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Todays Presentation
Pre-Progressive Era reform laws: Pendleton Civil Service Act, and Sherman Anti-Trust Act Initiative, Referendum, and Recall (democracy) Teddy Roosevelt: being an active President, trustbusting, The Square Deal William Howard Taft: like Teddy, except milder Woodrow Wilson: The New Freedom ending privilege (of big businesses and bankers), reforming labor, making government more democratic The 16th, 17th, 18th, and 19th Amendments.
Throughout much of the late-1800s, corruption had been widespread in the Federal and State governments. The spoils system was a policy of giving government jobs to people who made contributions to politicians, or who helped in their campaigns.
An example of the spoils system in action was William Boss Tweeds corrupt political organization in New York City called Tammany Hall; which controlled nearly the entire city in the 1860s-70s. Tweed used voter fraud, intimidation, and bribes to keep Democrats in power in NY.
George H. The Gentleman Pendleton was a northern Democrat Senator from Ohio, who ran for Vice President with General George B. McClellan in 1864; but of course they lost to Lincoln and Johnson who were Republicans. He is best known for being the author of the Pendleton Civil Service Act of 1863; creating the Civil Service Commission. The Civil Service Commission was in charge of enforcing the Pendleton Act, including: requiring government employees to pass competitive exams before being hired, made it illegal to fire gov. workers for political reasons, and generally encouraged jobs to be rewarded based on merit.
Protecting Public Health: After Upton Sinclairs The Jungle alerted the nation to the unsanitary conditions in meatpacking plants, Roosevelt and Congress worked to pass the Meat Inspection Act, and the Pure Food and Drug Act in 1906; in order to protect consumers from harmful products. Regulating Transport and Comms.: The ICC (Interstate Commerce Commission) was given more power to regulate railroad and telegraph companies. Hepburn Act (1906) Conserving Resources: Roosevelt made millions of acres into new governmentowned forests and parks. He also created the National Conservation Commission to protect national resources like lumber, and maintain government parks. ex:Yosemite National Park in CA
Teddy used the power of the 1890 Sherman Anti-Trust Act to bust what he defined as bad trusts in hopes of pleasing the people of the progressive movement. good trusts stabilized the economy; but bad trusts were too damaging to workers or capitalist competition. In 1901, Roosevelt broke J.P. Morgans Northern Securities trust (shipping and railroad conglomerate) into several smaller companies. In 1906, Teddys Justice Department targeted Rockefellers Standard Oil Company, which was dissolved in 1911 by order of the Supreme Court. (page 536)*
Although Roosevelt was young and popular, he decided not to break the long-standing tradition of running for two terms only. Instead, Roosevelt helped his former secretary of War, William Howard Taft, win the 1908 election against the Democrats William Jennings Bryan. Taft ran as a Progressive Republican like Teddy, and continued trust-busting policies; however Taft tended to be more conservative than Teddy. Taft returned much of Teddys public lands back to private owners, and tended to be less active in meeting Progressive demands. *16th Amendment passed under Taft In 1912; Teddy challenged Taft for the Republican Presidential nomination, but lost. In response, Teddy accepted nomination by the progressive Bull Moose Party.
Republicans (incumbent): William Howard Taft Democrats: Woodrow Wilson Bull Moose Party: Theodore Roosevelt Socialist Party: Eugene V. Debs Taft ran as a moderate Republican and progressive, Teddy ran as a more extreme progressive; and Wilson ran as a progressive but also had the support of the South, and the advantage of Republicans being split between Taft and Teddy.
Debs (socialist) was seen as being too extreme for most voters. Wilson won, with 40% of the popular vote; and won 40 states in the electoral college.
Anti-Saloon League: founded in 1893, it promoted scientific and moral reasons for banning alcohol, and worked with the WCTU to push the government to pass the 18th Amendment. *Before it became a federal law, many counties and states had already become dry because of Prohibitionists.*
~1880-1920 in the United States Muckrakers: reported on the social ills in US society such as poverty, harsh work conditions, prejudice, monopolies, etc. Reformers/Progressives: many middle-class volunteers and social activists worked to help the lower class; and demanded government action to solve these problems. The Progressive Presidents: used their power and Congress to pass new laws and amendments to meet progressive demands.
Progressive Era