My History Can Beat Up Your Politics 1913
Nov 15, 2025
This episode dives into the dynamic year of 1913, marking events like the 50th anniversary of Gettysburg and the inauguration of Woodrow Wilson. Explore the introduction of parcel post service that thrilled consumers and the drama of women’s suffrage protests during Wilson's inauguration. Delve into cultural milestones such as the Armory Show, and innovations like Ford's assembly line. The episode discusses the 16th Amendment’s impact on federal revenue and features notable occurrences, from devastating floods in Dayton to the rise of early income tax.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Parcel Post Sparks Wild Uses
- The Parcel Post began uniform door-to-door delivery on January 1, 1913 and handled four million packages in five days.
- A family famously mailed their four-year-old daughter in a 48.5-pound parcel to save train fare, and she rode in the mail compartment to her grandparents.
1913 Shifted Power To Progressives
- Woodrow Wilson's 1913 inauguration marked a shift to progressive domestic policy with Democratic control of Congress and the presidency.
- Wilson used the new political leverage to lobby personally and pursue tariff and banking reforms including the Federal Reserve.
Federal Reserve's Regional Public-Private Design
- The 1913 Federal Reserve centralized monetary control across regional banks while blending public oversight and private bank involvement.
- That structure created a powerful institution that still shapes American politics and economics today.