Name__________________________ period________ date_______________
Theodore Roosevelt Redefines the Role of the President and the Federal
Government
Problems that were national in scope
demanded national solutions. If the
states and local governments were
either ill-equipped or unwilling to solve
the problems of industrialization and
urbanization, then it was essential for
the national government to act.
Theodore Roosevelt viewed the
President as the “steward of the
people” who was charged with setting
the nation’s agenda.
Roosevelt saw the presidency as a
“bully pulpit” - a powerful platform to
publicize important issues and seek
support for his policies. The president
should use his “bully pulpit” to enact a
progressive agenda.
Roosevelt believed in expanding the
constitutional powers of the president
and national government far beyond
what it had been. His view was that as
long as the Constitution did NOT
specifically prohibit the president or
Congress from acting in a certain way,
they were free to do so.
Theodore Roosevelt was a strong
advocate for a strong president both in
setting an activist agenda for the
national government dealing with
domestic policy and foreign policy.
According to the “stewardship theory”
advanced by Roosevelt,
My view was that every executive
Officer …was a steward of the people
bound actively and affirmatively to
do all that he could for the people
… I declined to adopt the view that
what was imperatively necessary
for the nation could not be done
by the President unless he could
find some specific authorization
to do it.
NAME________________________ PERIOD____ DATE____________
1. Does Roosevelt’s view of the presidency and federal government seem
supportive of laissez-faire? Explain why or why not?
2. Does Roosevelt’s view seem more like Hamilton’s view of the government, or
Jefferson’s view of the government? Explain.
3. Progressives, like Roosevelt, claimed to be modern heirs to Thomas Jefferson.
Explain how they could make this claim if they favored a strong national
government and president.
4. Do you agree with Roosevelt, or do you fear that his view might lead to an
abuse of power by the president or federal government as a whole? Explain.
5. What was Roosevelt’s view of big business? (Did he think big business needed
to be broken up into smaller pieces or destroyed, or did he think that it needed
to be regulated by government? Did he believe that some businesses needed to
be broken up or destroyed, while others were left alone or regulated? Explain
Roosevelt’s view.)
Woodrow Wilson, in his 1912 campaign for President called
for a “New Freedom” in America. He disagreed with Roosevelt’s approach to
big business. Wilson believed that he, not Roosevelt was the true progressive.
He said: “I take my stand absolutely, where every progressive ought to stand, on
the proposition (idea) that private monopoly (big business with overwhelming
share of a market, such as a trust or monopoly) is indefensible and intolerable.
And there I will fight my battle.”
6. Does Wilson sound like he believes that there is such a thing as “good trusts”
and “bad trusts?” Does he sound like that government can act like a referee?
According to the “stewardship theory” advanced by Roosevelt,
My view was that every executive
Officer …was a steward of the people
bound actively and affirmatively to
do all that he could for the people
… I declined to adopt the view that
what was imperatively necessary
for the nation could not be done
by the President unless he could
find some specific authorization
to do it.
Problems that were national in scope demanded national solutions. If the states
and local governments were either ill-equipped or unwilling to solve the
problems of industrialization and urbanization, then it was essential for the
national government to act.
Theodore Roosevelt viewed the President as the “steward of the people” who
was charged with setting the nation’s agenda.
Roosevelt saw the presidency as a “bully pulpit” - a powerful platform to
publicize important issues and seek support for his policies. The president should
use his “bully pulpit” to enact a progressive agenda.
Roosevelt believed in expanding the constitutional powers of the president and
national government far beyond what it had been. His view was that as long as
the Constitution did NOT specifically prohibit the president or Congress from
acting in a certain way, they were free to do so.
Theodore Roosevelt was a strong advocate for a strong president both in setting
an activist agenda for the national government dealing with domestic policy
and foreign policy.