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American History - Ben > Wilson domestic policy (1912-20) > Flashcards

Wilson domestic policy (1912-20) Flashcards

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1
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3

Describe the 1912 election campaigns

A
  • Wilson’s ‘New Freedom’ - tariff reduction and banking reform
  • TR’s ‘New Nationalism’ - social insurance programmes and 8hr work day
  • Taft ran subdued ‘progressive conservatism’ campaign
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2
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Describe the 1912 election results

A
  • 4 way contest between Wilson (Dem), TR (Pro), Taft (Rep), Debs (Soc)
  • Wilson would win in landslide with 435/531 EC votes, despite lowest pop vote since 1860 (lower than any Bryan result)
  • Taft’s certain victory before 1910 turned into 3rd place with only 2 states carried
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3
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4

Describe the significance of the 1912 election

A
  • landslide for progressivism
  • dramatic rejection for Taft’s conservative Republicanism
  • Wilson first President to win over 400 electoral votes
  • Only Dem Pres from 1896-1932 - one of two elected Dem Pres from 1860-1932 (+ Cleveland)
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4
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5

Describe the rise of socialism by 1912

A
  • Rising industrial action e.g. railroad industry Pullman Strike 1894
  • Many European imms influenced by socialist ideas
  • Debs won 6% vote in 1912
  • IWW (Industrial Workers of the World) demanded huge changes to socio-economic system
  • Moderate socialists like Samuel Gompers more willing to work with big business as long as wages and employment was guaranteed
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5
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3

Describe the 1916 election campaign

A
  • Wilson used campaign slogan ‘He kept us out of war’ to capitalise on public mood
  • Republicans picked moderate SC justice Charles Evan Hughes who could appeal to both progressives and conservatives
  • TR declined to run for progressive party again, instead endorsing Hughes
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6
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3

Describe the 1916 election results

A
  • Elec college: Wilson 277, Hughes 254
  • Narrow victory due to reformation of Republican vote
  • Led to collapse of progressivism as partisan movement
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7
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4

What did President Wilson do for banking?

A
  • Federal Reserve Act 1913:
  • 12 banking districts were created, each under the supervision of a Federal Reserve Board
  • All banks that wanted to participate in this system had to invest 6% of their capital and surplus into the reserve bank
  • This means money is no longer dependent on the amount of gold - greater monetary control potential
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8
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2

What were the successes of President Wilson’s banking reforms?

A
  • Banks could use rediscount rates to control the amount of money in circulation
  • By 1923, 70% of the national banking resources were part of the federal reserve system
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9
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3

What were the limitations of President Wilson’s banking reforms?

A
  • 30% of national banking resources were not part of the federal reserve
  • conservative opposition as threatened state rights
  • Regional/smaller banks largely existed outside system - effect on 1929
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10
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6

Describe Wilson’s economic policies

A
  • Rebalance of government for federal intervention
  • Underwood Tariff Act 1913
  • Federal Trade Commission Act 1914
  • Clayton Anti-Trust Act 1914
  • Federal Farm Loan Act 1916
  • Revenue Act 1916
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11
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Describe the FTC

A
  • Formed 1914 to investigate corporations and stop ‘unfair’ practices
  • Established regulatory body for business that covered every possible dubious business activity
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12
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Describe the successes of the FTC

A
  • Under Wilson the FTC administered 400 cease-and desist orders to companies engaged in illegal activity
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13
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Describe the weaknesses of the FTC

A
  • ‘unfair’ practices not defined
  • needed to be strengthened
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14
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2

Describe the Clayton Anti-Trust Act 1914

A
  • strengthened Sherman Anti-Trust Act 1890
  • made certain practices illegal
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15
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3

Describe the practices made illegal by the Clayton Anti-Trust Act 1914

A
  • price discrimination to foster monopolies
  • ‘tying arrangements’ which forbade retailers from handling rivals’ products (e.g. purchase of fridge and transport tied together)
  • interlocking directorates - when a board member of one company is also on the board of a rival company
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16
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3

Describe how Wilson rebalanced the government to facilitate greater intervention

A
  • Department of Commerce annd Labor split
  • William Wilson appointed first secretary of Department of Labor - a former union leader who played a key arbitrary role in settling disputes
  • reorganised Department of Agriculture to develop better credit and distribution networks for farmers
17
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2

Describe the Federal Farm Loan Act 1916

A
  • gave farmers low cost, long-term loans to inc farming capacity
  • occurred at time of increased food demand due to WW1
18
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6

