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1912 election essay prompt
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The Election of 1912 presented candidates with opposing view points on how to improve America. The Progressive, Democratic, and Socialist parties each supported the idea of reform, while the Republican candidate proposed fewer reforms. Each candidate had a goal to better America, but a different path to achievement. During the Election of 1912, the presidential candidates advocated for their opposing view points of reforms and strategies to benefit both the social and economic issues plaguing America in the early 1900s.
During the election of 1908, retiring president Theodore Roosevelt had entrusted and supported William Howard Taft into the presidency; believing Taft would continue on his ideas of reform. Although once close, political tension grew between the pair during Taft’s presidency and turned these friends into enemies. Roosevelt disliked Taft’s anti-trust decisions and was especially bitter towards the Payne-Aldrich Bill. Also bothersome was Taft’s way of handling conversation. His talent was comparable, if not greater, than that of Roosevelt, but was substantially dimin...
...d. The Whig and Democratic parties developed as national parties, they advocated throughout the nation, regardless of the regional and sessional differences between the supporters. Due to the economic changes, it affected many of the territories in the United States. For example, the North and the Great Lakes economy, and the East-West economy was growing as well, which strengthened relations with Border States and the North. Unlike the North, the South struggled the workers and the poverty-stricken farmers felt excluded from the new exchanges that were being made by the Democrats. Both Parties battled each other over economical issues, both of the parties had supporters throughout the entire country and stayed devoted to the idea of a unified nation. Since the parties shared interest leaders from the North and South to work together and work through sectional issues.
The Republican platform was in favor of Cuban independence and setting up a government in Puerto Rico. It favored construction of the Panama Canal and protective tariffs. The platform warned that businesses should not infringe upon the rights and interests of the people. It also was in favor of equal voting rights for Southern blacks. That last plank made TR wildly unpopular in the South and would allow Parker to win all the Southern states (“Roosevelt v. Parker” 1).
The election of 1912 signified a turning point in American history. Friends, Theodore Roosevelt and William Howard Taft, competed against each other for the presidency. Though both progressive, they disagreed on how the country needed to run. Roosevelts ever increasing progressivism caused their stances on many important issues to be much different. Although, they did have some points on which they agreed.
Between 1895 and 1920, the years in which William McKinley, Theodore Roosevelt, William Taft, and Woodrow Wilson reigned in the presidents, the United States struggled for not only justice at home but abroad as well. During this period policies such as Roosevelt’s Big Stick diplomacy, William Taft’s Dollar diplomacy, and Woodrow Wilson’s Moral diplomacy were all used in foreign affairs in hopes of benefit for all involved. However, it would be appropriate to say that self-interest was the most important driving factor for American policy and can be exemplified through economic, social, and political relations.
In addition, all four candidates running for the title of President, Debs, Roosevelt, Wilson, and Taft, were all progressives, and wanted to reduce the number of trusts. This gave all voters, men or women, no incentive to vote. At the end of the election, Woodrow Wilson won, with 435 electoral votes, while Roosevelt had 88, and Taft received a mere eight.... ... middle of paper ... ...
Link’s book was published in 1979 and was written based upon privet manuscript collections, government archives from the U.S, Brittan, France and Germany, as well as newspapers. Link also reaches from monographs, biographies, and articles from numerous colleagues. (Link.pg 129) Each of these sources are solid and reliable sources, and were well used to put together a book packed with information on Woodrow Wilson’s life. Link uses many firsthand accounts from Wilson himself, but seems almost suspicious of accounts that were not presented first hand. Though Link is extremely selective in what he chose to present, the book clearly presents these facts, but has a very bias opinion of Wilson as discussed earlier. Link’s evidence, though selective, fits nicely in the monograph and makes the aspects of Wilson that he does cover clear and easy to read
In the book Theodore Roosevelt by Louis Auchincloss, I learned a great deal about the twenty-sixth President of the United States of America. Former President T. Roosevelt made many accomplishments as president, and did not have a high number of scandals. Roosevelt did very well in keeping the peace between the different countries, which earned him many admirers and the coveted Nobel Peace Prize. The author’s purpose for writing Theodore Roosevelt was to tell his readers all about America’s former president, Theodore Roosevelt’s life. Louis Auchincloss did a great job at describing President T. Roosevelt’s life from Teddy’s childhood, his life before presidency, to all of Teddy’s accomplishments as president, and finally to his life after his
Harry S Truman and Dwight David Eisenhower were both Presidents of the United States from the 1940s to 1950s, with the latter succeeding Truman. Both these presidents served two consecutive terms, despite the fact that Truman’s first term was given by default as the result of a misfortune, which brought him the nickname of ‘Accidental President’, and the suspicion and doubt by many of his capabilities as President. Truman and Eisenhower are both from the South, though both were born into considerably poor families, Truman had actually experienced poverty whereas Eisenhower was more privileged, to receive a more sheltered beginning; their social background influenced greatly their general belief and stance, enactment of policies, and their views on domestic affairs. Despite their social setback, Truman endeavoured in law and politics, and became a career politician during the Interbellum period, whilst Eisenhower a career soldier, who rose to prominence and became a General known for his planning of Operation Overlord, factoring greatly into his likeness and favourability by Americans, yet showed him as an inexperienced politician. Truman and Eisenhower were of opposing parties, yet Eisenhower had no political stance originally, it was only after his siding with the Republican party that he received the nickname, the ‘Middle Road’, due to the moderate political stance and likeness by both parties he had despite his party affiliation, Eisenhower’s liberal side showed particularly in his actions concerning healthcare, education and welfare, such as his expansion of Social Security, which similarly paralleled Truman’s attitudes towards social welfare. Despite such si...
