ADVANCED AMERICAN HISTORY
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
THE BATTLE FOR NATIONAL REFORM
Objectives
A thorough study of Chapter 22 should enable the student to understand:
1. The nature and extent of Theodore Roosevelt's "Square Deal" progressivism.
2. The similarities and differences between the domestic progressivism of William Howard Taft and of
Roosevelt.
3. The conservation issue and why it triggered the split between Taft and Roosevelt.
4. The consequences of the split in the Republican Party in 1912.
5. The differences between Roosevelt's New Nationalism and Wilson's New Freedom.
6. The differences between Woodrow Wilson's campaign platform and the measures actually implemented during
his term.
7. The new direction of American foreign policy introduced by Roosevelt, especially in Asia and the Caribbean.
8. The similarities and differences between Taft's and Roosevelt's approaches to foreign policy.
9. The reasons for the continuation of American interventionism in Latin America under Wilson.
Main Themes
1. How Theodore Roosevelt's leadership helped fashion a new, expanded role for the national government.
2. That politics during the administration of William Howard Taft showed that most of the nation desired a more
progressive approach.
3. How the administration of Woodrow Wilson embodied both conservative and progressive features.
4. That the United States assumed a much more assertive and interventionist foreign policy, especially toward the
Caribbean region.
Pertinent Questions
THEODORE ROOSEVELT AND THE MODERN PRESIDENCY (594-598)
1. How did Teddy Roosevelt come to be president?
2. What were Roosevelt's assumptions about the proper role of government, especially with regard to economic
concentration? To what extent was he a "trust buster"?
3. What changes did Roosevelt initiate in the traditional role of the federal government in labor disputes?
4. What were the key elements of the "square deal" that helped propel Roosevelt to reelection and to significant
accomplishments in his second term?
5. How did Roosevelt's actions in the effort to strengthen the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) illustrate
his tendency to take a middle road of reform?
6. What caused the panic of 1907? How did Roosevelt and J. P. Morgan respond?
THE TROUBLED SUCCESSION (598-601)
7. Contrast the personalities of Theodore Roosevelt and William Howard Taft. How did Taft's sanctions, and lack
of action, contribute to the division of the Republican Party?
8. In addition to his general ambitions, what two events pushed Roosevelt into open opposition to Taft? What kept
Roosevelt and Robert La Follette apart?
9. How did Taft manage to secure the Republican nomination in 1912 despite Roosevelt's obvious popularity?
10. Why did Roosevelt break from the Republicans to form the Progressive Party? For what did it stand?
WOODROW WILSON AND THE NEW FREEDOM (601-604)
11. How did Roosevelt's New Nationalism and Wilson's New Freedom differ from each other?
12. What propelled Wilson to victory in 1912? What roles did Taft and Eugene Debs play in the campaign?
13. What special efforts did Wilson mount to pass the Underwood-Simmons tariff? Why was a graduated income
tax needed in addition to the tariff reduction?
14. Describe how the nation's banking system was transformed during the Wilson Administration.
15. After the initial spate of New Freedom legislation, why did Wilson back away from reform?
What led him, later in his first term, to advance reform once again?
ADVANCED AMERICAN HISTORY
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
THE BATTLE FOR NATIONAL REFORM
"THE BIG STICK": AMERICA AND THE WORLD, 1901-1917 (604-610)
16. Explain Roosevelt's distinction between "civilized" and "uncivilized" nations. How did sea power fit into his
vision?
17. What was the course of relations between the United States and Japan during Roosevelt's presidency?
18. What were the general and immediate motivations for the proclamation of the Roosevelt corollary? What
policy did it establish?
19. How did the United States acquire rights to build the Panama Canal? Why have many observers questioned
the propriety of U. S. methods?
20. What was the central focus of William Howard Taft's foreign policy? What nickname was it given?
21. What actions did Taft and Wilson take toward Central American and Caribbean nations? (What legacy was
left for relations between the United States and these nations?)
22. Why did Wilson take sides in the Mexican governmental turmoil? Describe the two interventions and their
results.
Identification:
Theodore Roosevelt
The “Square Deal”
Pure Food and Drug Act
Meat Inspection Act
Conservation
Gifford Pinchot
National Reclamation Act
John Muir
National Forest System
National Park System
Hetch-Hetchy Controversy
Panic of 1907
William Howard Taft
Children’s Bureau
Robert La Follette
New Nationalism
Election of 1912
The Progressive Party
Woodrow Wilson
New Freedom
Federal Reserve Act
“Big stick” diplomacy
Open Door Policy
Roosevelt Corollary
Platt Amendment
Panama Canal