From 1901-1921, The Progressive Presidents were in the whiter house. These men brought about many new reforms to the government, the economy, and the life of the common man. Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and Woodrow Wilson's policies dramatically changed America.
Roosevelt and his dynamic personality greatly affected America. His biggest policy was the Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine. This came about because Germany and Britain were paying visits to South America in order to collect money that was owed to them. This alarmed Roosevelt and he immediately declared that the United States would take over the South American customs houses and help them pay off their debts. This idea of intervention to prevent foreign intervention was radical and completely new to America, changing the meaning of the original Monroe Doctrine. Roosevelt also showed concern for the consumer. The Jungle, by Upton Sinclair, exposed the disgusting meat processing realities and inspired Roosevelt to pass the Meat Inspection Act and the Pure Food and Drug Act in 1906. The Meat Inspection Act made meat producers subject to federal inspections and the Pure Food and Drug Act prevented product alteration and mislabeling. These acts placed control on the food and drug companies, ensured consumer health, and promised fair practices; things that had never been done before. Theodore Roosevelt was also a proponent of conservation. He passed the Newlands Act in 1902 (providing money for irrigation projects), created many dams, set aside 125 million acres, and banned Christmas Trees from the Whitehouse. These actions took conservation from a topic of conversation to a reality, alerting a previously oblivious nation to the necessity of earth preservation. .
President William Howard Taft was another man whose policies changed America. One of the things Taft became known for was his dedication to trust- busting.