There have been many different parties surface since the beginning of the American political system. They all have had different thoughts, policies, and motivations. Each party has their own agenda some have made significant contributions and others have not. The first split, and beginning of the party system, came with the variation between the Federalists and the Democratic Republicans. These two parties were extremely different in thought, strategies, and status of people involved such as their leaders and believes on how to run the government. The Federalists worked to create a stronger national government, supported British in foreign affairs, and favored a national bank. The Democratic-Republican Party operated to advocate states’ rights, supported the French in foreign affairs and opposed a national bank. These are some of the differences that set apart these two major government Parties.
This article analyzes Roosevelt’s world-views and personal beliefs. Engel gives insight into Roosevelt’s philosophy for the roles played in the international arena, especially the role played by the United States. This look into Roosevelt’s philosophies will help explain his reasons for taking a stance against corruption in big business and the government.
During the Progressive Era, occurring from 1890 until 1920, progressives attempted to make many changes at a national level and were characterized by support for economic, social, and political reforms. By realizing the rapid industrial growth, poor class, and immigration, progressive’s goals were to relieve these issues and create laws that gave the common people more power. Progressive reformers gave significance to issues of black rights and also to women suffrage, however these issues had proved to be forgotten by Woodrow Wilson, whom of which was the president during this time. Although the reformers were not successful with these two issues, they seemed to be successful in improving much of the other negativity that had occurred during this era including the working conditions of the meat industry, child labor laws, and by changing the competition from large companies. In the end, all of these proved that the reformers turned out to be very successful in bringing reform to a national level. Along with these issues that the progressives tried to stop competition, they also fought many groups that tried to eliminate social classes along the way. Progressives were able to be successful in restoring economic competition, making the government more efficient, and stemming the tide of socialism.
The close relationship between the people and the president began with Andrew Jackson and his belief that the president was the only representation for the common citizen against the corrupt in power (Kollman 193). However, it was Woodrow Wilson who initiated a populist presidency (Kollman 197). By emphasizing direct contact between the nation’s leader and the people, Wilson unknowingly established a mutualistic relationship in which both parties benefit. Americans were finally able to see and hear exactly what their president was like and decide whether or not they approved, while Wilson was able to u...
Theodore Roosevelt stepped into head of office on September 19, 1901 when President William McKinley was assassinated. He was the youngest man to become president. His motto was “speak softly but carry a big stick.” President Roosevelt would come into power offering America the square deal. He would take the power away from the industrialists as he controlled big business from the White House. He would soon become known as a TrustBuster. Roosevelt used American power for American interests and was quoted as saying, “I am an American first and last. “ Although some historians argue that Roosevelt acted like a six-year-old throughout his presidency and that he didn’t think things through, ie “he thought with his hips”, one can admire the tremendous leadership qualities that Teddy Roosevelt had. First, he was a very bold man who graduated magna cum laude from Harvard. The average citizen was aware of what a “positive, warm and tough, authoritative and funny” president that they had leading them. His leadership qualities stemmed from his time as a New York state Assembly man, a deputy sheriff, a ...
During the late 19th and early 20th century both the Populist Party and Progressive movement wanted to preserve some things, while also addressing the need for reform. Although many of the ideas and goals of these “Third parties” were initially not legislated and considered far-fetched, many of these ideas later became fundamental laws throughout American history.
In the first two decades of the twentieth century the national political scene reflected a growing American belief in the ideas of the Progressive movement. This movement was concerned with fundamental social and economic reforms and gained in popularity under two presidents. Yet Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson espoused two different approaches to progressive reform. And each one was able to prevail upon congress to pass legislation in keeping with his own version of the progressive dream. These two people, although they had different principles in mind, had one goal: to make changes to the nation for the better of the people and the country. Setting out to reach this goal, Roosevelt came to be a president of the common man while Wilson became the “better” progressive president.