Question

the progressive presidents: tutorial
37 of 41
explanation:
voters looking for protection from big business and for fair wages would approve of roosevelts antitrust legislation and protections for marginalized workers. voters who believed in the moral obligations of the government, both overseas and at home, would lean more toward wilson.
connect and reflect
what did you learn about the political views of president roosevelt and president wilson? how do these views help you understand the choices voters had to make in the 1912 election?

Explanation:

Theodore Roosevelt (Progressive Party, 1912) pushed for "New Nationalism": strong federal regulation of big business (antitrust laws), worker protections, and government intervention to address inequality. Woodrow Wilson (Democratic Party, 1912) advocated "New Freedom": breaking up monopolies to restore small business competition, with more limited federal intervention focused on economic fairness without large-scale government expansion.

Voters choosing between them faced a split in progressive priorities: those wanting robust federal power to regulate corporations and protect workers backed Roosevelt. Those who feared concentrated government power and favored empowering small businesses over big corporate regulation leaned toward Wilson. This split reflected two competing progressive visions for balancing corporate power and government role.

Answer:

Theodore Roosevelt's 1912 platform (New Nationalism) called for strong federal government intervention: strict antitrust enforcement, federal protections for workers (like minimum wage and safety rules), and expanded government oversight of the economy to reduce inequality. Woodrow Wilson's platform (New Freedom) focused on breaking up monopolies to restore competition for small businesses, with more limited federal intervention, prioritizing free markets over large-scale government regulation.

Voters' choices depended on their progressive values: those who wanted aggressive government action to rein in big business and support marginalized workers chose Roosevelt. Those who feared excessive government power and favored empowering small, local businesses over top-down regulation chose Wilson. This split highlighted two distinct paths for progressive reform in the early 20th century.