Final answer:
In the 1912 presidential election, the major candidates were Democrat Woodrow Wilson, Republican William Howard Taft, and Progressive Theodore Roosevelt. The split within the Republican Party, with Roosevelt forming the Progressive Party, led to Wilson's election. Differences among the candidates pertained to their stances on government intervention and progressive reforms.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the presidential election of 1912, the candidates were Woodrow Wilson representing the Democratic Party, William Howard Taft running for re-election as a Republican, and Theodore Roosevelt who broke away from the Republican Party to run under the new Progressive Party, often called the Bull Moose Party. The election is noted for the division within the Republican Party, which saw former President Roosevelt challenging incumbent President Taft. This split allowed Wilson to win the presidency with just 42 percent of the popular vote.
The differences between the candidates were significant. Taft represented the conservative wing of the Republican Party, which favoured limited government intervention in the economy. Roosevelt, who had previously served as a Republican president, pushed for more progressive reforms like direct democracy and business regulation under the new Progressive Party. Wilson ran on the 'New Freedom' platform which advocated for reducing the federal government's power but ended up pursuing a more activist role during his presidency in response to the public's desire for a more progressive America.