Topics
•
•
•
•
•
1.) Modern Presidency
2.) Trustbusting
3.) 1902 Coal Strike
4.) Railroad Regulation
5.) Regulating Foods and Drugs/Pure Food and
Drug Act
• 6.) Conservation and Natural
Resources/Conservation measures
Modern Presidency – 1st pd.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
- Roosevelt became president at 1901 and was 42 when doing so.
- He was blind in the left eye.
- Roosevelt was very bold, and modeled for future presidents.
- He spared a bear cub on a hunting expidition, and a toy company
marketed the "Teddy Bear."
- He saw the presidency as a "Bully Pulpit." He could influence the
news, media, and legislation.
- One day he galloped 100 miles on horseback merely to prove the
feat possible.
- "It is the duty of the president to act as the stuart of the people
and is his legal right to do whatever the needs of the people
demand unless the constitution or the laws said explicitly not to do
so.“
SQUARE DEAL – Roosevelt’s progressive reforms
Trustbusting – 1st pd.
• Controlled 4/5 of the industries in the United
States!
• Many trusts lowered prices to drive
competition out! (later they RAISED prices)
• The President concentrated his efforts on
filling those that hurt the public interest!
• The Roosevelt administration filled 44
antitrust suits!
1902 Coal Strike – 1st pd.
• Went on strike for a 20% raise, 9 hour workday
and to organize a union
• Roosevelt came in because the coal workers
refused to bargain
• The government was going to take over the
mines
• They came together in the white house
• Roosevelt actions reflected the progressive
belief that disputes could be settled calmly
Railroad Regulation – 1st pd.
• 1877- Congress passed the Interstate Commerce
Act. It prohibited wealthy railroad owners from
colluding to fix high prices by dividing the
business.
• ICC- Interstate Commerce Commission was set up
to enforce the new law.
• 1903- Made it illegal for railroad officials to give
and receive rebates for using particular railroads.
• The Hepburn Act of 1906- Limited the
distribution of free railroad passes
Food and Drug – 1st pd.
• Meat Inspection Act- dictated strict cleanliness
requirements for meat packers and created the
program of federal meat inspection
• A compromise was entered that the gov’t pay for
inspections and companies and they didn’t label
canned goods w/ date of processing info
• The Pure Food and Drug Act- act that stopped the
sale of stale food and medicines and called for
truth in labeling
• The act didn’t ban all the things, the progressive
belief would give info, people will start behaving
better
Conservation/Nat. Resources – 1st pd.
• The Problem:Government stood by while people took
up the already shrinking wilderness
• * People were treating the enviorment badly
• * Didnt replace trees they cut down
• * Cities were polluting rivers
• The Solution:Conservation some wilderness preserved
and other used for common good
•
• Resources are NOT endless
• Roosevelt set aside 1.5 million acres for water power
sites and established more than 50 wildlife sanctuaries
T.R. and Civil Rights
• T.R. failed to fully support the civil rights for
African Americans
• He did support a select few African Americans
– Invited Booker T. Washington to the White House
– he started the all-black training school
– Formation of NAACP during this time