Theodore Roosevelt: Industrialization Roundtable

Theodore Roosevelt was only 43 when he became president. He was the 26th president. His term went from 1905 - 1909. The US had never had a president so young. He was given the Nobel Peace Prize and when he left office he took an African Safari. He was also shot after he left office trying to campaign in Wisconsin. He survived the gunshot.

Theodore Roosevelt was one of the most popular, important and progressive presidents of the United States. He showed many acts of courage as president, which greatly shaped the direction the county went in both domestic and foreign policy. Roosevelt showed courage even before his presidency, while he worked as a frontier sheriff across the midwest United States. Both his college education at Harvard and years of service as frontier sheriff prepared Roosevelt to be an effective US president. Roosevelt's courageous accomplishments had a very positive impact on the nation.

In fact, he was the leader of the progressive movement. He continuously wanted there to be a happy balance between capital and labor so he founded his policy called the Square Deal. He was a liberal and became an advocate for prosecuting monopolies that violated antitrust law, otherwise known as “trust busting”. He kept these monopolies from controlling entire industries across the country. He worked hard to guide the United States into world politics. Roosevelt also aimed for Promotion of Anti-Trust suits. He was also a conversationalist. Some of his policies for conservation were creating the National Conservation Commission to record the nation’s resources and manage their use more efficiently, Delegate two hundred million acres as national forests, mineral reserves, and waterpower plants, as well as an addition of five national parks and eighteen national monuments to the list of protected lands. Roosevelt worked very hard to try and keep the economic issues of his time intact.

Teddy Roosevelt became the twenty sixth president of the United States of America from September 14, 1901 until March 4, 1909. His nickname was T. R. He was the youngest president. During his time as president, he brought many accomplishments and contributions to the United States of America. He always thought about the best interest of the people before making any final decisions. His decisions were never based on someone’s opinion; however, it was all about bettering the people’s future and their safety. President Teddy Roosevelt was a rich man prior to becoming the president but the poor was his main concern. He had a wife and six children. The most interesting things about President Teddy Roosevelt was that he changed the operation of businesses and the government, how the coal was generate to the public, Panama Canal, and over saw the big remodel of the White House.

President Roosevelt believed that political equality that everyone enjoy has no meaning if the economical fruits enjoyed by only privileged people at the top. He wanted government to intervene in the economy to take steps to balance the economic opportunity for everyone. It was time of Great Depression and unemployment was reaching at the highest level. President Roosevelt took several steps to address the economic issues. He created WPA act to provide jobs to unemployed people. He signed Social Security Act and Wagner Act for treating workers fairly and to give guaranteed pensions to American people.

“There is no higher religion than human service. To work for the common good is the greatest creed.” (Woodrow Wilson) This quote from one of the most progressive presidents of all time, really represents what the progressives were after during their movement; during the Progressive Era, American citizens were looking for change socially, politically, and economically due to urbanization and industrialization. Although all 3 of the early 20th century presidents were progressive in their reforms, Theodore Roosevelt was the most progressive out of these because he regulated business, fought for labor reform, and conserved natural resources.

In the period of time following the Reconstruction Era the Progressive era came about, presented with abundant opportunity but also hindered by significant economic, political, and social issues. America was pining for a leader who could provide solutions to all of these issues, caused by rapid industrialization. In 1901, Theodore Roosevelt emerged as a leader for the progressivism movement, which focused on reforming the major issues that society faced at that time such as fear of immigrants and corporate greed. Roosevelt was recognized as a friend to the common people as well as a trustbuster, and this furthered his reputation as being the savior of the issues of the late 1800’s and early 1900’s because he pushed to reform as many obstacles presented to him as he could. Even though he gained his presidential spot due to the assassination of President McKinley he still proved to be the most effective president in dealing with the issues of the late 1800s and the early 1900s.

Though the regulations on big businesses had a positive effect on the United states, it seems as if there are not enough. Within large corporations that are ran not completely, but partially by the government, there was a huge gap created that separated the rich and the poor. In the 19th century, during the Industrial Revolution, the structure of the United States economy was transformed. Rapid advancements in technology were made, causing factory owners to gain wealth and prestige. These advancements had a negative effect on the poor because it did not fit their daily spendings or budgets. There are two different regulations set towards big businesses, which are state regulation and federal regulation. A state regulation does not include regulations issued by executive branch agencies, decisions of federal courts,

Theodore Roosevelt is considered by many to be America’s first progressive president due to his conservationism, his military prowess, and the natural ease with which he handled national and worldwide politics. He had a vision for the place he wanted America to be, a courage that made him admirable, and a jovial attitude that made people love him. Not only did he take steps to make the office of president more important than it once was, he tried to do so in ways that were important. One of these ways was by protecting the natural beauty of America so that it would not be entirely depleted before it could replenish itself. Another way was by proving his leadership, his bravery, and his dedication to complete the task at hand in the military. His struggle for equality in his nation and international peace also show his determination to make the world better. These points prove that Theodore Roosevelt had his eyes set on the future and was determined to move toward it.

FDR believed in a “New Deal” America, containing social welfare and unemployment, Medicare, government involvement within the economy to help regulate and set standards. Both of these presidencies changed the fabric of American society by bringing the country as a whole through incredibly difficult issues, and showing how, with government intervention, the economy can be brought

Theodore Roosevelt may be one of the most powerful presidents that attacked Trusts1 and corporations to make them just so that everyone could prosper. Thayer, a friend of Roosevelt wrote, ". . .he took the deepest personal satisfaction in fighting the rich and the soulless corporations. . ." (Thayer). This led into the 1920's a prosperous decade in which people received "new money." Theodore Roosevelt stressed more for people to be responsible than to be autonomous, or, in other words, to help others besides helping yourself. He was able to bring two separate groups together to make a better America. He brought the Trusts that wanted the government to stay away and then the other side

Roosevelt felt President Taft was too conservative and pro-business (Robinson, 2003). In reaction to that, he met with Progressive leaders after returning from Africa and began plotting a political comeback (Robinson, 2003).

This allowed funds from the Western public lands to be used on dams and irrigation in the arid, dry land in the Western areas ("Theodore Roosevelt on Film" 1). The act was a success because of the effect it brought, it affected the western part of United States by allowing a better agricultural condition, and in the process of building the dams and irrigation, many jobs were created which helped people in poverty or in hard situation to earn money ("Theodore Roosevelt on Film" 2). In October of 1902, Theodore Roosevelt also intervened in a labor dispute between the United Mine Workers and the coal industry, the first time a president has done so ("Theodore Roosevelt on Film" 3). He pressured the industry to meet and settle with the workers and threatened to send in troops to seize operation of the mines ("Theodore Roosevelt on Film" 4). This protected the rights of workers in mines, and by these kinds of acts, Theodore Roosevelt shaped the American dream by creating better workplace conditions for many groups.

I do feel that President Roosevelt’s policies promoted government welfare, interfered with the economy and took away people’s initiative and liberties to a certain extent. I wholeheartedly believe he was doing it for the right reasons but nevertheless those

Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) was a man of unusual charm and great optimism, which he was able to communicate to others. He had a broad smile and was a charismatic optimist whose confidence helped sustain the nation through its darkest moments during crisis like the Great Depression and World War II. He became one of the most beloved of U.S. presidents for four terms in office. But beneath his outward friendliness was an inner reserve and an iron will. His admirers emphasized the way in which he met the nation's problems. They praised him for insisting that the federal government must help the underprivileged and that the United States must share in the responsibility for preserving world