History ch 29 Flashcards
“The overshadowing question of the 1912 [Presidential] campaign:”
The overshadowing question of the 1912 campaign was which of two varieties of progressivism would prevail.
Compare New Nationalism and New Freedom.
New Nationalism urged the national government to increase its power to remedy economic and social abuses. New Freedom included stronger antitrust legislation to protect small business enterprises from monopolies, banking reform, and tariff reductions.
What concept, idea was the big winner in the 1912 Presidential election?
The concept that was the winner was Wilson’s. He promoted small enterprise, entrepreneurship, and the free functioning of minimally regulated and unmonopolized markets.
How did the election of 1912 demonstrate the dominance of the Progressive Movement in American Politics?
It showed that Wilson’s New Freedom was the way that Americans wanted it. The question of which progressives would prevail seemed silly because Wilson’s New Freedom did overwhelmingly.
What handicaps did Wilson face as he came into office, does your author suggest?
He was the first man from a former Confederate state to reach the White House since Zachary Taylor, sixty-four years earlier. He brought racial attitudes typical of his own race and region.
How did Wilson’s domestic and foreign policies demonstrate his Progressive ideology?
Wilson wanted “New Freedom” which involved small enterprise, entrepreneurship, and the free functioning of minimally regulated and unmonopolized markets. He also wanted to tackle tariffs, banking, and trusts.
What was the “triple wall of privilege”? What laws were enacted to address the three privileges represented and what did each do?
The triple wall of privilege was tariff, banks, and trusts. For tariff, the Underwood Tariff was passed. This tariff provided for a substantial reduction of rates and enacted an unprecedented, graduated federal income tax. For the banks, the Federal Reserve Act was passed. This established twelve regional Federal Reserve Banks and a Federal Reserve Board, appointed by the president, to regulate banking and create stability on a national scale in the volatile banking sector. And for trusts, the Clayton Antitrust Act was passed. This law extended the antitrust protections of the Sherman Antitrust Act and exempted labor unions and agricultural organizations from antimonopoly constraints.
What was an important reason for Wilson’s successes, both as governor and President—who did Wilson reach out to for his source of support?
Wilson earned the enmity of business people and bigots but endeared himself to progressives when in 1916 he nominated for the Supreme Court the prominent reformer Brandeis the first Jew to be called to the high bench.
The “Federal Reserve Act” was the most important piece of economic legislation between the Civil War and the New Deal. What power did this act give to the Federal Reserve Board?
The power that was given was to oversee reserve districts, and substantial measures of public control.
What seemed to be the limit of Wilson’s progressivism?
Wilson’s progressivism had its limits, and it clearly stopped short of better treatment for blacks.
What was the major tool of the progressive movement—what agency was the primary way for Progressives to accomplish reform?
?
What effects did Wilson’s foreign policy have on Latin America’s relations with the US?
Wilson declared war on dollar diplomacy. The American government would no longer offer special support to American investors in Latin America and China.
What were the issues that led to the American military incursion into Mexico?
Rifle bullets crossed the Southern border, and American capitalists had sunk about a billion dollars into the underdeveloped country.
When war broke out in Europe in 1914, the combatants were aligned in two opposing alliances. What were the names and which major nations were in each?
One was called the Central Powers which consisted of Germany, Austria-Hungary, Turkey, and Bulgaria. The other one was called the Allies which consisted of France, Britain, Russia, Japan, and Italy.
Was it clear at the outset that the US would join the war? Why, why not? Was it clear which side it would join if it did join?
Yes, Wilson wanted everyone to remain neutral but the British liked America. Not many Americans liked the Germans, so the allies seemed like the better option.
