The Progressives

From the years 1901 to 1921 the United States had three presidents that would leave behind, in history, an era know as the Progressive Era. These Presidents were non other than Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and Woodrow Wilson. However, I am would like to focus on the specific contributions of Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson. President Roosevelt was a very unique President. His attire ranged for a tuxedo to his Rough Riders uniform, dating back to the Spanish American War. However Roosevelt was not just unique in this way. Mainly it was his view for the “common people” like consumers and workers. The Elkins Act in 1903 was one of the ways he showed his dedication to the common people. This act made it illegal for railroads and shippers to offer rate rebates.

Railroad had to set rates so that they couldn’t change without notice. Another act that during Roosevelt’s administration was the Pure Food and Drug Act passed in 1906.This act protected the American people from the many harmful ingredients in foods and medicines. The third and final thing that Roosevelt did, before Taft took over, would be in conserving the nation. He gave more power to the Forest Bureau and created a National Forest Service. In addition he also appointment Gifford Pinchot, who was a professional conservationist, to be in charge of the national forests. Needless to say this certainly helps the United States in the future to come. In the election of 1912 the repulican party split. One side was the original and the other side called the progressive party or the bull moose party.

However, because of this split in votes the democratic took presidency. This democrate was non other than the progressive Woodrow Wilson. Wilson had a very similar approch to helping the common people as Roosevelt, but differed in the way he did it. Through the Underwood Act he was able to lower the tariffs, which drastically helped the consumer. The second was the passage of the Federal Reserve Act that provided the Nation with the more elastic money supply. Then a little later in 1914 the Clayton Antitrust Act in 1914 fixed many of the loop holes that the Sherman Antitrust Act had when it was passed. The United States greatly benifited form both Woodrow Wilson and Theodore Roosevelt. The two men drastically helped the American people. As well as rid the government of its laissez faire approach to the economy. They were both very good Presidents in that sense and exactly was the government needed.