President Woodrow Wilson's Influence On Society

In the 1912 election for president there were four candidates, two were Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson. Both had reforms that they placed as the center of their campaigns. Roosevelt’s reform was New Nationalism and Wilson’s was New Freedom. While they were different in ways they also had some similarities, and their own significance to the people of America.

It has been said that “if under Roosevelt social reform took on the excitement of a circus, under Wilson it acquired the dedication of a sunrise service” (Divine 2013, p. 553). Because he worked closely with the Democrats in Congress he was one of the most effective presidents when it came to passing bills that he was in support of. In fact on the very day of his inaugural he called a special session of Congress with the agenda to lower the tariff. By working closely with Congress he was triumphant in getting the Underwood Tariff Act to pass. Wilson agreed with the postmaster general in regards to segregating of all African Americans in the federal service. Wilson went beyond what Roosevelt had done in regards to the labor movement by defending union recognition and collective bargaining. He even signed the Adamson Act of 1916 that imposed an eight hour day on the interstate railways and established a federal commission to study the problems with the railroads (Divine 2013, p.

From 1896 to 1924, America went through a period known as progressivism in which people of all walks of life banded together to oppose conservatism and reform society. Progressives generally believed that government is necessary for change, however; it had to more significantly embody the ideals of democracy. Some of the specific changes that progressives wanted were regulating railroads, a direct election of senators, graduated income tax, limited immigration and eight-hour workdays. By supporting these changes, the progressives hoped to promote and expand democracy and thus give the people more power. One of the goals of the progressives was to address the wealth gap and reduce income inequality by transferring power to the people through

The 1900s was a time period filled with political corruption, social inequality and injustice, discrimination, poor working and living conditions. The progressive movement resulted in response to these issues. Members and advocates of this movement were usually white (some blacks too), middle-class, Christian, college educated women (and men). They sought to achieve social justice through equality and enhance life in America for everyone. To further the nation’s democratic ideals, they hoped to incorporate reforms based on the expectations of the majority public. The Progressive Movement was a success because even though they lasted only for a short period of time, they achieved many things that today we are benefitting from, like for example

Theodore Roosevelt is one of the American presidents who are remembered for the changes that they brought or made in this nation. He was the 26th president of the United States and he is remembered for his transformations and important quotes which are useful today. Theodore Roosevelt was the most youthful president in the historical background of America amid that opportunity to be in office. He had not yet turned forty three years, the required age, when he got to be a president. He played a major role in transforming the federal government and the transformations made are still in effect today (viewpoint article; Beale). He was able to end one of the major wars and as a result of this success he was able to win a Nobel Peace Prize.

In the speech that Wilson gave in Buffalo, New York he said, “the most fatal thing that we can do in politics is to imagine that we belong to a special class, and that we have an interest which isn’t the interest of the whole community.” (p.125, Document 23). Wilson clearly states his reason for why the United States should not concentrate on Direct Democracy but should direct their efforts to social reform. He passed laws regarding workers compensation, outlawed child labor and had limited railroad workers to working eight hours a day. He continued to focus on not dividing the United States into classes, but to treat the nation as one union. He stated, “looking at the country as a whole from one angle, from one point of view” (p.125, Document 23). In the speech that Taft gave in Nasua, New Hampshire, he states that he is also against Direct Democracy as well as popular government. He stated, “we are a government of the people…popular government is the most difficult kinds of government to carry on, because in some way or other we have to mass the opinions of individuals and apply that composite opinion to the operations of government” (p.141, Document 30). Taft expresses his thoughts on the fact that the government should be the deciding factor for making laws and policies and not the

As Calvin Coolidge became president his main objective was to work towards the betterment of the economy in the United States. He did this by keeping the government relatively based on business. “Coolidge wanted business to run the country; he wanted fewer government regulations, higher tariffs, lower taxes, and a reduced federal debt. He favored business not because he hated labor, but because he thought the president should reflect the popular will, and the people wanted business to operate largely unfettered” (Hamilton). The tactics Coolidge used in his presidency was to try to make whatever the people wanted to happen. Socially, his main goals was to remain at peace with all the other countries just as William G. Harding did. This way,

