Progressive Presidents: Crash Course US History #29

Summary

In this CrashCourse U.S. History episode, John Green discusses the rise of Progressivism and the significant impact of three key presidents: Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and Woodrow Wilson. The episode explores their domestic policies, including trust-busting and economic regulations, as well as their foreign policies that expanded U.S. influence, especially in Latin America. Green highlights Roosevelt's Square Deal, Taft's trust-busting efforts, and Wilson's New Freedom, emphasizing the evolution of federal government power and its role in shaping modern America.

Takeaways

• 📚 The script discusses the rise of Progressivism and the role of 'great men' in shaping U.S. history, particularly focusing on three presidents: Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and Woodrow Wilson.
• 🌟 Theodore Roosevelt is highlighted as a model of a 20th-century president, known for his engagement in both domestic and foreign policy, and his political program, the Square Deal, which aimed to regulate corporations.
• 🏛 Roosevelt's conservation efforts are noted, with the establishment of national parks and the appointment of Gifford Pinchot, reflecting the progressive belief in expert management of resources.
• 🔍 The script contrasts Roosevelt's approach with Taft's, who was more conservative and focused on trust-busting, but also supported the 16th amendment for income tax, which had significant implications for federal power.
• 🐃 The 1912 election is described as a contest of ideas between Wilson's 'New Freedom' and Roosevelt's 'New Nationalism', both advocating for government intervention in the economy but in different ways.
• 🗳️ Woodrow Wilson's presidency is characterized by his New Freedom program, which included policies like the Underwood Tariff, the Clayton Act, and the Federal Reserve System, showing a mix of trust-busting and economic regulation.
• 🌎 The script touches on the international aspect of Progressivism, with U.S. presidents expanding national government power beyond the country's borders, particularly in the Western Hemisphere.
• 🚢 The building of the Panama Canal and the U.S. intervention in Panama's independence are highlighted as examples of Roosevelt's 'Big Stick' diplomacy.
• 💵 Taft's 'Dollar Diplomacy' is presented as an alternative to Roosevelt's military approach, focusing on economic investment and loans to spread American influence.
• 🛡️ Wilson's foreign policy, despite being an isolationist, involved interventions in Latin America, with the aim of promoting American values and products.
• 🎖️ The script concludes by emphasizing the significance of Roosevelt, Taft, and Wilson in shaping the modern American presidency, with a focus on the balance between government power and individual freedom in the industrial era.

Q & A

Who was the youngest American president ever, and how did he come into office?

Theodore Roosevelt became the youngest American president ever at 42 years old after William McKinley was assassinated.

What was the Square Deal, and what did it aim to do?

The Square Deal was Theodore Roosevelt's political program, which aimed to distinguish between good corporations that provided useful products and services at fair prices and evil corporations that existed solely to make money.

What was the main difference between Roosevelt's and Taft's views on big business?

Roosevelt felt it was the federal government's responsibility to regulate the economy directly and break up wealthy corporations, whereas Taft didn't see big business as inherently bad unless it stifled competition.

Why did Theodore Roosevelt run against William Howard Taft in the 1912 election?

Roosevelt was frustrated with Taft for being more conservative than most progressives and for firing Gifford Pinchot, prompting Roosevelt to challenge Taft for the Republican nomination and later run as a third-party candidate.

What was Woodrow Wilson's New Freedom, and how did it differ from Roosevelt's New Nationalism?

New Freedom aimed to reinvigorate democracy by restoring market competition and preventing big business from dominating government, while New Nationalism recognized the inevitability of big business and sought to use government intervention to stop its abuses.

What role did the Federal Reserve System play in Wilson's presidency?

The Federal Reserve System, founded in 1913, gave the government much more control over banks in response to the Panic of 1907, where the U.S. had to be bailed out by J.P. Morgan.

What was the Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine?

The Roosevelt Corollary stated that the U.S. would exercise an 'international police power' over the Western Hemisphere, meaning it would intervene in Latin America whenever it wanted.

How did Wilson's approach to foreign policy in Latin America differ from Roosevelt's?

While Roosevelt used military intervention to achieve his goals, Wilson preferred economic influence through loans and investment, though he also intervened militarily more than any other U.S. president.

What major event did the Progressive presidents set the stage for with their foreign policies?

The Progressive presidents' foreign policies set the stage for America's involvement in World War I.

How did the election of 1912 change the political landscape in the United States?

The election of 1912 resulted in Woodrow Wilson's presidency due to the split Republican vote between Taft and Roosevelt, leading to the only Democratic president between 1896 and 1932 and significant Progressive reforms.