Progressive Era: Roosevelt, Taft, Reform, and 1912 Politics

What position did Theodore Roosevelt hold that was responsible for promoting merit-based hiring?

Member of the Civil Service Commission

What was the role of Theodore Roosevelt as Police Commissioner of New York City?

He oversaw the New York City police department and fought corruption.

What was Theodore Roosevelt's position before becoming President that involved managing the U.S. Navy?

Assistant Secretary of the Navy

What reputation did Theodore Roosevelt develop during his political career?

He was known as an energetic reformer who fought corruption and supported government reform.

What law did Theodore Roosevelt use as a weapon against monopolies?

The Sherman Antitrust Act

What did the Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890 declare illegal?

All combinations 'in restraint of trade.'

What were trusts in the context of the Sherman Antitrust Act?

Large business arrangements that reduced competition and gained control over an industry.

How did the enforcement of the Sherman Antitrust Act change under Theodore Roosevelt?

The federal government began using antitrust law more aggressively against large corporations.

What significant case did Roosevelt's administration pursue under the Sherman Antitrust Act?

The Northern Securities Company case, which led to the dissolution of a railroad holding company.

What was the coal strike of 1902 about?

Coal miners demanded better wages, shorter hours, and union recognition.

What role did Elihu Root play during the coal strike of 1902?

He was the Secretary of War who prepared the army but did not use it against the strikers.

What was Roosevelt's approach to the coal strike of 1902?

He pressured mine owners to negotiate and threatened government intervention.

What environmental organization did John Muir help found in 1892?

The Sierra Club

What was the main goal of the Sierra Club?

To protect wilderness and promote conservation.

What is the difference between conservation and preservation?

Conservation is responsible management of natural resources, while preservation is protecting nature from development.

How did Roosevelt support conservation during his presidency?

By expanding protected federal lands and establishing national forests and wildlife refuges.

What was the purpose of the Newlands Reclamation Act of 1902?

To encourage developers and homesteaders to inhabit arid lands by funding irrigation projects.

What conditions were set for buyers under the Newlands Reclamation Act?

Buyers had to assume the cost of irrigation and live on the land for at least five years.

What was the significance of the Newlands Reclamation Act?

It helped farmers settle and cultivate land in the dry West and expanded federal involvement in water management.

What is reclamation in the context of the Newlands Reclamation Act?

Making dry or difficult land suitable for farming and settlement, especially through irrigation.

What was the Payne-Aldrich Tariff of 1909?

A tariff law signed by President Taft that raised rates and retained many high tariffs.

Why did Progressives oppose the Payne-Aldrich Tariff?

They wanted lower tariffs to reduce protections for wealthy businesses and lower prices for consumers.

What was the significance of the Payne-Aldrich Tariff for Taft's presidency?

It angered Progressive Republicans and damaged Taft's relationship with them, deepening divisions in the Republican Party.

What was New Nationalism?

Theodore Roosevelt's progressive reform program that called for a stronger federal government to regulate corporations.

What were the main goals of Roosevelt's New Nationalism?

Stronger regulation of corporations, greater protection for workers and consumers, social welfare measures, and effective taxation of wealth.

How did New Nationalism influence the Progressive movement?

It expanded the idea that government should address economic inequality and corporate abuses, shaping Roosevelt's 1912 campaign.

What was the outcome of the 1912 presidential election?

Woodrow Wilson won as the Democratic candidate due to the split in the Republican vote between Taft and Roosevelt.

What led to the split in the Republican Party during the 1912 election?

The division arose from differing views on reforms between Taft and Roosevelt, leading Roosevelt to form the Progressive Party.

What was the Progressive Party, also known as the Bull Moose Party?

A political party formed by Roosevelt and his supporters after he lost the Republican nomination to Taft.

What was Woodrow Wilson's reform program called?

New Freedom, which focused on limiting concentrated economic power and expanding competition.

How did the Progressive movement affect the Republican Party?

It demonstrated deep divisions within the party and showed that significant reforms were supported across party lines.

What was the relationship between Taft and Roosevelt during Taft's presidency?

Roosevelt became critical of Taft for not pursuing a more aggressive reform agenda, leading to a rift between them.

What was the significance of the 1912 election for the Progressive movement?

It highlighted the movement's impact on American politics and the differing approaches to reform by Roosevelt and Wilson.

What did Progressives believe about government involvement in the economy?

They believed that the government should use public resources to promote economic development and public welfare.

What was the main criticism of high tariffs by Progressives?

High tariffs protected wealthy businesses and allowed them to charge consumers more.

What did conservatives believe about tariffs during the Progressive Era?

They believed tariffs protected American industries and workers from foreign competition.

What was the impact of the Newlands Act on barren lands?

It rejuvenated over a million acres of barren land through irrigation projects.

How did the Newlands Reclamation Act reflect Progressive beliefs?

It showed the belief that government could effectively manage resources for economic and social improvement.