Roosevelt & the Square Deal A tremendous personality after a string of weak (& somewhat dull) presidents in the late 1800’s

Theodore Roosevelt  Had been a sick child, Harvard grad, Columbia law student, politician, police commissioner, cowboy, Rough Rider, writer, hunter, corruption fighter, NY governor, and VP  Nominated for VP by corrupt political bosses who wanted him out of NYC politics  Had been a sick child, Harvard grad, Columbia law student, politician, police commissioner, cowboy, Rough Rider, writer, hunter, corruption fighter, NY governor, and VP  Nominated for VP by corrupt political bosses who wanted him out of NYC politics

Teddy becomes President  became president with McKinely’s assassination in Buffalo  42 - youngest president at the time  Charismatic, energetic, wealthy, enigmatic  became president with McKinely’s assassination in Buffalo  42 - youngest president at the time  Charismatic, energetic, wealthy, enigmatic

Increasing Presidential Party  Reforming president  Square Deal  Prevent businesses from being so exploitive  Protect private property and capitalism at the same time  More supportive of unions  Reforming president  Square Deal  Prevent businesses from being so exploitive  Protect private property and capitalism at the same time  More supportive of unions

Legislation  Weaken railroads  Elkins Act fined railroads for unfair pricing  Hepburn Act increased power of ICC, gov’t regulation of shipping  Sherman Antitrust Act - “trust busting”  Meat Inspection Act  Pure Food and Drug Act - FDA – monitors food production and labeling  Weaken railroads  Elkins Act fined railroads for unfair pricing  Hepburn Act increased power of ICC, gov’t regulation of shipping  Sherman Antitrust Act - “trust busting”  Meat Inspection Act  Pure Food and Drug Act - FDA – monitors food production and labeling

Conservation  Established many national parks  Conservation not preservation  National Reclamation Act - allowed for huge population growth in CA cities, while drying up more rural areas  Established many national parks  Conservation not preservation  National Reclamation Act - allowed for huge population growth in CA cities, while drying up more rural areas

Bull Moose Party  Roosevelt’s anger at Taft  Ran for a 3rd term as a 3rd party president  Progressives also created their own separate party  Taft and Roosevelt both lost to Wilson  Roosevelt’s anger at Taft  Ran for a 3rd term as a 3rd party president  Progressives also created their own separate party  Taft and Roosevelt both lost to Wilson