Describe the Underwood Tariff Act 1913

A
  • 16th amendment (introduced under Taft) permitted introduction of federal income tax - ratified 1913
  • Reduced average tariffs from 40% to 27%
  • reduced some duties to 0
  • industries: food, iron/steel, agricultural machinery - helped farmers
  • 1% income tax only applied to those earning over $3k (circa 3x good industrial wage)
  • Major source of revenue
19
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3

Describe the Revenue Act 1916

A
  • Lower rate of income tax raised from 1% to 2%
  • raised top rate from 7% to 15%
  • by 1917, had provided more govt revenue than tariffs ever had
20
Q

2

Describe opposition to federal income tax introduction

A
  • few congressmen initially realised potential of income tax
  • Opposition from wealthy industrialists
21
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5

Describe the Ludlow Massacre 1913

A
  • Coal strike over abysmal conditions and low pay
  • Colorado National Guard members formed anti-strike militia that killed 26
  • Watershed moment in labour relations
  • Wilson sent federal troops to break up the strike only after 10 days of violence
  • Criticised for delayed intervention
22
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4

Describe Wilson’s social policy

A
  • Federal Child Labor Act (Keating-Owen Child Act) 1916
  • Workmen’s Compensation Act 1916
  • Adamson Act 1916
  • Volstead Act 1920
23
Q

3

Describe the Federal Child Labor Act (Keating-Owen Child Act) 1916

A
  • barred goods made by children from interstate commerce
  • addressed 2m children under 16 in work and deprived of edu
  • ruled unconstitutional by SC in 1918
24
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2

Describe the Workmen’s Compensation Act 1916

A
  • Provided financial assistance for federal employees absent from work due to illness of injury
  • Financial security improved employment
25
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2

Describe the Adamson Act 1916

A
  • laid down max 8hr work day for railroad workers
  • prevented future deadly strikes
26
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3

Describe the successes of Wilson’s AA policy

A
  • Won NAACP support in 1912
  • on basis he would treat black people equally and criticise lynching
  • non-interventionist policy struck political compromise
27
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3

Describe the weaknesses of Wilson’s AA policy

A
  • Placed segregationists in charge of federal agencies and into Cabinet
  • opposed anti-lynching legislation, arguing it was state matter
  • 1915 - screened ‘birth of a nation’ at White House
28
Q

3

Describe an example of a racist in Wilson’s Cabinet

A
  • Josephus Daniels - Sec of Navy
  • notorious white supremacist
  • counted among leaders of Wilmington Massacre 1898
29
Q

2

Describe the constitutional policy of Wilson

A
  • 17th amendment (ratified 1913) - direction election of Senators
  • 19th amendment (ratified 1920) - female enfranchisement
30
Q

3

Describe the 17th amendment (direct election of senators)

A
  • Reflected popular dissatisfaction with the corruption that characterised Senator selection in many states
  • Delivered on progressive goal to reduce undue influence of big business
  • Prevented vacancies caused by changes to party leadership at state level
31
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2

Describe a limit with the 17th amendment

A
  • By time of adoption, many states had already introduced mechanisms to direct election
  • e.g. legislatures appointed winners of party primaries
32
Q

2

Describe the 19th amendment (female enfranchisement)

A
  • milestone in decades-long campaign
  • propelled American democracy by giving equal voice to women
33
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1

Describe a limit to the 19th amendment

A
  • Many women were still disenfranchised for generations due to discriminatory state legislation on ethnicity
34
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4

Describe the role of the state in WW1

A
  • State grew rapidly - away from American norms
  • Established War Industries Board (WIB)
  • Previous divided railroad system centralised under control of Director-General William G McAdoo
  • Lever Food and Fuel Control Act 1917
35
Q

5

Describe the War Industries Board (WIB)

A
  • set quotas and efficiency targets
  • allocated scarce resources
  • fixed prices
  • yet still allowed big firms to make profit
  • e.g. US Steel made $0.5bn in 2 years - accusations of war-profiteering
36
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2

Describe the centralised railroad system under McAdoo (Sec of Treasury)

A
  • centralised system vital for movement of goods and troops
  • McAdoo standardised accounting practices, raised wages and increased passenger rates
37
Q

4

Describe the 1917 Lever Food and Fuel Control Act and agriculture in WW1

A
  • under Herbert Hoover (US Director of Food Administration)
  • set wheat prices at $2.20 per bushel to encourage production
  • Established government corporation to buy US and Cuban sugar to maintain supplies
  • Organised voluntary campaigns to avoid rationing e.g. Meatless Thursdays

American History - Ben (22 decks)

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