Changes

Taft was brought up in the [[Unitarian]] church and remained a faithful Unitarian his entire life.<ref>He said, "I do not believe in the divinity of Christ, and there are many other of the postulates of the orthodox creed to which I cannot subscribe."</ref>  At age 18, he met his future wife, Helen Herron, in Cincinnati; she and Taft courted while he was away at college.  The [[William Howard Taft National Historic Site]] is the Taft boyhood home. The house in which he was born has been restored to its original appearance. It includes four period rooms which reflect the family life during Taft's boyhood. The home also includes second floor exhibits highlighting Taft's life and career, as well as an educational center.<ref>[http://www.nps.gov/wiho ''http://www.nps.gov/wiho'']</ref>

Taft was brought up in the [[Unitarian]] church and remained a faithful Unitarian his entire life.<ref>He said, "I do not believe in the divinity of Christ, and there are many other of the postulates of the orthodox creed to which I cannot subscribe."</ref>  At age 18, he met his future wife, Helen Herron, in Cincinnati; she and Taft courted while he was away at college.  The [[William Howard Taft National Historic Site]] is the Taft boyhood home. The house in which he was born has been restored to its original appearance. It includes four period rooms which reflect the family life during Taft's boyhood. The home also includes second floor exhibits highlighting Taft's life and career, as well as an educational center.<ref>[http://www.nps.gov/wiho ''http://www.nps.gov/wiho'']</ref>

 

===Education===

===Education===

Taft attended public schools in Cincinnati, then (like most Tafts) he attended [[Yale College]] in New Haven, Connecticut. He was a member of "Skull and Bones", the secret society co-founded by his father in 1832.  In 1878, Taft graduated from Yale, ranking second in his class out of 121. He then attended Cincinnati Law School, a third-rate institution, graduating with a Bachelor of Laws in 1880. While in law school, he worked on the local GOP newspaper ''[[The Cincinnati Commercial]]''.<ref>Pringle (1939) v. 1</ref>

Taft attended public schools in Cincinnati, then (like most Tafts) he attended [[Yale College]] in New Haven, Connecticut. He was a member of "Skull and Bones", the secret society co-founded by his father in 1832.  In 1878, Taft graduated from Yale, ranking second in his class out of 121. He then attended Cincinnati Law School, a third-rate institution, graduating with a Bachelor of Laws in 1880. While in law school, he worked on the local GOP newspaper ''[[The Cincinnati Commercial]]''.<ref>Pringle (1939) v. 1</ref>

Taft fought for the [[Antitrust|prosecution of trusts]] (eventually issuing 80 lawsuits), further strengthened the [[Interstate Commerce Commission]], established a postal savings bank and a parcel post system, and expanded the civil service. He supported the 16th Amendment by Senator [[Nelson Aldrich]], which allowed for a federal income tax, and the 17th Amendment, mandating the direct election of senators by the people, replacing the previous system whereby they were selected by state legislatures.

Taft fought for the [[Antitrust|prosecution of trusts]] (eventually issuing 80 lawsuits), further strengthened the [[Interstate Commerce Commission]], established a postal savings bank and a parcel post system, and expanded the civil service. He supported the 16th Amendment by Senator [[Nelson Aldrich]], which allowed for a federal income tax, and the 17th Amendment, mandating the direct election of senators by the people, replacing the previous system whereby they were selected by state legislatures.

 

===Foreign policy===

===Foreign policy===

Taft actively pursued what he termed "[[dollar diplomacy]]" to further the economic development of less-developed nations of Latin America and Asia through American investment in their infrastructures.  Throughout the early part of his presidency, Taft had difficulties with [[Nicaragua]]. When the United States shifted its interests to [[Panama]] for the purpose of building a canal, Nicaraguan President José Santos Zelaya negotiated with [[Germany]] and Japan in an unsuccessful effort to have a canal built in Nicaragua. The Zelaya administration had growing friction with Washington, which started giving aid to his Conservative opponents in Nicaragua. In 1907, U.S. warships seized several of Nicaragua's seaports. In early December, Taft sent in Marines to prevent a civil war; Zelaya left for exile in Mexico. The U.S.-sponsored conservative regime of Adolfo Díaz was installed in his place. Military invasions increased with Marine landings in 1910 and 1912. The Marines stayed in Nicaragua through 1925.

Taft actively pursued what he termed "[[dollar diplomacy]]" to further the economic development of less-developed nations of Latin America and Asia through American investment in their infrastructures.  Throughout the early part of his presidency, Taft had difficulties with [[Nicaragua]]. When the United States shifted its interests to [[Panama]] for the purpose of building a canal, Nicaraguan President José Santos Zelaya negotiated with [[Germany]] and Japan in an unsuccessful effort to have a canal built in Nicaragua. The Zelaya administration had growing friction with Washington, which started giving aid to his Conservative opponents in Nicaragua. In 1907, U.S. warships seized several of Nicaragua's seaports. In early December, Taft sent in Marines to prevent a civil war; Zelaya left for exile in Mexico. The U.S.-sponsored conservative regime of Adolfo Díaz was installed in his place. Military invasions increased with Marine landings in 1910 and 1912. The Marines stayed in Nicaragua through 1925.