The Progressive Movement: Roosevelt, And Woodrow Wilson

Teddy Roosevelt led a regiment known as the rough riders during the Spanish- American War and came out of the war hero. He was the Vice President to William McKinley until he died a year into his term of natural causes. As Vice President he was then made the president of the United States. Theodore promised the American people the Square deal. The square deal was a deal to conserve natural resources, control corporations, and consumer protection.

The predecessor of Roosevelt stated, “He criticizes me because I prosecuted the Standard Oil Company and the Tobacco Company through to the Supreme Court and got decrees there.” Both Roosevelt and Taft had well thought out campaigns that eventually morphed into attempts to turn the people

He also made a great change in the presidency and the authority of the federal government. This is because he became president in what historians called The Progressive Era; where many reforms took place. Roosevelt believed in courage, honesty, and in a democracy that had the desire to serve the people. In his autobiography he stated that his theory “that the executive power was limited only by specific restrictions and prohibitions appearing in the constitution or imposed by the congress under its constitutional powers” (Page 482). Roosevelt could not stand that what was a necessity for the nation could not be done by the president unless someone authorized it.

I do not believe that Theodore Roosevelt was anti-business; rather he opposed their unethical practices. During this time big corporations set rates that were too high, underpaid their employees, and made employees work long hours. The Interstate Commerce Commission was established in 1887 by Grover Cleveland to investigate railroad rates and rebates. President Roosevelt introduced the Hepburn act to give the ICC the right to set rates for railroad shipping. By doing this railroads and big business were unable to set their rates too high because it no longer offered rebates.

The Progressive Party or the Bull Moose Party campaigned as much as thirty-eight states, which was more than any of the other opponents. There was many competition with the candidates’ and their opponents. One way Teddy campaigned was by addressing speeches to gain voter’s interest. Earlier on the day, before his speech, Roosevelt came to a stop in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He wore his Army coat and in his pocket, he carried his 50 page speech, which was folded double to fit his inside pocket.

The Progressive was a period in which new crusaders, also known as the “progressives”, engaged in combat with their society’s monopolies, corruption, and social injustice in order to “strengthen the State” and “use the government as an agency of human welfare.” This motif of these reformers was seen throughout this time and ultimately produced success stories but nonetheless fell to several limitations. As one discovers, Teddy Roosevelt known to history as the “Trust-buster” played a prominent role in launching a triumphant end to dishonest monopolies and trusts. In addition to corralling the corporations during this time, Roosevelt also impacted society with his reforms to assist the common man consumer, gaining initial inspiration from The

During this time three different president- Roosevelt, Taft, and Wilson-each played a part in fixing the monopolies and corporate greed. Breaking up one company into many, securing that not one person made all the profit. Which is good for the economy, being able to share the wealth. Yet, the government didn 't bother in touching other important

Question 1. The progressive period in US history started in the 1890s and remained current through the 1920s. Progressive leaders in the US include President Teddy Roosevelt, President William Howard Taft, and President Woodrow Willson. The main objective of progressives was to rid the government of corruption. These progressive leaders targeted political machines and worked to rid the country of monopolistic enterprises that were exploiting regular citizens.

After Roosevelt’s two terms, William H. Taft came as his successor. Roosevelt had put his trust into Taft that he would carry on with all the policies Roosevelt had yet been able to put into action before his time was up, but Taft had done exactly the opposite. Taft reversed many of Roosevelt’s policies which could be called a battle won on the conservatives end, but soon after Taft began to try and lower tariffs. Taft ended up splitting the Republican party up which helped the Democratic party greatly in the election of 1912 when Woodrow Wilson won the presidency. Wilson was a great asset to the progressive cause, fighting against the four privileges: wealth, banks, tariffs, and trusts.

Roosevelt leads America through the depression and helped the American people recover. Roosevelt becomes President after Hoover, easily beating Hoover who was blamed by many for the depression. In his first "hundred days" of office, Roosevelt started a program to bring recovery to business and agriculture, relief to unemployed and to the people in danger of losing their homes. Despite his efforts, America was still suffering and Roosevelt looked to a more aggressive federal program. This include the creation of the Works Progress Administration (WPA) which provided jobs for the unemployed.

During the Progressive Movement we had 3 presidents, Teddy Roosevelt, William Taft, and Woodrow Wilson. Each of these presidents had some very good reforms that have made this country be how it is today. All of these things that presidents have done tie in with a goal of the Progressive Movement, there were 4 goals. One- Social Welfare, Two- Economic Reform, Three- Moral Improvement, and Four- Fostering Efficiency. These goals were accomplished in many ways.

Along with these things he also dedicated millions of acres of forests as federal reserves. Taft did not always agree with Roosevelt’s progressive policies. Taft tended to fall on the more conservative side. He supported the sixteenth amendment that implemented the graduated income tax. The beginning of the struggle for control of the Republican Party began when Taft signed the Payne-Aldrich Tariff of 1909 that lowered taxes on imported goods.

Roosevelt took his power to control the way of life of the Americans. So, many concerned Americans discern these actions as a problem to their right to be free. In fact, the New Deal actions were affecting and taking the American freedom. Roosevelt practiced his power to manipulate the economy and to command people, assimilating himself as the highest authority. Therefore, people started to see Roosevelt’s campaign as the communist party, by trying to control the system.

In September of 1901 President William McKinley was assassinated and Theodore Roosevelt became president. President Roosevelt invoked the Sherman Antitrust Act, which went against the Northern Securities Company, which was a railroad company, and the Supreme Court ordered the company to dissolve. Many of his actions showed his independence from big business. Roosevelt was reelected on the “square deal”. Many of the Progressive reforms came from the Populist program, but populism failed because it was a rural protest.

At the start of his presidency, the biggest threat to America was the Great Depression. Within his first 100 days, Roosevelt introduced his first set of New deals. They were a large amount of various acts, that called for radical action. Some of the most notable accomplishments of Roosevelt's new deal included the AAA, the Social Security Act, and the Emergency Banking Act. The Agricultural Adjustment Act allowed the government a firmer position in American agricultural.