PAUL LAWRENCE DUNBAR HIGHSCHOOL
[US HISTORY]
Unit - The Progressive Era
DATE
Lesson - The Progressive Presidents
SINDLER
OBJECTIVE
Students will learn about the three presidents of the progressive era [T. Roosevelt, W. Taft, W.
Wilson) and understand their strengths and weaknesses, as well as their major contributions.
SUMMARY
The purpose of this lesson is to cover a large amount of material in a single lesson to make the
MSDE imposed deadline of Imperialism (we're almost there though!). Students will be able to
relate each of the three president's personalities to their performance and contributions while in
office. After learning the material the students will be asked to think critically about what they
have learned and rank the presidents based on their opinions about them.
STANDARDS
MDK-12.ORG 2.A.1.e - Analyze the role of presidential power and the shaping of the modern
presidency, such as the Square Deal and Roosevelt’s response to the 1902 Coal Strike (PS, E)
CCSS WHST.9-10.1 - Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content.
TEXT
PowerPoint - Progressive Presidents
Textbook - Call to Freedom
MATERIALS
pen/pencil, markers, textbook, projector, handouts
VOCABULARY
The Square Deal, Pure Food and Drug Act, Conservation, National Park Service, Tariff,
Progressive/Bull Moose Party, Underwood Tariff, Federal Income Tax, Federal Reserve, Clayton
Anti-trust Act, Federal Trade Commission
INTRODUCTION/DRILL
Students will read a short portion of Upton Sinclair's The Jungle and answer two questions in the
textbook about it. We'll have a short question of which part the students found the most
disgusting and how they feel about companies taking advantage of people. Remind students that
this is Muckraking literature.
LESSON PROCEDURE
Start Powerpoint - The Progressive Presidents
PAUL LAWRENCE DUNBAR HIGHSCHOOL
LEARNING GOALS
- The first discussion is designed to get the students to begin thinking about what an ideal
president should be like, while foreshadowing the presidents to be examined. Which one of
these qualities do you feel is the most important in a national leader? Is it possible to have
all of them in one person? Which one of these qualities do you see in President Obama?
- Students will read about Roosevelts life in the text (pg 266) to gain an appreciation for the
man's near legendary life. This is backed up by the picture of him riding a moose. Is this the sort
of man fit to run our country in this time period? Is there another president you can think
of that is like Roosevelt? How do you think he will influence people's ideas of what it means
to be president?
- The Square Deal. What does Roosevelt mean in his promise of the Square Deal? Students
are supposed to be confused on purpose, agree with them. On the board write the following,
which is a much more practical defintion of the square deal:
The Square Deal - "The Three C's" - conservation of natural resources, control of corporations,
and consumer protection.
What seems "square" about this deal? What influences can you see from the progressive
era? Do you feel it is fair? Do we still follow it today?
- The slide about a fight with your friend is to foreshadow what happens between Roosevelt/Taft.
What was your fight about? Could you forgive them for it/did you feel bad for them? Were
you still friends after? If you thought you could do better how did you handle it? What if it
was a situation if you two were working together?
- Personality of Taft. Do you think Taft really wanted to be President? Why do you think he
accepted the nomination? Have you ever done something your friend wanted you to do,
even though you knew they'd be disappointed in the end? Why didn't Roosevelt run for a
third term himself?
- Taft's blunders. What about Taft's personality led him not to live up to the job of being
president? Do you think Roosevelt knew this? Did you think Roosevelt would try to enter
politics again? Do you think he set his best friend up to fail on purpose?
- Students will now read about Woodrow Wilson to understand the man's background and
personality. They will also need to deduce how Wilson won the election - Roosevelt ends up
splitting the Republican vote. Do you think Roosevelt shot himself in the foot with his
ambition? Should he have just stayed out of the race?
- Wilson's Personality. What sort of background did Wilson have? Why do you think people
thought of Wilson as strange? Does he seem that strange to you? Is a sharp, academic wit
the kind you want running the country? What advantages/disadvantages would that
provide?
PAUL LAWRENCE DUNBAR HIGHSCHOOL
- Wilson's Contributions. Students should make the connection that many of the reforms Wilson
helped pass are still around today. Make sure students know what these parts of our government
do and how they work. They should be able to recognize that CB means Collective Bargaining.
If they do not redefine it for them.
CONCLUSION
Class will conclude with a writing assignment in which students are tasked with ranking each of
the three progressive era president's performances. They will need to use evidence from their
notes to support their rankings, calling upon use of skills supported by the common core.
ASSESSMENT/ HOMEWORK
Students will finish the writing assignment for homework.
ACCOMODATIONS

Calculation Devices
Visual Organizers
Human Reader for Selected Sections
Multiple or Frequent Breaks
Books on Tape
Notes, Outlines, and Instructions
Spelling and Grammar Devices
Visual Cues
Extended Time
Graphic Organizers
Scribe
Change of Schedule – Over Multiple Days
Monitor Test Response
Reduce Distractions to Other Students
Human Reader for Entire Test
Screen Reader for Verbatim Reading of Selection Sections
REFLECTION & EVALUATION