Wilson understood that, being the product of the Victorian age, Victorian style thinking could not be applied anymore with the modern era that they found themselves in. politics itself had been clinging onto its old ways and Wilson believed it was time for a new type of being should take place. Wilson constantly mentions that the common man should put itself more into government positions. As Wilson mentioned in his Life Comes From The Soil speech “We have had the wrong jury; we have had the wrong group,-no, I will not say the wrong group, but too small a group,-in control of the policies of the United States. The average man has not been consulted, and his heart had begun to sink for fear he never would be consulted again.” (Wilson 40) Wilson believes that because the common man has been put into the corner, that american politics have taken a wrong turn away from the common man. By adding more of the “common man” into a position to have his voice heard, more likely is it to improve the situations of everyone. During these times Wilson experienced, or more appropriately saw, that equality was being threatened because American politics were focusing on more select groups. “To-day, when our government has so far passed into the hands of special interests; to-day, when the doctrine is simplicity avowed that only select classes have the equipment necessary for carrying on

Government oversight of big business (monopolies) and child labor were serious issues during the early 1900 's. Progressives were a group of reformers during these years that were fighting to "purify" the government, and eliminate political bosses and the corruption frequently connected with them. There were four main goals of the Progressives, fostering industrial efficiency, creating economic reform, promoting moral improvement, and protecting social welfare. The two Presidents that shared commitment to enacting these major social reforms were Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson. Roosevelt, through use of the Square Deal, promoted the conservation movement and placed millions of acres of land under federal protection to preserve America

Many economic and social changes transformed American society in the 20th century, including innovations in science and technology, and economic productivity. In turn people believed that the government should create political, social, and moral reforms to regulate big business and the other colonial problems. The progressive movement was caused by a renewed interest in social issues and the revival of the ideals on which America was founded. Big businessmen had created empires of wealth, owning vast majorities of businesses. This only allowed enough space for the rich to get richer and the poor to get poorer, but the Progressive Era brought dramatic changes to the nation’s economic, and political sectors.

Progressives formed many acts to oppose the problems that industrialization created. Such as poor working conditions and the power of big businesses. The presidents Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and Woodrow Wilson were the main progressive presidents. Their management of the United States brought great change political change in America.

In 1881, at 23 when Theodore Roosevelt joined the governmental civic scene in he gave hint of the Progressive that he would later become. He considered himself an independent public reformer following in the traditions of nation minded statesmen such as Alexander Hamilton, Henry Clay, George Washington and, Abraham Lincoln. Roosevelt argued the advancement of modern capitalism had made limited government antiquate. While president, Roosevelt pressed executive capabilities to new barriers. Unto his death, Roosevelt maintained to push towards Progressive reform that would motion the U.S. closer to civil democracies of European nations. Roosevelt first used the term following the settlement of a mining strike in 1902 to describe the ideal of

Progressive era (movement) had three presidents. Theodore (teddy) Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and Woodrow Wilson. Roosevelt reforms were to try to balance the activity of business, consumers, and laborers. He passed the Pure Food and Drug Act. He also used the Sherman Antitrust Act to break up monopolies. Roosevelt adjusted the railroad shipping rates. He also supported conservation. These acts were successful until William Taft. William Taft won the election of 1908 with the help of Teddy Roosevelt. After becoming the president Taft signed the Payne-Aldrich tariff reducing some imported good’s rates but raising others. Although, he was successful, this angered the printing press; they criticized Taft in the newspapers, which hurt Taft’s

Woodrow Wilson was the 28th president of the United States, who served two terms from 1913 to 1921 and led America through World War I. Wilson was born on December 28, 1856, in Staunton, Virginia, United States (Historic World Leaders). Wilson grew up in the South and recieved many degrees

In the twentieth century, the United States political reflected a growing of the idea of the Progressive movement. This fundamental of this movement was the government served people better and the economic reforms. In addition, gained in popularity under two presidents; Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson. Both of them have different approached in progressive reform. Teddy Roosevelt believed that the federal government should be an active manager for reforms. The large business corporations played an important role in American economic life and were not essentially evil. Trusts could be either good or bad, depending on how they used their power. On the other hand, Woodrow Wilson created the progressive movement through his idea of