1. Teddy Roosevelt’s Square Deal
How does Theodore Roosevelt bring Progressivism to the White House?

2. Rough Rider
Republican Party convinces outspoken Gov Theodore Roosevelt to run as VP with McKinley
McKinley assassinated 6 mos into his second term, Roosevelt becomes president at age 42
Begins the “Square Deal”, plan to protect the common man from big business

3. Square Deal: Trustbusting
Trusts created to hold numerous companies, allowing big business to have legal monopolies
Roosevelt files 44 law suits against companies w/ monopolies, Supreme Court rules trusts must be broken up (Trustbuster)
Square Deal: Labor Reform
● Miners strike for fair pay, mine co’s refuse to budge. Roosevelt threatens govt takeover of mines if owners won’t give fair pay
● Railroad Reform: ICC had little power to enforce regulations on RR cos. Roosevelt gives ICC more power to regulate RRs

4. Square Deal: Health & Environmental Reform
Roosevelt reads Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle, which exposes the sickening conditions in the Meat Packing Industry
Roosevelt pushes for the passage of the Meat Inspection Act, which dictates cleanliness standards & federal inspection
● Roosevelt pushes for Pure Food & Drug Act, which stops sale of contaminated foods & medicines and requires truth in labeling
●After camping with conservationist John Muir, Roosevelt agrees that US natural resources are not limitless, creates Ntl Park Sys.

5. Square Deal: Civil Rights
Roosevelt did not fully support civil rights, however was willing to work with black leaders
Appoints some African-Americans to government positions & invites Booker T. Washington to the White House
However, other black leaders like W.E.B. Du Bois criticized Booker Washington for working with Roosevelt
Du Bois argued in Souls of Black Folks that Af-Ams like Washington are holding Blacks back, need full rights
● Du Bois helps form National Association for the Advancement
of Colored People (NAACP): goal is full equality amongst races