How Did Theodore Roosevelt Contribute To Progressivism

In the nineteenth century, most liberal policies began at the state and local levels. After the assassination of William McKinley, Theodore Roosevelt became president on September 14, 1901. He became politically influential, won control of the Republican party and displayed legislative leadership in pushing Progressive reforms. Roosevelt's progressive agenda was the "Three C's" (723) also know as the Square Deal. He wanted extensive government control of corporations, protecting consumers against contaminated food and medicines, and improve the conservation of natural resources. For example, Roosevelt established strict government enforcement to regulate trust with the government severing as mediator. Established the federal power to regulate …show more content…
Taft did manage to preserve more federal land, filed twice as many anti-trust suits than Roosevelt, strengthen federal control over railroad freight rates, established Chilren Bureau (1912) for children's welfare and Bureau of Mines (1910) to oversee vast industries. Due to his conservatism towards progressivism, Taft was not re-elected as president. Woodrow Wilson became president in 1912. Wilson pushed a different type of progressivism as New Freedom, which would eliminate all trust rather than regulate them. Wilson promoted tariff reform, income tax reform, currency and credit reform and stronger antitrust laws. For example, Underwood-Simmons Tariff (1913), reduced rates on some items and free others and also imposed the federal income tax of a certain number. Federal Reserve Act (1913) instituted a flexible currency system to adjust the needs of the economy to reform the money monopoly. Clayton Anti-Trust Act declared certain practices by a corporation as illegal that the Sherman Act did not include. Roosevelt saw big businesses as bad because their actions were unethical and unfair. Taft was a successor of Roosevelt who kept with some progressive ideas. Trust busting was Wilson's primary focus of his New Freedom

Show More

How Did Theodore Roosevelt Contribute To Progressivism

Related Documents: How Did Theodore Roosevelt Contribute To Progressivism

United States and Essential Questions Essay