Teddy Roosevelt: The First Progressive President
1) Teddy Roosevelt: Gov. of NY, war hero, Vice President, President – A) Beliefs: Balancing interests of labor and management President could do anything that wasn’t limited by the Constitution President acts in the public interest for the good of he people.
Teddy Roosevelt: The First Progressive President B) Square Deal: Teddy’s programs to balance the interests of business and labor – There are good trusts (misconduct, not wealth) and bad trusts…”Break up the bad ones” – “Trustbusting” Broke up railroad, Good and bad trusts.
Teddy Roosevelt: The First Progressive President
C) Labor conditions: Teddy was the first president to take the side of labor – Anthracite miners strike: Mine owners refused to negotiate with striking workers (163 days strike) – Teddy threatened to take over the mines to make the owners talk (it was winter) – owners get higher prices – Owners gave workers higher wages didn’t have to recognize the union in bargaining.
Teddy Roosevelt: The First Progressive President 2) Teddy Roosevelt and Conservation: Very concerned over preserving – A) Reasons for concern over resources: There was no more public land Fear of loss of environment and natural resources Realization that too much good land had been given away in the late 1800’s (Homestead Act)
Teddy Roosevelt: The First Progressive President B) Teddy’s actions: – Created the national forest system – 150 million acres set aside as forest reserves – U.S. Forest Service created/National Forests created newlands reclamation act – $$$ set aside to build dams – Today 193 million acres set aside
Teddy Roosevelt: The First Progressive President 3) Teddy Roosevelt left office extremely popular in – A) He could have easily won a 4 th term if he ran again – Rest of the story