Rewriting the Constitution: the Wilson Years
2017-10-23
The biggest question in American politics between 1900 and 1915 is how the government should handle the big corporations/trusts/monopolies.
Compare, in any way, Wilson's (in the "New Freedom," for today) and Roosevelt's (in the "New Nationalism" Osawatomie speech last week) approach to corporate power. Does one seem more appealing to you?
Changing the Constitution
The 1912 election
William Howard Taft
Eugene Debs
Woodrow Wilson
1912 Results
| Candidate | Vote share |
|---|---|
| Woodrow Wilson (Democrat) | 41.8% |
| Teddy Roosevelt (Republican, running as "Progressive") | 27.4% |
| Taft (Republican Incumbent, running as Republican) | 23.3% |
| Debs (Socialist) | 6% |
The Wilson Presidency
Wilson's First Year
- Underwood Tariff: Big cut in tariff rates, first modern income tax
Wilson's First Year
- Underwood Tariff: Big cut in tariff rates, first modern income tax
- Federal Reserve System
Federal Reserve System
- Don't memorize this
Wilson's First Year
- Underwood Tariff
- Federal Reserve Act
- Clayton Antitrust Act (Many provisions, including: Government reviews all mergers; Unions are not monopolies.)
- Segregation of Washington DC
- Farm Loan and Warehousing Act
- And more by 1916:
- Child labor Act
- Eight-hour Day
Government-mandated segregation
Creating the modern presidency
- Head of state
- Head of government
- Commander in Chief
- Chief Diplomat
- Director of Legislation
- Leader of the Party