17-5: Wilson’s New Freedom
Federal Trade Act
• Federal Trade Act: Set up the Federal Trade
Commission (FTC) an agency with power to
investigate possible legal violations by
corporations and unfair business practices
• The (FTC) also had power to issue orders to
“cease and desist” unfair practices making
the commission the “watchdog of big
business”
Clayton Antitrust Act:
• The Clayton Antitrust Act strengthened
the Sherman Antitrust Act by declaring
certain business practices illegal, but
protected labor unions and farm
organization from antitrust laws
• This law also prohibited most injunctions
against strikers = makes strikes, peaceful
picketing and boycotts legal
Underwood Tariff:
• The Underwood Tariff: substantially
reduced tariff rates for the first time since
the Civil War (President Wilson believed
that high tariffs encouraged the formation
of monopolies)
Sixteenth Amendment
• (With less money coming in from tariffs,
the government needed another source of
revenue). It turned to an income tax.
• Sixteenth Amendment (1913): Legalized a
federal income tax. This tax gave the
government a percentage of all workers
income and business profits.
Federal Reserve Act
• Federal Reserve Act: Established the
Federal Reserve System, a decentralized
banking system under federal control.
• The Federal Reserve System divided the
country into 12 districts, each with a
federal reserve bank. This system
controlled the money supply and made
credit more easily available.
6. Three New developments that brought the success
of the woman’s suffrage movement within reach
1. Increased activism of local and grass roots
suffrage groups. (examples: rallies and
campaigning door to door)
2. The use of bold new strategies to build
enthusiasm for the suffrage movement
(examples: heckling govt. officials, hunger
strikes, picketing the White House until jailed
3. Regeneration of the movement under Carrie
Chapman Catt (President of NAWSA)7.
7. Which constitutional amendment recognized
women’s right to vote?
• The nineteenth Amendment
How did Wilson retreat on civil
rights?
• Wilson opposed anti-lynching legislation
• Wilson appointed segregationists to his
cabinet
• Wilson failed to oppose the re-segregation
of federal offices.
Video-clip
Woodrow_Wilson.asf