Teddy Roosevelt was a progressive president who believed the federal government should intervene to help citizens when needed. He pushed for reforms like trust-busting, consumer protections, conservation of natural resources, and workers' rights. However, he failed to adequately address civil rights. TR's progressive policies led to splits in the Republican party between conservatives and progressives. Woodrow Wilson was subsequently elected as the Democratic candidate and also pursued a progressive agenda, passing reforms on tariffs, banking, and antitrust laws.

1. TEDDY ROOSEVELT,
PROGRESSIVE

2. THE STRENUOUS LIFE &
RUGGED INDIVIDUALISM
• Born into wealthy NY family in 1858
• How asthma shaped his life
• Groomed for Big Things
• Scientist, historian, outdoorsman
• Political beginnings
• Setbacks and a new purpose
• Uncontrollable = Dangerous

3. THE IRONY
 Sept. 6, 1901
 “The man in the arena”
 Youth and Vigor
 Image vs. reality
 Core beliefs

4. “That Damned Cowboy!”
•Make up of the parties in 1900
•The Spoils System vs. The Best and Brightest
•Used the “Bully Pulpit” to push his message
•Believed that the fed. gov’t should step in when state
& local gov’t are unable to deal with issues that arise
“It is the duty of the President to act upon the theory
that he is the steward of the people…and to assume
that he has the legal right to do whatever the needs
of the people demand, unless the Constitution forbids it.”

5. Progressivism at work
1902 Coal Strike
•140,000 coal miners go on strike in
Pennsylvania
Demand s
1. 20% Raise
2. 9 hour workday
3. Right to organize a union
***TR intervenes, calling both sides to the White
House***
• It is agreed that an arbitration commission
will decide
Results
1. 10% raise
2. 9 hour workday
3. No strikes for 3 years/no unions
***What we learned from this episode***

6. -crushes Alton Parker
-7.6 million to 5 million
-TR’s presidency
peaks from 1904-1906
“The wise custom which
limits a President to two
terms regards the
substance and not the
form. Under no
circumstances will I be
a candidate for or
accept another
nomination.”
1904PRESIDENTIALELECTION

7. MUCKRAKING
 Henry Demarest Lloyd
 S. S. McClure
 Lincoln Steffens
 Ida M. Tarbell
 Upton Sinclair
 Ray Stannard Baker
 Investigative journalism
 Topics & purposes varied
 The heyday & the demise
People Issues, Rise & Fall

8. TRUST-BUSTING
 By 1900, trusts control 80%
of industry—why is this a
problem?
Sherman Anti-Trust Act
 Set up to combat
monopolies
 Largely ineffective due to
1) vague language
2) lack of enforcement
 TR filed (44) suits; many
were successful; public
loved it!

9. The Elkins Act The Hepburn Act
THE RAILROADS

11. HEALTH
Regulating Foods & Drugs
 TR reads “The Jungle”
 Appoints commission to examine
the meatpacking industry
 TR’s response?
Meat Inspection Act of 1906
 New cleanliness requirements
 Created federal meat inspection
program used for nearly a century
Pure Food & Drug Act
 Halted the sale of contaminated
food and medicines
 Called for “truth in labeling”
 Another instance of Progressive
ideals winning the day (labeling)

12. The Environment
•Before TR, the Fed. Gov’t pays little to no
attention to our natural resources…why?
•By 1900, U.S. facing a Natural environment crisis
1. Farmers, Ranchers, Coal & Lumber
Companies, Factories, Big Cities
In 1903, TR is convinced to take action
1. Sets aside 148 million acres of forest reserve
2. 80 million acres for research purposes
3. 50 wildlife sanctuaries
4. Several National Parks
5. Named Gifford Pinchot to Head of US Forest
Service
***Conservation vs. Preservation***

13. BLIND SPOTS
 TR & other Progressive Presidents fail to address civil rights
 TR does invite Booker T. Washington to a White House dinner
 A symbolic gesture, but no real policies put in place to ensure African-
Americans civil rights

14. The Great Campaign
•William Howard Taft is hand picked by TR to run in 1908
•He wins a big victory…disappoints TR while in office
•By 1912, Republican coalition is broken between
1. Conservatives (Status Quo)
*Conservatives stay with the Republican Party (Taft)
2. Progressives (Seeking change)
*Progressives break and form the Bull Moose Party (TR)
TR Calls for a “NEW NATIONALISM”… “The fed. gov’t should exert its
power for the welfare of the people!”
1. Direct election of Senators
2. Women’s suffrage
3. 8 hour workday
4. Minimum wage for women
5. Federal law against child labor
6. Federal trade commission to regulate business
RESULT=Taft and TR split Rep. vote; Woodrow Wilson (Dem) wins

15. WOODROW WILSON’S
NEW FREEDOM
 Grew up in VA during CW
 2nd Dem. Since CW
 1st Southerner in WH
since 1850!
 Pres. Of Princeton
 Gov. of NJ
 Confident in his
ability to persuade
 Attacked the “Triple
wall of privilege!”
a) Tariffs
b) Banks
c) Trusts

16. WOODROW WILSON’S
NEW FREEDOM
TARIFFS
 Special Session-1st since J. Adams
 Lowers tariffs/introduces
progressive income tax
BANKING
 Again summons Congress
 Federal Reserve Act-gives us the
fed. Banking system we have
today (using dollar bills)
BUSINESS
 Clayton Antitrust Act
 Establishes Federal Trade
Commission