Theodore Roosevelt and the Square Deal

2.2 Teddy’s Square Deal Essential Questions: Describe the progress of political and social reform in America as a result of Teddy Roosevelt’s Square Deal policy.

Roosevelt’s Early Years Born into a wealthy NY family in 1858 He suffered asthma young in life and was bullied for his small size As a result, he became very ambitious to outdo those who tormented him As a teen he became a mastered marksman and horseback rider At Harvard, he boxed and wrestled

Entrance Into Politics Served 3 terms as NY State Assembly Became NYC’s Police Commissioner Was assistant secretary of US Navy His volunteer cavalry brigade, the Rough Riders, won public acclaim for its role in the battle at San Juan Hill in Cuba (we will discuss this later) – Lead to a hero like status and his election as NY Governor and eventually, the Vice-Presidency

Thrust Into Power Six months after McKinley became the President (1901), he was assassinated – Remember McKinley beat Bryan (Cross of Gold) Roosevelt, his VP, was thrust into power as the youngest president ever in America at 42 yrs He continued to prove himself to the public by boxing, losing vision in his left eye, and horseback riding 100 miles to prove it possible

The Teddy Bear In addition to horseback riding and boxing, he went hunting often During one expedition, he came upon a bear cub and spared its life After hearing this, a toymaker marketed a toy that became widely popular, and remains so today – The Teddy Bear!

Teddy’s and American Response to The Jungle Roosevelt and other readers were sickened by what they read He invited Sinclair to the White House Roosevelt promised: – The specific evils you point out shall, if their existence be proved, and if I have the power, be eradicated.

Roosevelt’s Politics He thought the government should assume control whenever states proved incapable of dealing with problems He also targeted big business practices – He saw to it that the common people receive what he called a “Square Deal” The Square Deal would provide progressive reforms sponsored by Roosevelt’s administration

Roosevelt’s Square Deal Read through Roosevelt’s Square Deal article List the different pieces of Legislature that passed as a result of his reform and explain what each was and its significance What was his “Big Stick” Policy? How did this agenda strengthen the Progressive movement?

Roosevelt’s Trust Busting – “We demand that big business give the people a square deal; in return we must insist that when anyone engaged in a big business honestly endeavors to do right he himself be given a square deal.” Bad trusts should be broken up but fair trusts should be regulated Reforming Big Business The Sherman Antitrust Act and the Clayton Antitrust Act were passed in an effort to maintain competition in business

1902 Coal Strike

Regulating Foods and Drugs Pure Food and Drug Act – Passage of Pure Food and Drug Act and the Meat Inspection Act illustrated the federal government’s commitment to worker’s rights – The first act prohibited the sale of adulterated or inaccurately labeled foods and medicines, and the second established federal regulations for meatpackers and a system of inspection

Conservation and Natural Resources View of Wilderness: – Big Business – what resources are there and how much $ can we make from them? – Preservationists – how can we protect the wilderness and preserve the resources? He designated 200 million acres as national forests, mineral reserves, and potential waterpower sites, and added five national parks and eighteen national monuments to the list of protected lands. In 1908 Roosevelt created the National Conservation Commission to inventory the nation’s resources and manage their use more efficiently

Overview: Result of Progressivism The Meat Inspection Act and Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906 – Created new rules and regulations for the preparation and handling of food and medicine The breaking up of the bank and beef monopolies in 1907 and the Standard Oil Trust in 1911 – “Trust Busting” Federal Reserve Act of 1913 – Divided country into 12 districts, each with their own bank and board of directors to oversee banking practices and policies and prevent panics and bank failures 17 th Amendment 1913 – Provided for the direct election of US Senators rather than having them selected by state legislatures