2.6 The 1912 Election

Question 1

What party did Roosevelt take leadership of?

Answer 1

The National Progressive Party (the bull moose party)

Question 2

How did Wilson attack Taft?

Answer 2

Claimed the Republicans were the party of big business and high protective tariffs

Question 3

Who were the 4 candidates for presidency and what party did they represent?

Answer 3

Woodrow Wilson - Democrat
Theodore Roosevelt - Progressive
William Taft - Republican
Eugene Debs - Socialist

Question 4

What group of people were attracted to socialism?

Answer 4

Democrat voters and those struggling from rapid industrialisation

Question 5

Who were the two main contenders?

Answer 5

Roosevelt and Wilson, who both stood for progressivism

Question 6

What demands did Roosevelt make in his campaign?

Answer 6

• Effective control of big business through a strong federal commission
• Radical tax reform
• Social and economic reform

Question 7

What did Wilson campaign for?

Answer 7

A program called the New Freedom:
- Destroy monopolies
- Tariff reduction
- Banking reform
- Severe tightening of antitrust laws

Question 8

What were the results of the 1912 election?

Answer 8

Wilson - 42%
Roosevelt - 27%
Taft - 23%
Debs - 6%

Question 9

How did the socialist party do in comparison to previous elections?

Answer 9

Eugene Debs was able to win double the number of votes as he did in 1904 and 1908