2. The Emergence Of Woodrow Wilson
Democrats were thrilled about
Republican split.
Dems nominate Woodrow
Wilson, a militant progressive.
President of Princeton, instituted
sweeping educational reforms
Governor of New Jersey;
ignored party bosses.
Progressive. Very Popular
3. Woodrow Wilson
Eloquent and somewhat of a zealot.
Strong moral streak; unwilling to
compromise matters of principle.
Appealed to the people over the heads of
the bosses and legislature.
In 1912 Democrats nominated him on the
46th ballot when Bryan swings his support
to Wilson.
“New
Freedom”.
4. The Bull Moose Campaign
Roosevelt not
ready to give up the
fight.
New Progressive
Party nominates
him as their
candidate.
Roosevelt and Taft
rhetoric.
5. The Bull Moose Party
Woodrow
Wilson
becomes
President
Democrats
Win 1912
6. Wilson v. Teddy
TR’s New Nationalism
Attitude toward
government regulation?
Attitude toward trusts?
favored women’s suffrage
Attitude toward social
welfare programs.
Wilson’s New Freedom.
Attitude toward
government regulation?
Attitude toward trusts?
Attitude toward social
welfare programs
Which parties would they
fit in today?
8. Meaning of Wilson’s Win?
Wilson wins with 41%.
Wilson gets fewer votes than Byran in any of his
three defeats.
Taft-TR combined had 1.2 Million more votes
Progressives (Wilson and Roosevelt) together
got far more votes than Taft.
Thus, Progressivism was the winner.
Wilson wins because Republicans split the vote
9. Woodrow Wilson: A Minority President
Republicans minority in Congress and out
of the White House for only the second
time since before the Civil War.
Why TR loses.
Socialist Eugene Debs.
Taft after the White House.
10. Wilson: The Idealist In Politics
Wilson second democratic president since 1861.
First southerner in the White House since Taylor.
Racist; Jeffersonian
Son of a Presbyterian Minister; fervent piety and a stark
view of good and bad that makes it hard for him to
compromise. He is rigid.
Moving orator, but cold personally.
Student of government; professor of political science.
Believed in strong president.
Idealist
Intellectual
11. Wilson’s Defects
Cold and austere
Lacked the common touch;
not good with humans
individually.
Intellectually arrogant.
Morally righteous. Rigid
and uncompromising
Stubborn
Racist
12. Wilson Tackles The Tariff
Triple wall of privilege
Called a special session of congress. Personal
State of the Union address.
The house passed the Underwood Tariff Bill.
goal.
Senate attempts to gut it.
What does Wilson do?
What happens to it?
Graduated income tax under the authority of the
16th Amendment
13. Wilson Wins
Financial Reforms
Wilson’s
background
Two Key Antitrust
Measures
Clayton Antitrust:
Federal Trade
Commission (F.T.C.)
New Tax System lowers tariff
Federal Income Tax 16
th
Amendment
Federal Reserve System
14. Wilson Battles The Bankers
US financial system is antiquated.
Most serious problem is the inelasticity
of the currency
money reserves heavily concentrated in NY
and a few other large cities
could not be mobilized easily to places under
financial stress
The republicans favored a Third Bank of
the United States with 15 branches.
Wilson opted for a decentralized bank in
federal hands. Why?
15. Federal Reserve Act
Federal Reserve Act: most
important piece of economic
legislation between the Civil War
and the New Deal.
Federal Reserve Board
How organized, managed and
owned
Empowered to issue federal
reserve notes backed by
commercial paper
Purpose?
16. The President Tames The Trusts
Federal Trade Commission Act of 1914
Clayton Anti-Trust Act of 1914
Strengthened
Sherman Anti-Trust Act by
lengthening the list of unfair trade practices.
labor and agriculture.
Provisions on strikes and picketing
17. Wilson At High Tide
Federal Farm Loan Act of 1916
Warehouse Act of 1916
Highway Construction
Ag extension work in state colleges
La Follette Seamen’s Act
Workingmen’s Compensation Act of 1916
Restriction on child labor on products in
interstate commerce
Adamson Act of 1916
18. Wilson’s Blind Spot
Wilson’s one failure in
broadening the rights of the
downtrodden was Blacks.
