THEODORE ROOSEVELT: THE FIRST IMPERIAL PRESIDENT Mr. Marinello * US History

BIOGRAPHY o Born in New York, October 27, 1858 o The Roosevelt family was extremely wealthy o Young Theodore was a sickly child o In an effort to overcome this weakness, Roosevelt lead a life of extreme activity o Boxing o Hunting o Roosevelt fights in the Spanish American while working in the Navy department o Battle of San Juan Hill o Rough Riders

BIOGRAPHY o Roosevelt runs and is elected to be Governor of New York o When McKinley runs for re-election in 1900 he chooses 42 year old Roosevelt to be his running mate o McKinley is assassinated in 1901; Roosevelt is inaugurated as the youngest President to serve.

ROOSEVELT AS PRESIDENT The Square Deal: Roosevelt campaigns on what he calls “the Square Deal” A response to the inequity of the day formed on what Roosevelt called “the three Cs” Conservation of natural resources Control of corporations Consumer protection Roosevelt is seen a “progressive Republican”

ROOSEVELT THE PROGRESSIVE Domestic Agenda: Roosevelt gets serious about Trust busting Continuing the work McKinley starts Roosevelt begins to crack down on trusts 300 companies control almost half of the national industrial output Mandates that monopolies break up into smaller companies The work of Upton Sinclair brought to light the issues in food manufacturing. Roosevelt is compelled by Sinclair’s book, The Jungle Urges the Congress to pass the Pure Food and Drug Act in 1906 Mandates labeling of food and inspection of food packing facilities

ROOSEVELT FOREIGN POLICY o Roosevelt believed that the US should and must become a major world power. o The interest in Asia abates o There is a shift to Latin America o To facilitate military dominance the United States constructs the Panama Canal o Allows the US to move quickly between oceans

THE ROOSEVELT COROLLARY o The Monroe Doctrine o Roosevelt extended this doctrine with what we call the “Roosevelt Corollary” o The US would exercise “police” power in the Western Hemisphere o We would intervene in disputes between Europe and Latin America when it suited us o In keeping with Roosevelt’s policy of “speak softly and carry a big stick” o What does this mean?

POST PRESIDENCY Roosevelt leaves office in 1909 choosing not to run for a third term (Washington precedent) In 1912 he decides he wants to run for the Presidency again He was disappointed in his hand picked successor, William Howard Taft Roosevelt is unable to secure the Republican Party nomination so he forms his own party The Bull Moose Party Roosevelt splits the Republicans and he and Taft lose the election.