Populism and Progressivism (1890 - 1912) Flashcards
Successes of President McKinley
- Alaska-Yukon Gold Rush increased the amount of gold in circulation
- Political position strengthened by the Spanish-American War
- Growing economy
Weaknesses of President McKinley
- Big business friendly policies
- Dingley Tariff Act 1897 (increased tariffs)
- Currency Act 1900 (committed the US to maintaining the gold standard)
- Strong disagreements with his vice-president Roosevelt
- Assassinated September 1901
Successes of President Roosevelt
- Anti-trust measures
- Sided with the workers during the Anthracite coal strike 1902
- Conservation
- Consumer protection
- Roosevelt brought federal government and presidential office into the domain of economic and social reform
Describe President Roosevelt’s anti-trust measures
Further enforced Sherman Antitrust Act 1890:
- Embarked on 44 anti-trust prosecutions
Department of Labour and Commerce Act 1903
- Created a new Department of Commerce
- Was given the power to collect data from any business dealing in interstate commerce
- In order to identify monopolies and price fixing
Hepburn Act 1906
- Established a federal government commission
- Given power to inspect books of railroad companies
- Could lay down max rates they could charge
Describe the anthracite coal strike of 1902
- Roosevelt sided with the workers
- Told employers that if they didn’t settle he would send in troops to work the mines
- Employers raised wages and limited working day to 9 hours
Describe President Roosevelt’s conservation work
- 150 million acres of forest to be placed on federal reserves
- Strictly enforced laws on grazing, mining and lumbering
- Organised 1908 National Conservation Conference
Describe President Roosevelt’s work in consumer protection
- 1906 Act led to a federal programme of meat inspection
- Pure Food and Drug Act 1906 started the end of food adulteration
Weaknesses of President Roosevelt
- Growing divide in the Republican Party between conservatives and progressives
Strengths of President Taft
- Antitrust measures (80 antitrust suits)
- 8 hour working day for government employees
- Mine safety legislation
- Interstate Commission to set railroad rates
- 1909, introduced federal income tax and corporation tax (later used to fund direct election of senators)
- Respected rights of congress to oppose his ideas
Weaknesses of President Taft
- Lacked political skill of Roosevelt
- Failed to handle Republican Party progressive-conservative divide
- Sacked Pinchot (the great conservationist appointed by Roosevelt)
- Payne-Aldrich Act 1909 (failed to lower tariffs)
- Lost the support of Roosevelt who considered him too conservative
Describe the impact that Roosevelt had on the 1912 election
- Roosevelt formed the Bull-moose party
- Split the Republican vote
- Contributed greatly to 1912 Republican defeat
What were the main reasons populism emerged?
- Bimetallism
- Agricultural discontent
Describe bimetallism in 1890
- The introduction of silver currency as well as gold
- 1865-1890, world gold production decreased
- 1860-1890, US silver production went from $150,000 to $57 million
- Sherman Silver Purchase Act 1890 removed by President Cleveland in 1896
Describe agricultural discontent in 1890
- High tariffs on foreign goods made it hard to sell abroad
- Harvests deteriorated from 1880 due to poor weather
- 1860-1890, 1 bushel of wheat went from $1.60 to $0.60
- 1860-1890, 1 bushel of cotton went from $0.30 to $0.06
What were the aims of the Populist Party?
- Regulation of railways & farm prices
- Improve AA rights
- Graduated income tax
- Direct election of senators
- 8 hour working day
- Bimetallism
Give some reasons why populism was not important
- Collapsed following 1896 election (short lived)
- Had few electoral success (45 member served in Congress 1891-1902)
Give some reasons why populism was important
- Progressives adopted many of the aims of the populist party
- Third party influence of the Populists
What were the main reasons progressivism emerged?
- Economic problems
- Social problems
- Need for political reform
- Need to regulate big business
- Media influence
- Fear of revolution
Describe the economic problems that led to the establishment of progressivism
- Recession in 1893
- 12% unemployed in 1890’s
- Falling standards of living
- Failing small farms vs big agribusiness
Describe the social problems that led to the establishment of progressivism
- Poor living conditions
- 6 day, 72-hour working week
- No welfare system
Describe the need for political reform that led to the establishment of progressivism
- Growing dissatisfaction with the 2 main parties
- Corruption
Describe the need to regulate big business that led to the establishment of progressivism
- Monopolies and fixed prices
- Increasingly hostile to robber barons
Describe the media influence that led to the establishment of progressivism
- Increase in magazine and newspaper circulation
- Spreading views and opinions
- 1912, McClure’s magazine = 1 mill copies per edition
Describe the fear of revolution that led to the establishment of progressivism
- Concern about the growth of socialism and radicalism
- Growing trade unions and violent strikes
Describe the political aims of the progressives
- Female suffrage
- Direct election of senators
- Regulation on big business and intervention on the side of the workers
- More democratic election of public officials
- Open primary election
Describe the economic aims of the progressives
- Regulation of big business
- Legislation to recognise trade unions, regulate working hours & provide compensation for injury at work
- Insurance schemes for unemployed, elderly and sick
- Legislation for consumer protection
- Bimetallism
Describe the social aims of the progressives
- Female suffrage
- Creation of welfare state
- Abolition of manufacture and sale of alcohol
- Improved living standards for African Americans
Describe industrial growth 1890-1912
- Modern oil production stated January 1901
- 1913, Oklahoma producing 25% nations oil
- 1904, largest 4% US companies producing 57% of total industry in the US
- US Steel became the world’s first billion-dollar