Progressive Presidents (1901-1921)

Roosevelt and his dynamic personality greatly affected America. His biggest policy was the Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine. This came about because Germany and Britain were paying visits to South America in order to collect money that was owed to them. This alarmed Roosevelt and he immediately declared that the United States would take over the South American customs houses and help them pay off their debts. This idea of intervention to prevent foreign intervention was radical and completely new to America, changing the meaning of the original Monroe Doctrine. Roosevelt also showed concern for the consumer. The Jungle, by Upton Sinclair, exposed the disgusting meat processing realities and inspired Roosevelt to pass the Meat Inspection Act and the P

Woodrow Wilson also had a clear agenda for change when he came into office. His first revision involved the troublesome tariff issue. He passed the Underwood Tariff Bill in 1913, which not only reduced the tariff but also allowed for a graduated income tax. This (and the passage of the Sixteenth Amendment) finally allowed for the government to tax individuals with incomes of over 300,000 dollars and use the money for necessary government projects. This was never done or even allowed before Wilson’s presidency. Wilson also made huge progress in bank reform. In 1913, the Federal Reserve Act was passed. It provided for a Federal Reserve Board that oversaw twelve districts, each with their own bank. This carried America safely through the War of 1914-1918 and led to American progress and expansion that otherwise could not have occurred. Wilson’s final part of the “triple wall of privilege” was the trusts. Wilson passed the Federal Trade Commission Act, which was designed to root out unfair trade practices like false advertising

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