Section 2
Roosevelt
Guide to Reading
Main Idea
With Theodore Roosevelt’s succession to the presidency in
September 1901, progressivism entered national politics.
Key Terms and Names
• Open Door policy
• arbitration
• Boxer Rebellion
• Hepburn Act
• Square Deal
• Upton Sinclair
• Northern Securities
• United Mine Workers
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Theodore Roosevelt’s Rise to Power
• In the 1900 election, President McKinley
defeated William Jennings Bryan by a
wide margin.
• On September 6, 1901, Leon Czolgosz shot
President McKinley, who died a few days
later.
• Theodore Roosevelt, McKinley’s vice
president, became the youngest person
to become president.
(pages 408–409)
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Theodore Roosevelt’s Rise to Power
(cont.)
• Roosevelt believed the United
States had a duty to shape the “less
civilized” parts of the world.
• He wanted the United States to
become a world power.
(pages 408–409)
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American Diplomacy in Asia (cont.)
• President McKinley and Secretary of
State John Hay supported an Open Door
policy in China.
• They believed all countries should be
allowed to trade with China.
(pages 409–411)
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American Diplomacy in Asia (cont.)
• Hay sent notes to countries with
leaseholds in China asking to keep ports
open to all nations.
• Hay expected all powers would abide by
this plan.
• Secret Chinese societies were organized
to end foreign control.
• Members of the Boxers started the Boxer
Rebellion.
(pages 409–411)
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American Diplomacy in Asia (cont.)
• Group members invaded foreign
embassies in Beijing and killed more than
200 foreigners and took others prisoner.
• An international force stopped the
rebellion in August 1900.
• Theodore Roosevelt won the Nobel Peace
prize in 1906 for his efforts in ending the
war between Japan and Russia.
(pages 409–411)
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A Growing Presence in
the Caribbean
• In 1901 the Hay-Pauncefote Treaty
signed by the U.S. and Great Britain gave
the United States exclusive rights to build
and control any proposed canal through
Central America.
• A French company that had begun to
build a canal through Panama offered to
sell its rights and property in Panama to
the United States.
(pages 412–413)
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A Growing Presence in
the Caribbean (cont.)
• In 1903 Panama was still a part of
Colombia, which refused John Hay’s offer
to purchase the land and gain rights to
build the canal.
• Panamanians decided to declare their
independence from Colombia and make
their own deal with the United States to
build the canal.
• The short uprising against Colombia was
supported by the United States, which
sent ships to Panama to prevent
Colombia from interfering.
(pages 412–413)
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A Growing Presence in
the Caribbean (cont.)
• The United States recognized Panama’s
independence, and the two nations
signed a treaty to have the canal built.
• Construction of the 50-mile canal took
ten years.
• It shortened the distance from the
Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean by about
8,000 nautical miles.
(pages 412–413)
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Roosevelt Revives
the Presidency
• During his second term, Theodore
Roosevelt’s reform program was known
as the Square Deal.
• As a progressive and a Social Darwinist,
he felt the government should try to
balance the needs of all the groups in
American society.
• He believed that the U.S. needed
progressive reforms to remain an efficient
society that could compete successfully
with other nations.
(pages 427–430)
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Roosevelt Revives
the Presidency (cont.)
• The fight for control of the Burlington
Railroad erupted on the New York
Stock Exchange.
• E.H. Harriman of the Union Pacific
Railroad and James J. Hill and J. P.
Morgan of the Great Northern and
Northern Pacific Railroads argued over
stock, which could have led to a
recession.
(pages 427–430)
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Roosevelt Revives
the Presidency (cont.)
• The three men compromised by creating
a new holding company called Northern
Securities.
• Roosevelt felt Northern Securities
violated the Sherman Antitrust Act,
and he ordered a lawsuit filed. In 1904
the Supreme Court ruled that
Northern Securities had violated the
Sherman Antitrust Act.
(pages 427–430)
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Roosevelt Revives
the Presidency (cont.)
• The United Mine Workers (UMW)
union called a strike of the miners who
dug coal.
• About 150,000 workers from the mines
of eastern Pennsylvania demanded a
pay increase, reduction in work hours,
and recognition for their union.
• The strike went on for months,
threatening a coal shortage.
(pages 427–430)
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Roosevelt Revives
the Presidency (cont.)
• Roosevelt urged the union and owners to
accept arbitration, a settlement imposed
by an outside party.
• The union agreed, but the owners did
not.
• Mine owners finally agreed after
Roosevelt threatened to have the army
run the mines.
(pages 427–430)
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Roosevelt Revives
the Presidency (cont.)
• In 1903 Congress created the Department
of Commerce and Labor.
• Within the department was the Bureau
of Corporations that had the authority
to investigate corporations and issue
reports on their activities.
(pages 427–430)
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Roosevelt Revives
the Presidency (cont.)
• In 1906 the Hepburn Act was intended to
strengthen the Interstate Commerce
Commission (ICC) by giving it the power
to set railroad rates.
• Over time, railroads realized they
could work with the ICC to set rates
and regulations that limited
competition and prevent new
competitors from entering the
industry.
(pages 427–430)
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Social Welfare Action
• By 1905 consumer protection became a
national issue.
• Patent medicines and food consumption
became serious threats to Americans,
forcing new legislation.
• In 1906 Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle
described his observations of Chicago
slaughterhouses.
• As a result, federal legislation was
passed.
(page 430)
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Social Welfare Action (cont.)
• The Meat Inspection Act required federal
inspection of meat sold and set standards
of cleanliness in meatpacking plants.
• The Pure Food and Drug Act
prohibited the manufacture, sale, or
shipment of impure or falsely labeled
food and drugs.
(page 430)
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Conservation
• President Theodore Roosevelt urged
Americans to conserve natural
resources.
• In 1902 Roosevelt supported the passage
of the Newlands Reclamation Act, which
authorized the use of federal funds from
public land sales to pay for irrigation and
land development projects.
(pages 430–431)
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Conservation (cont.)
• Roosevelt’s actions during his presidency
caused Americans to increasingly look to
the federal government to solve the
nation’s economic and social problems.
• The executive branch of government
greatly increased in power.
(pages 430–431)
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Checking for Understanding
Define Match the terms on the right with their definitions
on the left.
__
B 1.
__
A 2.
settling a dispute by agreeing
to accept the decision of an
impartial outsider
Theodore Roosevelt’s promise
of fair and equal treatment for
all
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A. Square Deal
B. arbitration
Checking for Understanding (cont.)
Explain what was provided for in the Hepburn Act.
The Hepburn Act attempted to strengthen the ICC by
giving it the power to set railroad rates.
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Reviewing Themes
Individual Action How did Upton Sinclair contribute
to involving the federal government in protecting
consumers?
His book The Jungle raised awareness
of conditions in the meatpacking industry.
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Critical Thinking
Drawing Conclusions What impact did Roosevelt’s
use of the Sherman Antitrust Act have on business?
It broke up Northern Securities and put big business on
notice that Roosevelt would use the powers of the act if
necessary.
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Analyzing Visuals
Analyzing Political Cartoons Look at the cartoon on
page 428 of your textbook. Why are the giants
depicted as they are? What do they represent?
Roosevelt is called Jack the Giant-Killer. What fairy
tale is being referred to?
They are very powerful men who forcefully dominate
politics and the economy. Jack and the Beanstalk is being
referred to.
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Close
List the ways in which Theodore Roosevelt
showed his interest in environmental
conservation.