17.4: Roosevelt’s Square Deal

The Presidents from the Gilded Age: Dishonest, Self-interested, and Weak.

The Progressive Era: An era of immediate reform from the social problems of the Gilded Age.

Progressivists: Journalists (later known as Muckrakers) who looked into these social problems. Often displayed a charismatic image.

A Progressive Leader: Theodore Roosevelt was your charismatic leader.

A Change of Pace: Roosevelt Takes Control

Developed a reputation for being very smart, opinionated, and extremely energetic.

Chosen by President W. McKinley to be Asst. Sec. of the Navy but organized the Rough Riders at the start of the Spanish American War (18.2)

1898: Returned as a war hero and elected governor of New York.

Became a popular public figure that the well known “Teddy Bear” was named after him.

A Change of Pace: Roosevelt Takes Control

BRIEF SEMINAR: The Concept of Masculinity in the United States: Theodore Roosevelt to John Wayne

Square Deal: preventing the wealthy and powerful from taking advantage of the small businesses and the poor.

Roosevelt compares this concept of the Square Deal to a hand of cards:

“When I believe in a square deal, I do not mean to give every man the best hand. If good cards do not come to any man, or if they do come, and he has not got the power to play them, that is his affair. All I mean is that there shall be no crookedness in the dealing”.

The Concept of the Square Deal

Roosevelt, being the Progressive of a President he, would simply enforce a number of policies:

Hepburn Act: Strong regulation enforcement by the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC)

Meat Inspection Act: Meat-processing factories required federal inspection

Pure Food and Drug Act: Banning interstate shipment of impure food and the mislabeling of food and drugs

National Reclamation Act: Federal government addressing how water is distributed

The Demand For Reform:

REAL TIME CONNECTION: The Whole Foods Debate

REAL TIME CONNECTION: Does it Make a Difference?

Congress passed the Reclamation Act (1902) to decide where and how water is distributed. Does it really make a difference on who controls the distribution of water?

Contrasting Views: From Theodore Roosevelt, to William Howard Taft, to Woodrow Wilson