"We are in a period of clamor, of bewilderment, of an almost tremulous unrest. We are hastily revising all our social conceptions. We are hastily testing all our political ideas." This comment by Walter Weyl reflects the mammoth social and political changes that emerged during the turn of the previous century. During the early years of the 20th century, American's experienced social and political change that would come to influence American society, as we know it today. The major cause of these changes was the American people responding to the social and economic impacts of industrialism. Americans now wanted to reshape their nation by diminishing the powers of big business, improving conditions for the consumer, and reforming the political parties.
After the death of President William McKinley in 1901, Vice President Theodore Roosevelt was sworn into office. Not only did the nation now have a new president, but with reform in mind, a new political and social ideology was being born known as progressivism. Roosevelt's presidency would be like none other before. The glaring social, political, and economic issues of the day would be the force that drove this American president.
One of the most important contributions to the progressive movement was Roosevelt's tough stance against the monopolies and trusts that were encroaching upon all of America's strongest industries. Most notably was Roosevelt's enforcement of the Sherman Anti-Trust Act of 1890, which had never been enforced by previous administrations. He launched his campaign by bringing suits against monopolies such as the United States Steel Company and the Northern Securities Company, citing that they were in violation of this legislation. Roosevelt's triumph in these cases not only set precedent for future cases, but also strengthened the federal government's regulatory power over private industry. Some of the important results of this newfound power were the creation of new regulatory agencies such as the Federal Trade Commission.