He increased segregation in the
Civil Service and generally had a
very blind eye—even a hostile
eye—toward concerns of blacks
regarding civil rights.
Proclaimed Birth of a Nation an
important insight into history.
19. New Directions In Foreign Policy
Wilson’s had a much different view of foreign
policy than either Roosevelt or Taft.
Attitude toward TR’s big-stickism and American
imperialism.
Attitude toward dollar diplomacy.
Wilson looked at foreign policy issues through
the lens of moralism.
What was the thesis of Wilsonian foreign policy.
Ironically, he intervened in foreign countries MORE
than had Roosevelt of Taft.
20. Wilson Foreign Policy
Jones Act of 1916: What did it do for the
Philippines?
Wilson continued republican policy of intervening
in Caribbean affairs.
Sent the Marines into Haiti in 1915
Same year sent marines into the Dominican Republic
to quell riots.
Why was Caribbean increasingly important to
US?
Purchases the Virgin Islands in the West Indies
from Denmark in 1917
24. Moralistic Diplomacy In Mexico
Huerta becomes president. Wilson
refuses to recognize him. Why?
Carranza and Pancho Villa.
Tampico dispute
US seizure of Vera Cruz. Germans
Carranza v. Villa
Columbus, NM raid
25. US Invasion of Mexico
Wilson and America are
outraged.
He sends General Pershing
across the border to capture Villa.
Pershing chases Villa across
northern Mexico but can’t find
him.
Mexicans love seeing the inept
Americans floundering around in
the desert.
Wilson withdraws in 1917 as war
for America looms in Europe
27. Road to WWI
Serb patriot killed Arch Duke Franz Ferdinand, the heir
to the throne of the Austria-Hungary “empire” in Serajevo
in 1914.
Austrians blame Serbia. Backed by Germany, send stern
ultimatum to Serbia
Serbia backed by Russia, mobilizes, menacing Germany
on the east.
France mobilizes on Germany’s other side.
Germans strike at France through Belgium.
England enters the war against Germans.
Japan eventually comes in against Germany, as well.
Central Powers: Germany, Austria-Hungary, Turkey
and Bulgaria
Allies: France, Russia, Britain, Japan.
29. A Precarious Neutrality
Americans had no desire to get involved.
Wilson neutrality proclamation
Trade with belligerents allowed?
Impact on US economy?
30. A Precarious Neutrality
US population overwhelmingly
in support of allies and staying
out of the war.
Reasons citizens favored
allies?
Wilson saw himself as the
neutral arbitrator above the
fray and hoped to be called
upon to negotiate a peace.
He calls for “peace without
victory”.
31. America Earns Blood Money
Orders from European nations quickly
snap us out of recession and starts a
business boom.
US
banks provide a great deal of financing to
the allies.
International law on trade with combatants
Shipping causes strain with combatants.
US trade is a much greater benefit to
Allies than Axis. Why?
British Blockade
32. U-Boats
Feb. 1915 German U-Boat
war around the British Isles.
Sank merchant ships headed
to England without warning.
German actions violate
international law.
How?
Why does Germany do it?
What did Germans pledge?
In the early months of 1915
German U-boats sink about
90 ships.
33. Lusitania
May 1915 Germans sink the British passenger liner the
Lusitania.
1198 killed including 128 Americans.
It was secretly carrying munitions in cargo compartment
US public outraged.
34. Sussex Pledge
Americans on the east coast
started drumming for war.
But Midwest is very
isolationist.
Wilson does not want war.
Why?
TR tried to push Wilson into
the war.
Wilson’s warning to
Germany.
German Sussex Pledge
US nevertheless at the brink
of war. Why?
35. Wilson Wins Reelection In 1916
Wilson faced a tough battle in 1916.
Progressive renominate TR, but he refuses to
run.
Republicans nominate Charles Evans Hughes.
Hughes is a poor candidate who tailors his
rhetoric concerning the war depending on his
audience.
Impact of TR rhetoric
Wilson runs on the slogan, “He kept us out of
war.”
Wilson wins narrowly