17.3 TEDDY ROOSEVELT’S
SQUARE DEAL
OBJECTIVE: Understand the reforms of
Roosevelt’s Administration
THEODORE ROOSEVELT


Governor of NY. Reformer. Hero of Spanish American
War.
Nominated to be Vice-President by Republican party
bosses.




WHY??
1901 Pres. McKinley assassinated, TR becomes President.
Creates the “modern presidency” b/c of his popularity with
the public and use of media/press.
Uses White House as a “bully pulpit”
HOW DID ROOSEVELT REDEFINE FEDERAL
POWER?




1. “Square Deal”

Roosevelt’s package of
reforms

Expands the use of
federal power to
reform US
Why was it called
the Square Deal?

2. Arbitrates the 1902
Coal Strike
Threatened to assume
control of mines
HISTORICAL
SIGNIFICANCE:

Govt. did not
automatically back
big business

3. Trust Busting


Mixed record of success

Mixed message considers some trusts
good and other bad.




Focused on filing
suits under Sherman
Antitrust Act of 1902
Filed 44 antitrust
lawsuits

4. Railroad regulation
Elkins Act of 1903 - illegal
for railroads to give or
receive rebates
Hepburn Act of 1906 strictly limited the
distribution of free railroad
passes
These gave the Interstate
Commerce Commission
more power to curb the
railroads power through
federal regulation.
ROOSEVELT AND REFORM
PROTECTING HEALTH
1906: Meat Inspection Act:
Dictated strict cleanliness for meat factories
(reaction to Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle)
What did The Jungle say?
1906: Pure Food and Drug Act
PROTECTING HEALTH

1906: Meat Inspection
Act:


Dictated strict cleanliness
for meat factories
(reaction to Upton
Sinclair’s The Jungle)
What did The Jungle say?

1906: Pure Food and
Drug Act

Halted the sale of
contaminated food and
medicines and called for
truth in labeling
ROOSEVELT AND REFORM
CONSERVATION

Created US Forest
Service

Creates over 50
national parks &
wilderness areas
CIVIL RIGHTS
Ambiguous record dealing
with Civil Rights

Hosted Booker T.
Washington at White House,

Yet, did not embrace reforms
of NAACP

What was the goal of the
NAACP?
TERMS
Theodore Roosevelt
 Square Deal
 The Jungle
 Upton Sinclair
 Meat Inspection Act
 Pure Food and Drug
Act
 Conservation
 NAACP


OBJECTIVE:
Understand the
reforms of Roosevelt’s
Administration