TR and the Modern Presidency Section 6.1
Jan 02, 2016
TR and the Modern Presidency
Section 6.1
Today’s agenda
• Return Progressive Quiz
• 6.1 Slide Show
• Homework
• Read 6.1
• Progressive Test coming soon!
How did Teddy Roosevelt become the president of the US?
Describe TR’s background.• From wealthy NY family
• Sickly child
• Intelligent
• Athletic
• Suffered Tragic events shaped his life
• Rancher
• Police Chief NYC
• Assistant Secretary of Navy (1896)
What started the Spanish American War?
• Spain committed atrocities trying to hold onto its empire (Cuba)
• Weyler put 300 thousand in concentration camps
• Yellow Journalism– Press in US exaggerated
Spanish atrocities in order to sell papers
• USS Maine (2/1898) exploded near Cuba– Remember the Main
What started the Spanish American War?
How did the War affect Roosevelt?
• Rough Riders brought national fame
• Governor of NY• VP in 1900
– A Do nothing position
• “When Roosevelt attends a wedding, he wants to be the bride. When he attends a funeral, he wants to be the corpse.”
• McKinley assassinated• TR = 26th president
How did the War affect Roosevelt?
How did TR view his role as President.• a “bully pulpit”
–Position from which to preach his ideas
• A mediator–Promised a “square
deal” for every citizen• a reformer
–Really a moderate conservative
Describe Northern Securities v. United States (1902).
• A Trust (Holding company) controlled by JP Morgan– Holding co. bought majority of stock
in another company and thereby controlled it
– Controlled RR rates (1902)
• TR– Viewed trusts as “malefactors of great
wealth” – ordered Justice Department to use
Sherman Antitrust Act against RR monopoly in Northwest
• Supreme Court ruled (1904) that it must be broken up
• Gave TR label of a trust buster
Describe TR’s actions during the Anthracite Coal Strike of 1902
• 1902 140, 000 coal miners went on strike
• Goal of United Mine Workers– 8 hr. work day– 20% pay raise– Union recognition
• Company refused any negotiation• George Baer – believed in “Divine
Right of Bosses”• TR threatens to nationalize the coal
mine• Outcome
– 9 hr. work day– 10% pay raise– No Union recognition
How did TR attempt to regulate business?
• Department of Commerce and Labor (1903)– Created to regulate business
• Included: Bureau of Standards, Bureau of Corporations
• Bureau of Corporations– investigated interstate
corporations• Later called Federal Trade
Commission
How did TR strengthen the Interstate Commerce Act?
• Elkins Act of 1903
–Forbade rebates
–Forced RR to publicize their shipping rates
How did TR attempt to protect the consumer?
• Meat Inspection Act of 1906
– Authorized Secretary of Agriculture to inspect all meat products for human consumption
– Caused by public outcry from The Jungle by Upton Sinclair
• Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906
– Forbade manufacture, sale adulterated foods and drugs and the mislabeling of products
Public Safety and Conservation
How did TR attempt to Conserve America’s resources?
• Concerned about wasteful use of resources
• Gifford Pinchot – Chief Forester proposed
planned management (conservationist) of resources
• John Muir – Sierra Club– proposed preservation
• TR took more a conservationist road
• The Debate
• Nasty Campaign