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PROGRESSIVISM, IMPERIALISM - Coggle Diagram
PROGRESSIVISM
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POPULISM:
political movement founded in 1890s mainly representing farmers favouring free coinage of silver and govt. control of railroads and other industries.
KEY ISSUES IN 1890S
agricultural discontent
- falling prices - especially wheat and cotton.
- plus high tariffs were implemented on foreign goods so US faced high competition.
- from later 1880s harvests deteriorated due to bad weather.
silver
silver
- traditionally US followed the gold standard.
- bimetallists felt silver should be used in coinage production.
- between 1865+1910 world production of gold had decreased and there was rapid growth in silver production.
- pressure from this silver industry led the Sherman Silver Purchase Act 1890 - conservatives thought this would undermine.
- 1896 Cleveland removed measure believing business community - who favoured the gold standard - had been lost.
US BIG TENT PARTIES
- large and established parties absorbing smaller parties to avoid threat.
WILLIAM BRYAN
- progressive thinker
- advocated for women's suffrage
- against child labour
- supported food safety and quality
- supported shorter working days
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changed Democrat party to be more left wing - didn't win though because many saw him as too radical.
this scared much of big business and was the start of change - however, much of this change happened after his.
REPUBLICAN DOMINANCE
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republican strengths
- progressivism positively influenced the Republicans until 1912.
- after the Gilded Age, party balance evenly split and both parties were similar.
- support from big business and prosperous industrial workers.
- well funded election campaigns led by political strategists like Mark Hanna.
democrat problems
- populism divided the party.
- core support still in South
- segragationist view dominated the party
- continued belief of laissez-faire to maintain business support under Cleveland 'Bourbon Democrat'.
issue of free silver divided the Democrats as did the radical policies of Bryan in 1896.
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Teddy Roosevelt
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- immediately made his intention to tackle big business clear.
- made the Sherman Anti Trust Act effective.
- 1903 Dept of Commerce and Labour Act.
- 1906 Hepburn Act.
- 1908 organised National Conservation Conference.
- intervened in industrial disputes - e.g. 1902 anthracite coal act.
Taft (R)
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- continued TR's antitrust policies.
- introduced an 8 hour day and mine safety legislation.
- introduced the federal income tax and corporation tax.
- brought in the direct election of senators.
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- lacked the political skills to handle divisions.
- sacked the conservationist appointed by TR.
- aligned largely with the conservative wing of the Republican party.
- Payne-Aldrich Act did very little to lower tariffs.
Wilson (D)
the implementation of the income tax had given the govt a new source of income - the 1916 REVENUE ACT taxed the rich more and redistributed wealth.
social reform:
- federal child labour act (first one)
- workmen's compensation act
- adamson act - laid down 8 hour workday
anti-trust measures
- federal investigations
- Clayton Anti-Trust Act furthered the Sherman Act.
financial and economic reforms
- 1913 Underwood Tariff Act - lowered average tariff rates from about 40% to 27% and reintroduced the federal income tax.
- Federal Reserve Act 1913 - implemented a central bank to oversee monetary stability and therefore establish an ensure economic stability in the US.
THE 1912 ELECTION
Republican Problem
- the issue of tariff reform split the party under Taft.
- TR felt that Taft was too conservative so challenged him for party nomination.
- Taft was the party nominee so Taft ran for the progressives and split the vote.
TR's Ideas
- promoted 'new nationalism'.
- wanted proper regulation of trusts.
- inheritance and income tax.
- many progressive reforms.
Wilson's Ideas
- promoted 'new freedom'.
- attacked corporations and wanted 'trustbusting'.
- wanted reduced tariffs.
Results and Significance
- Wilson and Democrats received a massive victory.
- Progressives came second.
- if Taft and TR had worked together, they could have won.
IMPERIALISM
MOTIVES FOR IMPERIALISM
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progressive imperialism: US imperialism was motivated by a desire to improve the lives of non-Americans and export American values to less developed countries.
linked to the missionary work undertaken by Americans due to the belief that WASPS (White Anglo-Saxon Protestants) were a superior peoples with a duty to help members of 'lesser races'.
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need for markets
'open door' policy as opposed to actual territorial expansion.
the USA faced surpluses in farm produce and needed a market to absorb these.
Following 1893 depression.
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preclusive imperialism: if the USA didn't impose control of a country one of the other empires would instead.
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US foreign and imperial policy changed significantly from 1890-1912 as it had developed from isolationist with minimal intervention abroad to greater support for imperial expansion and involvement in its first major external conflict in nearly 100 years.