restore

competition

What happened in the election of 1912?

• TR & Taft split Republican voters

• Democrats were united: Wilson won