Theodore Roosevelt Social Activism

In the first two decades of the twentieth century the national political scene reflected a growing American belief in the ideas of the Progressive movement. This movement was concerned with fundamental social and economic reforms and gained in popularity under two presidents. Yet Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson espoused two different approaches to progressive reform. And each one was able to prevail upon congress to pass legislation in keeping with his own version of the progressive dream. These two people, although they had different principles in mind, had one goal: to make changes to the nation for the better of the people and the country. Setting out to reach this goal, Roosevelt came to be a president of the common man while

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.

The drive to reform the working and living conditions of the poor in American cities heralded the advent of the Progressive Era, in which social and political activism and reform aimed to reconcile issues of Reconstruction. Writers like Upton Sinclair described ghastly conditions in American factories. Their stories caught the nation’s attention, and political as well as labor action followed. Progressive politicians such as Theodore Roosevelt aggressively sought to reign in the excesses of monopolies. They viewed monopolies as using unfair leverage to hurt

During the turn of the century, in the 1900’s, conditions were harsh in working areas and big businesses were growing largely. There were many things wrong with the time period, and Theodore Roosevelt recognized this. Theodore Roosevelt was the first president to introduce progressive reforms and restrictions to the country. This impacted many areas of people and businesses. Areas of reform included conditions for the coalmine workers, civil rights, and breaking trusts in businesses.

The Progressive Era began in 1890 and came to a close around the end of World War I in 1919. As the name suggests, it was an era of modernization and change for Americans. “America was growing, expanding, booming, and providing opportunities to join forces with industrialism and commerce and to grow along with the country” (Anderson, David 6). However, the rapid speed of population growth in cities magnified problems of poverty, disease, violence, and corruption. With an increase in jobs, competition also arose amongst citizens who believed that “both wealth and happiness [would] inevitably come to the moral and industrious” (White 1). Despite being characterized by reform, urbanization, and industrialism, the Progressive Era saw the loss of individualism; workers struggled for autonomy, skilled craftsmen were replaced, and mass culture eclipsed small, intimate towns, showing that in order to move forward, there needed to be a step back.

The progressive era was not the first reform America faced, but it is perhaps one of, if the most important. It was a time that stretched roughly from 1890 to 1920. It was a time of “progress”. A time where the American people wanted to make America a better country. The people wanted to do away with political corruption; they wanted to fix all problems, especially those economic, social, and political. Progressivism was considered to be an “umbrella”. Under this “umbrella” fell labor issues, unsafe work conditions, child labor, no work man’s comp, and the issue of poverty. There was one group of people who truly lead the charge when it came to exposing the corruption in politics and the unsafe work conditions millions of American workers faced.

In 1912, the Progressive Party formed to support Theodore Roosevelt in his attempt to be elected for a third presidential term (O 'Toole par. 7, 11). The party was formed after the Republican National Convention repudiated the nomination of Roosevelt (Bardes, Shelley, and Schmidt 251). Furthermore, this resulted in Roosevelt splitting the Republican vote between him and William Howard Taft and gave Democrat Woodrow Wilson an advantage (Bardes, Shelley, and Schmidt). The Progressive Party took a platform that was new and innovative for the time period in which it began. To understand the the start of the Progressive Party one must acknowledge its political platform, the outcome of the presidential election between Roosevelt, Taft, and Wilson, and the outcome and end of the Progressive Party.

During the progressive era in the late 19th century, many changes were made that have impacted humans’ still today. Such as new reforms that helped and improved the country’s health, safety, and happiness. Not only did the changes help society, it advanced the country to become well developed, strong, and indpendent. Because of Teddy Roosevelt, as president of America, the United States was able to grow exponetially in improving all aspects of life including; socially, politically, and economically.

Theodore Roosevelt being the youngest president at age 42 was a great leader. He had many accomplishments, even winning the Noble Peace Prize. The Russo-Japanese War was going on from 1904-05, he won the Noble Peace Prize by being the meditator of the peace between the two countries. TR was a progressive leader and a trustworthy president even nicknamed “Trust Buster.” His policies regarding trust and labor reform were part of what he called the “Square Deal.” TR was a conservationist and naturalist, he preserved natural habitats and wildlife; more than 125 million acres were set aside being protected by the public. Roosevelt combined an interest in military affairs and a belief in expansionism. He strengthened the U.S. army and expanded the navy to

Roosevelt simply acted in the interests of the common working man, fixing things that they found unjust. For years, the poor and

During the Progressive Era from 1890-1920, America saw three new presidents: Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and Woodrow Wilson. This period of time is known as the Progressive Era due to the political and social changes made to move away from a laissez-faire government to a more active government by the administrations of these presidents. Prior to this period, Americans had to suffer through poor working conditions, low wages, social and class inequality and become victims to large corporations that took advantage of the people. In particular, the administrations of Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson established the key principles and ideas of economic reform and social reform, which would end up returning the power from the manipulative corporations back to the government, establishing a model for a more active role for the federal government, and improve the lives of Americans. However, even though Roosevelt and Wilson had similar intentions of reforming America, they both had different means of achieving it.

The Progressive Era occurred between 1900-1917. This era brought many important movements that challenged traditional relationships and attitudes. Great leaders like Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson served during this time. Theodore Roosevelt was elected governor of New York in 1898. Became vice president in 1900 and took office in 1901 after the assassination of William McKinley. Theodore Roosevelt became the 26th president. Woodrow Wilson became governor of New Jersey in 1910. Wilson defeated Roosevelt at the 1912 election becoming the 28th president. Although Roosevelt and Wilson had their differences, we can all agree that the most striking similarities among both presidents was their shared commitment to enhance major social reforms.

Roosevelt did reinstate public confidence because he made sure the workers were getting treated fairly. Also, he wanted to have better banking. Next, he wanted to have cheaper and better transportation.He wanted to make sure that people would get around town safe and cheap. Also, Roosevelt wanted better land for farming instead of having dust bowls and dry land. Roosevelt let farmers have better soil and better land for farming so they could make more food and goods. FDR said, “Of course we will continue to put our efforts in behalf of the farmers of America. With their continued cooperation we will do anything in our power to end up piling up of huge surpluses which spelled ruinous prices for our crops.” FDR wanted everyone to have a safe,

“I could not more see misery and death come to the great masses of the people in our large cities, and sit by idly, because under ordinary conditions a strike is not a subject for interference by the President, than I could sit by idly and see one man kill another without interference because there is not statutory duty imposed upon the President to interfere in such cases.” These words were the words spoken by Theodore Roosevelt on the reason for his involvement in a coal workers’ strike in Pennsylvania in 1902. Ideas such as the one Theodore Roosevelt expressed in his statement characterized a new type of ideology at the time, Progressivism. Progressivism was a political movement that strove to ameliorate the circumstances of the average citizen, especially workers, by governmental business regulation, shared various aspects with Populism, and seen in Theodore Roosevelt’s ideas and actions.