The Presidency of Theodore Roosevelt

1. The Presidency of Theodore Roosevelt CHA3U

2. Election of 1900 • Imperialism central issue • McKinley selects TR as VP • TR - governor of N.Y. • Recent victory in Spanish-American War and TR help McKinley to re-election

3. Election of 1900 • McKinley campaigned on prosperity/War • Democrats countered the war wasn’t over – Philippine resistance • McKinley cruises to comfortable re-election

4. McKinley’s Assassination • September 6, 1901 • McKinley attending Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, N.Y. • U.S. Secret Service formed to combat counterfeiting was providing informal security • McKinley shook hands in a line after speech

5. Leon Czolgosz (Cholgosh) • Unemployed factory work • Anarchist • Carried pistol wrapped in white handkerchief • Shot McKinley twice as he reached to shake his hand

6. Assassination • “Don’t let them hurt him!” – McKinley • Doctors unable to locate bullet • Dies from infection and gangrene on September 14 • TR sworn in as 26th President

7. TR • Assumed presidency at 42 (youngest ever) • Icon of Progressive Era • Promised to continue McKinley’s policies • Asked Congress to curb powers of giant corporations • “trust busting”

8. Progressivism • Wanted “Square Deal” b/w business and labor • Spokesman for Progressivism – broad social reform movement in response to changes brought on by industrialization • TR hated corruption • Brought moralistic tone to politics

9. Trust Busting • Public feared trusts were cheating consumers and crushing small independent companies • 1904 – 318 trusts controlled 40% of U.S. manufacturing • Elkins Act (1903) – fined railroads/shippers who offered/accepted rebates • Hepburn Act (1906) – regulated railroad rates and eliminated free passes to shippers • Under TR orders AG brought 44 suits against trusts

10. Ida Tarbell • Wrote The History of Standard Oil (1904) • Father was bankrupted by Rockefeller • Exposed Rockefeller’s ruthless tactics • “muckraker” – investigative reporters who exposed societal issues conditions

11. Standard Oil • U.S. Dept of Justice used Sherman Anti-Trust Act (1890) to sue Standard Oil for sustaining a monopoly and restraining inter-state commerce • Standard Oil controlled 91% of market in 1904 • Argued Standard Oil had engaged in price cutting, espionage, est. bogus companies, secret railroad rates

12. Standard Oil Co. of N.J. v. United States (1911) • Supreme Court found Standard Oil conspired to restrict trade and monopolize commerce in oil industry • Had violated Sherman Anti-Trust Act • Ordered Standard to break up into 34 different companies w/different ownership • Decision inadvertently made Rockefeller richest man in history

13. Coal Strike of 1902 • Anthracite coal strike threatened winter heating supplies • TR forced end to strike when threatened to use U.S. Army to mine coal and seize mines • Lasted 163 days • TR helps find compromise • First example of federal government intervening as neutral arbitrator

14. Regulation • The Jungle – Upton Sinclair (1906) • TR pushes Congress to pass Meat Inspection Act (1906) – inspect livestock • Food and Drug Act (1906) – labeling of food and drugs

15. Foreign Policy • Believed U.S. would be eventually be drawn into war w/ Japan • Dramatically increased size of Navy -- Great White Fleet - circumvented globe b/w 1907-09 • Demonstrate America’s growing military power

16. Roosevelt Corollary • Addition to Monroe Doctrine • U.S. would intervene in finances of unstable Caribbean/Central American countries if they defaulted on debts to European creditors • By guaranteeing their debts, made it unnecessary for European powers to intervene to collect • Germany – Venezuela

17. Russo-Japanese War (1904-05) • Helped negotiate end of War • Helped mediate Treaty of Portsmouth at naval yards in N.H. • Earned Nobel Peace Prize in 1906 for efforts

18. The Panama Canal

19. Panama Canal • 1901- U.S. and U.K. sign Hay-Pauncefote Treaty – granting rights to create and control canal across Central America that linked Atlantic and Pacific Oceans • All nations would be free to use canal • Would shorten route for freighters from S.F to N.Y. by 8 000 miles

20. Panama Independence • 1881 – attempted by French – 21 900 works die from yellow fever/malaria • U.S. Paid $40 million to complete French work • Panama - province of Columbia • Columbian Senate demanded U.S. pay an additional $10 million • TR says no

21. Panama Independence • 1903 – TR supports Panamanian Independence • Deploys troops and naval forces to keep Columbia from suppressing rebellion • Republic of Panama created w/ constitution written by U.S. • U.S. signs protection treaty w/ Panama

22. Panama Canal • Chief Engineer John Frank Stevens rebuilt Panama’s infrastructure – rebuilt Panama Railway, proper housing, sanitation, • Mosquitoes control programs to combat yellow fever and malaria • Built b/w 1904-1914 – finished 2 years ahead of schedule • 5609 workers died

23. The Panama Canal

24. Odd Facts • First president to travel abroad – Panama • First president to ride in car • Teddy Bear – toy originated from drawing of TR refusing to shoot bear

25. Post-Presidency • Sec of War. William Howard Taft wins 1908 election • Swore on election night 1904 he would not seek third term • African Safari 1909 for Smithsonian • Killed/captured 12 000 animals

26. Republican Split • Taft was TR’s protégé • Policies alienated antitrust reformers progressives, big business, and TR • Democrats sweep midterm elections in 1910 and gain control of Congress • Taft’s re-election in doubt

27. The Election of 1912 • TR seeks Republican nomination • Taft had worked hard to sign up most party leaders before TR announced • TR fails to get nomination and creates own party – Progressive Party

28. The Progressive Party • TR pulled his delegates from convention to create party • “Bull Moose Party” • Platform – “To destroy this invisible Government, to dissolve the unholy alliance between corrupt business and corrupt politics is the first task of the statesmanship of the day.” • Democrats countered w/ Woodrow Wilson

29. The Election of 1912 • Campaign stop Milwaukee, October 14, a saloon keeper named John Schrank shot TR • Bullet lodged in chest after passing through speech and steel eye-glass case • Delivered speech

30. Assassination Attempt • “Ladies and gentlemen, I don't know whether you fully understand that I have just been shot; but it takes more than that to kill a Bull Moose.” - TR

31. The Election of 1912 • TR won 4.1 million votes to Taft's 3.7 million • Failed to generate support in Republican Party • Splitting Republican vote proved fatal to the GOP • Wilson wins w/ 42% of the vote and 488 electoral votes

32. The Election of 1912

33. Legacy of TR • Changed governments relationship w/ big business • Shifted emphasis from Congress and parties to Presidency • One of greatest presidents • Died in his sleep 1919 • “Death had to take him sleeping, for if he had been awake, there would have been a fight.”