Progressive Politics            

  1. Theodore Roosevelt and his approach to life and the presidency

                -lead instead of follow Congress

        -a "square deal" is – Every Man and Woman should receive fair treatment & opportunity

  1. Trust-Busting

        -Northern Securities case is the gov'ts attempt to do Break up o monopolies with the exercise of the Sherman anti-trust

                -it did validate The government’s authority in regulating trusts & the business of America

  1. Regulation

                -T.R. wanted to regulate the conduct of Business & industry for the Public good

        -R.R. were a source of complaint because of High rates & Concessions to favor businesses

        -in the Hepburn Act strengthened which commission? Interstate commerce commission

-this allowed the commission to set Rates for R.R. and the ability to keep a "standard"  Book keeping system allowing easier regulation of the R.R. rates

        -Pure Food and Drug Act stated Outlaws the interstate sale of impure food & drugs requiring honest labeling

                -Meat Inspection Act stated Dept of Ag –prep & packaging of meat and health of animals before slaughter

                                -this action was inspired by the muckraker Upton Sinclair and his book The jungle

Coal Strike

        -this was a severe test of T.R.'s Square deal - Coal operated locomotives, provided heat, etc…

                        -limits of this during the winter causes worries among Americans

        -T.R. arranges a meeting between owners and union members –Owners refuse To meet or speak with union

        -T.R. threatens to use federal troops to operate mines

                                -1st time to Side with union & workers rather than against the Workers

                        -the results Owners consent to pay raise & 9 hr work day

  1. Conservation

        -What was the most important thing to T.R.? Conservation of natural resources

        -ie of what he did Reclamation act –setting aside 100 mil. acres of western lands in addition to the natural forests

  1. Race Relations

        -this was one of the great Failure of the progressives

        -Resentment against the Immigrants (Orientals) population resulted in Discrimination and Violence

                        San Francisco tried to Segregated Orientals into separate schools

        -For Blacks in the South the treatment "actually" Worsened during the progressive Era

        -T.R. stirred some controversy by inviting this man to the White House Booker T. Washington

        -What governments ruled the South after Reconstruction? Redeemer governments

        -they tried to Keep promises to protect  black civil rights

        -What was the change in the 1890's? Jim Crow Laws

        these were laws that forced Segregation or Separation of races (trains, restaurants, hotels, schools, & other social settings

        -What did Southern governments begin to deprive blacks of The right to vote

        -How did they do this? Poll taxes & literacy tests

        -What American institution passed decisions that hamstrung the civil rights of Blacks? Supreme Court

        -Plessy v. Ferguson decreed Separate but equal (constitutional) on trains but this ruling expanded to other areas were constitutional

        -Blacks responded differently

Booker T. Washington Concentrate on bettering themselves (progressing) in vocational Ed & “black” businesses and trades.

-b/co more powerful through Econ & whites will be forced to accept them and grant them = political rights

W.E.B. DuBois –needed political equality before a black man can get economic equality –take the rights through politics, & legal action (NAACP)

 

Roosevelt and the "Big Stick"

                -he considered the Expansion of a “civilized power” ie. US into world affairs “ a victory for law, order & righteousness

1)     Philippines

                -put down an uprising, but they still struggled to control them

                -American leaders feared that if the islands were granted Independence too quickly, they might Fall prey to another Imperial Power such as Japan.

                -over a period of 30 years the U.S. gave Filipinos increasing amounts of self-rule.

2)     Panama Canal

                -Favorite of T.R.

                -Congress passed an act to purchase the French rights.

                -Senate passed a Treaty with Columbia to purchase Perpetual control.

                -Columbian senate rejects the Treaty in the hopes for More money

                -America helps Panamanian to revolt

                -America then deals with Panama to buy the land and build the Canal.

                -All the nations of the Americas benefit from the construction of the Canal.

                -Latin America begins to express Resentment & fear of the “colossus of the North”as they put it

                -Roosevelt Corollary was an addition to the Monroe Doctrine -T.R. saw the U.S. as the Leader, Policeman , and Ruleof the Western Hemisphere

3)     Japan

                -U.S. expansion and trade With china and American possessions in the pacific conflict looms with Japan

                -U.S. relations were not great after the Treaty of Portsmouth

                -They were offended By the discrimination of orientals on the west coast of the U.S.

                -Japanese immigration to U.S. all but Stopped and tensions between the two Improved

4)     "Great White Fleet"

                -the grand Display of American naval power

                -Description of the numbers and trip 16 battleships = battleship diplomacy (America to Japan) but also around the world results in the Root Takahira Agreement –Respect of territories and open door policy in China