Progressive Era #3

IV. Progressive Era Presidents

Multiple Choice

Progressive Era reformers tried to reduce the gap in wealth between the rich and the poor by

• implementing income tax reforms

• reducing minimum wage laws, and disbanding unions

• promoting corporate monopolies and trusts

• implementing protective tariffs

Which president was assassinated in 1881? Why?

A. President Roosevelt:

1. Elected VP on the McKinley-Roosevelt ticket in
the Election of 1900.

a. McKinley is assassinated, and Roosevelt assumes
office, making him the youngest president the U.S.
has had.

2.

T.R. reversed the role of a weak Pres. and a strong Congress.

From the look on Uncle Sam’s face, the cartoonists feels that TR’s take control attitude is a positive move? (T/F)

3. Broke up approx. 40+ trusts.
a. Recognized that all trusts weren’t bad, so
he broke up those monopolies that were,
for lack of a better word, bullies.

What does this picture tell you about the way TR handled those
monopolies/trusts that were perceived as good?

Multiple Choice

How did Theodore Roosevelt view trusts?

• Theodore Roosevelt supported trusts without any regulation.
• Theodore Roosevelt believed trusts were beneficial and should be expanded.
• Theodore Roosevelt thought trusts were completely unnecessary and should be abolished.
• Theodore Roosevelt viewed trusts as needing regulation to prevent monopolies.

4. Conservation became a Presidential priority.

5. TR was able to help resolve a labor strike between
Big Coal and the coal minors in 1902.

a. First President to work with unions.
b. Promised all involved a square deal.

6. His “Square Deal” proved so popular that it
became his 1904 Campaign slogan…..and he
won.

Multiple Choice

How did Theodore Roosevelt change the presidency?

• He implemented strict regulations on the press and limited public communication.
• He reduced the power of the presidency, rolled back progressive reforms and avoided public engagement.

• He changed it by increasing its power promoting progressive reforms, and engaging directly with the public.

• He focused solely on foreign policy, imperial and military expansion.

B. Williams Howard Taft:

1. T.R. didn’t run in the 1908 election because
of tradition.

a. He heavily endorsed William Howard Taft as

the Rep. nominee.

b. Republicans trusted TR so they ran Taft
for President and he won.

Which amendment established term limits for the President of the United States?

2. It was assumed that Taft wouldn’t veer too
far from TR’s blueprint, which pleased TR
supporters.

a. Tafts critics believed TR would
be pulling the strings.

Multiple Choice

Which president started the tradition of serving two terms, and then stepping down?

• Barack Obama

• George W. Bush

• John Adams

• George Washington

• Thomas Jefferson

Multiple Choice

Which amendment established term limits?

• 21st

• 22nd

• 24th

• 25th

3. But Taft proved to be his own president:

a. Broke up twice as many trust as TR.
b. Added land to the national reserve.
c. Addressed child labor and work
hours

d. gave even more power the ICC with the
Manns-Elkin Act (telephone/telegraph

The ICC was created to regulate which industry?

4. However he ticked off TR and his Progressive
Republican supporters because he:

a. didn’t have the political skills to stop a record high
tariff from passing. (Payne-Aldrich Tariff)

Consumer

b. he fired a TR appointee who criticized the Taft
administration for selling timberland in Alaska
(Ballinger-Pinchot Affair).

“I’ll tell Teddy on you”

Multiple Choice

Why did President Taft and Theodore Roosevelt fall out?

• They disagreed over foreign policy decisions.
• They had different ideas over progressive reforms and policies

• Taft wanted to run for a second term without Roosevelt's support.
• Roosevelt criticized Taft's handling of the economy.

Multiple Choice

When Taft left the presidency, he went on to become what?

• Senator from Ohio
• Ambassador to France
• Governor of New York
• Chief Justice of the United States

c. TR decided to run in the 1912 election

HERE’S TEDDY!!!!!

C. Election of 1912
1. Republicans stuck with Taft, and he received the
Republican nomination.

2. So TR and his supporters started their own third party...The Progressive Party

a. but called the Bull
Moose Party.

“Suffering Snakes….How
Theodore Has Changed!

What does the quote on the political cartoon mean?

Multiple Choice

When Theodore Roosevelt didn't get the Republican nomination, what did he and his supporters do?

• They supported William Howard Taft.
• They joined the Democratic Party.
• They formed the Progressive Party.
• They decided to run as independents.

3. The election got ugly and personal between the two.

4. Taft and Roosevelt split their votes, which benefitted
neither one.

a. And the winner was………. Woodrow Wilson!!!

What caused Tafts and Roosevelts votes to split?

D. Woodrow Wilson
1. Domestic Policy was New Freedom:

a. created the Federal Reserve Act (controls
money supply and interest rates)

Multiple Choice

A major reason for the creation of the Federal Reserve System (1913) was to

• increase government control over the economy and create panics

• promote international trade agreements
• stabilize the banking system and prevent financial panics
• reduce taxes for wealthy individuals

b. Underwood Tariff reduced tariffs to the
lowest rate in 50 yrs.

Wilson taking on the Triple Wall of Privilege.

c. Federal Trade Commission:

1. set up to encourage fair trade practices among
businesses.

FYI: TR is known as the “Trustbuster”, but both Taft and Wilson broke up more than him.

d. Clayton Antitrust Act:

1. Strengthened antitrust laws.
2. Also established that antitrust laws did not apply
to labor unions.

Using the picture, what can you determine was a huge campaign focus for Wilson’s re-election?

E. Wilson will run for a 2nd term in 1916, and will win.

Multiple Choice

What was the first anti-trust law passed in 1890?

• Clayton Antitrust Act
• Federal Trade Commission Act
• Robinson-Patman Act
• Sherman Antitrust Act

Multiple Choice

What previous act did the Clayton Act reinforce?

• Clayton Antitrust Act
• Sherman Antitrust Act
• Federal Trade Commission Act
• Robinson-Patman Act