Midterm essay

Submitted By jlfrey14
Words: 728
Pages: 3

Jennifer Frey
October 27, 2010
History 202B
8:00-8:50

History Midterm Essay Throughout the 20th century the government played a significant role in the United States economy. In early parts of the 20th century, the government agreed in the thought of laissez faire which is the quote of saying “Let it be”; government hands off of private business expect to retain law and order. In later parts of the 20th century many organization such as small businesses, farms and labor movements began to ask the government to intrude on their defense. Times in the century that the government was part of include the Progressive Era, The Republican Administrations of the 1920’s and the New Deal. The progressives were people who accepted government control of business practices to regulate completion and free enterprise. Two main progressives include Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson. Roosevelt came up with New Nationalism which was an idea to regulate businesses while Wilson favored an idea of New Freedom which is an idea to spilt businesses into smaller businesses. Roosevelt created an agency called the Food and Drug Act which was to regulate the food and drug industry because of the book of “The Jungle.” Wilson created the agency called the Sherman Act of 1890 and Clayton Act of 1914 that stated to split up big businesses to stop big competitors. He also created the Federal Reserve to regulate bank matters. In addition to the government playing an important role in the Progressive Era it also played a big role in the Republicans administrations of the 1920’s. The government also played an important role in the Republicans administrations of the 1920’s. Warren Harding, president from 1921-1923, wanted normalcy with things to go back to normal and stepping back from the government being involved like it was in World War I. Calvin Coolidge, president from 1923-1929, was criticized for laissez faire government. The vital opinion of his presidency divided between the citizens who supported the decrease of size in government programs and those who felt the federal government ought to be more associated in standardizing and organizing the economy. Harding and Coolidge were seen as pro business which involved small governments as possible. Herbert Hoover, last republican president from 1929-1933, was in favor of the government have more involvement in the economy. He believed in self reliance and sought to encourage development through a tax cut and by insisting on business to expand. As this began to occur the unemployment rates began to swell to high numbers. Hoover was serving during and was blamed for the Great Depression that occurring in his terms in office as President. Besides the government playing an important role in the Republicans administrations of the 1920’s, it also played a role in the New Deal. The New Deal was a