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