Theodore RooseveltBirth to Presidency
“Steam Engine in Trousers”Black care rarely sits behind a rider who’s pace is fast enough - TR
Take notes on the Movie #15
1858-1919
The “Teddy Bear”• On a hunting trip
TR refused to shoot
a bear cub
• Gave a toy maker an
excellent idea
• An new children’s
toy is born
TR also Saved Football• 20 players died in 1905
• Calls were made to ban the
sport – too dangerous
• TR organized a meeting of
coaches to White House
This became the NCAA
First 2 Rule Changes
1. Instituted the forward pass
2. Piling on is illegal
FB /Popular Spectator Sport
TR – The 1st Modern President
• A leader who would take charge
• “Bully Pulpit” – saw presidency as a place to preach his ideas
• Also – 1st Progressive President
• Became the youngest President ever after
McKinley’s assassination (age 42)
• Only elected ONCE – 1904
- he chose not to run in 1908 – 3rd Term
(said it was the biggest mistake of his life)
TR – Beliefs• Supported Progressive Reform in strong
language
• In Reality – Pursued moderate action
• He Appealed to the emotions of the poor
• But defended the actions of the rich
• Felt the need for Balance in Society
BIG BUSINESS - MOB RULE
- seemed to know when to pick his battles
Accomplishments – Domestic
3 Main Areas
1)Conservation & Resource Management
- he was a big outdoorsman John
Muir
1st Pres. Concerned with Nature
understood It wasn’t a Cornucopia
• Reclamation Act (1902)
- Irrigation Projects in the West
• Set: 150 million acres in National Forests
- believed in the managed use of resources
Ex. lumber companies v environmentalists
• 1st National Monument (1906)
Devils Tower - Wy
2) Battling Big Business
- square deal & trust buster
• TR will struggle with
tycoon J.P. Morgan
- richest man in America
Two different times
1) Northern Securities Co.
2) United Miners Strike
- both in 1902
This is where TR gains the
nicknames
Northern Securities Co.
Holding Company_____
• 1890 Sherman Anti Trust Act passed
• Congress had difficulty enforcing
• Businesses would hide entities in seemingly different companies
• Called “Holding Companies”
• Didn’t seem like Monopolies but they were
• Held the stock of other companies
• Northern Securities was one
• This reduced competition in America
Northern Securities Co.
• Was the cover for 3
railroad companies
owned by Morgan
He owned 51% of Stock
In NSC:
1) Union Pacific
2) Northern Pacific
3) Burlington R.R.
What If?
• Company called “Johnson Works”
• Owned and made all the decisions for:
1) Pepsi-Mountain Dew
2) Coca cola-Dr. Pepper-A & W
3) Gatorade-PowerAde
• Do you think that would be fair to the
Consumers? Roosevelt Thought NOT
TR v NSC
• TR thought it was a monopoly
• Supreme Court agreed
• The Public Hailed TR as a:Trust Buster
UMW Coal Strike of 1902
• 140,000 coal miners
went on strike
• Morgan refused even
arbitration
- he wanted miners
arrested
Miners Demands
1) 8 hr work day
2) 20% pay increase
3) safety regulations
TR’s Decision
• Winter was fast approaching
• People needed coal to heat
their homes
• TR threatened to send
Federal Troops to the Mines
• Allow workers back on the
job (seize the industry)
• Morgan agreed to arbitration
w/ miners
New Contract for Miners1) 9 hr workday
2) 10% pay increase
3) No Safety Regulations
4) Union wasn’t recognized
This was the birth of the “Square Deal”for the workers
- Nothing more & Nothing less : TR
Began pushing for a Dept. of Labor in 1905
3) Protecting Consumers
“Let The Buyer Beware” - out
• Pure Food & Drug Act (1906)
- prohibited impure & falsely labeled
food and drugs
• Meat Inspection Act (1906)
- outlawed misleading labels &
dangerous chemical preservatives
The Jungle
Accomplishments – Foreign Policy
3 Main Areas
1. Earned Nobel Peace Prize in 1906
Mediated Peace Treaty Between
Russia & Japan
2. ‘The Big Stick’ – Built up U.S. Navy
Roosevelt Corollary to Monroe Doctrine
3. The Panama Canal
Columbia & Panama
Roosevelt Decides Not To Run
For Reelection In 1908
• Washington – 2 Term Tradition
• Hand picks a friend – William H. Taft
Roosevelt says to Taft,
"I can lick my weight in
wildcats!!!“
&
Taft replies, "Oh, that’s
nothing; I can eat my
weight in ’possums.”
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