The Transformative Years

The major policy initiatives implemented during Woodrow Wilson's administration included the regulation of the economy through the Federal Trade Commission, stabilization of the banking system through the Federal Reserve System, introduction of national income tax, reduction of tariffs, expansion of worker protections through workman's compensation laws, and attempts to ban child labor.

Woodrow Wilson's 'new freedom' was a response to Theodore Roosevelt's 'new nationalism.' While both concepts aimed for reform and change, 'new freedom' focused on domestic policy innovation, such as regulating the economy and expanding worker protections, whereas 'new nationalism' emphasized a more active government role in economic regulation and social justice.

The child labor laws implemented during Woodrow Wilson's administration were later overturned by the Supreme Court.