2. Presidential Campaign Commercial
• Record three components that are
included in these presidential campaign
commercials
• Barack O’Bama Defining Moments 2
mins
• John McCain Jobs for America July 7,
2008
• http://pcl.stanford.edu/campaigns/2008/
• Candidate, position, political party
affiliation, slogan, platform/ideology
3. Background Info
• The Progressive Era was a period of intense social
and economic upheaval. While the Industrial
Revolution had brought about increased
productivity and wealth, it also created new needs
and problems. Big business continually came into
conflict with workers rights activists. Women and
African Americans were striving for social equality.
During this time period a serious debate raged about
how the nation should address these concerns. We
will examine where each of the candidates
campaigning for president stood on these matters.
4. The Republican Party
• The Republican Party was
divided between
progressives who sought
change and conservatives
who did not.
• Candidate: William Howard
Taft
• Slogan: Conservatism
• “Vote for Taft this time, you
can vote for Bryan any time”
5. Republican Party Platform
High tariffs on imported goods.
Against “bad” trusts.
Against initiative, referendum, and recall.
Did not support direct election of senators
(17th Amendment)
Put limitations on female and child labor.
Conservation of some natural resources &
using others for private industry.
6. Taft’s Speech “On Popular
Unrest”
• http://historymatters.g
mu.edu/d/5724/
• Taft favored a non-
interventionist approach
to the problems that
plagued American
society in 1912.
7. The Bull Moose/Progressive Party
• Roosevelt proposed “New
Nationalism” under which
the federal government
would exert its power for the
welfare of the people
• Candidate: Theodore
Roosevelt
• Slogan: “New Nationalism”
federal government exert its
power for the welfare of the
people.
8. Progressive Party Platform
• direct election of senators
• Lower tariffs on imported goods
• Government action to supervise big business
• opposed trusts that hurt business interest
• adoption in all states of initiative, referendum, &
recall
• an eight-hour workday & workmen’s
compensation
• Advocated women’s suffrage
• a federal law against child labor
9. Roosevelt’s Speech
“The Liberty of the People”
• http://historymatters.gmu.e
du/d/5722
• He was the most openly pro-
labor of the three major
candidates. He believed in
extending the power of the
federal government to protect
workers from exploitation by
big business owners.
11. Democratic Party Platform
“New Freedom”
•Stronger anti-trust legislation- All
monopolies (trusts) are evil
•Reduced tariffs
•Banking reform
•Stronger government role in economic
affairs
•Supported small business and free market
competition
•Did NOT support women’s suffrage.
12. Wilson’s Speech “On Labor”
• http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/5723
• In this campaign speech, Wilson
argued against a minimum wage
for women workers and called for
the end of business monopolies.
Wilson was the eventual winner,
with over six million popular and
435 electoral votes.
13. Socialist Party
• Candidate: Eugene
Debs
• Platform: called for an
end to capitalism
• “The issue is Socialism
versus Capitalism. I am
for Socialism because I
am for humanity.”
14. Socialist Party Platform
Called for an end to capitalism
Government ownership of railroads and utilities.
Guaranteed income tax.
No tariffs on imports.
8-hour work day.
Better housing.
Government inspection of factories.
Women’s suffrage.
15. Debbs on “The Monstrous
System of Capitalism”
• http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/5725
• Running for the fourth time, Debs
called for the abolition of capitalism
rather than for its reform. In this
speech accepting the party
nomination he proclaimed the
Socialist Party the party of
progress, the party of the future.
Debs finished last in the contest,
receiving 900,000 votes.
20. Political Campaign Activity
Select a presidential candidate and design a political campaign poster or
commercial for the election of 1912
Your poster should include the following components:
– Political Party Affiliation
– Candidate’s Name
– Graphics (Picture of candidate or party/patriotic symbols)
– A Campaign Slogan (Ex. OBama Yes We Can!)
– Platform
– http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/category/lesson-plans/
– Students Create Video Ads for Historic Presidential Elections
