1912: Bull Moosers, Socialists, and the Election that Changed America

This lecture, part of the "Pivotal Tuesdays: Four Presidential Elections That Made History" series, delves into the extraordinary 1912 presidential election.

The 1912 election was a four-way race featuring:

• A Democrat
• A Republican
• A Socialist
• A former President – Teddy Roosevelt – running as a third-party insurgent after splitting from the Republican party.

The election revolved around critical questions of the time:

• How much should the government regulate corporate power?
• What restrictions, if any, should be placed on foreign immigration?
• How should the nation address poverty and income inequality?
• What role should the US play in foreign conflicts?

The election's results significantly altered the political landscape and sparked new debates about the relationship between government and business, rich and poor, and America's place in the world. Margaret O’Mara delivered this lecture on October 9, 2012.