Theodore Roosevelt

And His Square Deal

The Man

• In 1901, Teddy Roosevelt became the youngest President of the U.S. at age 43.

• Roosevelt was a hero of the Spanish-American War.

• He led a cavalry unit known as the Rough Riders.

Roosevelt becomes President

• In the 1900 election, President William McKinley selects Roosevelt to become his Vice-President.

• A few months into McKinley’s term, he was assassinated, leaving Roosevelt as President.

• Roosevelt quickly took advantage of his position, making instant changes to expand the power of the President and pushing his Progressive agenda.

The Square Deal

• Roosevelt’s first goal was to keep wealthy business owners from preying on small businesses and the poor.

• “When I say 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.” Teddy Roosevelt

Trust-busting and Regulating

• Roosevelt’s first goal was to take on industry.

• The first dispute he settled was between mine owners and workers.

• Roosevelt threatened to bring in federal troops to run the mines. The mine owners gave in.

Roosevelt takes on the railroads

• Roosevelt creates the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) to keep on eye on interstate shipping rates.

• The Elkins Act would fine railroads for overcharging people for freight costs.

• The ICC created the Hepburn Act which would place a limit on shipping costs, tolls, and ferry costs.

Roosevelt splits the railroads

• Due to its’ dirty business practices, Roosevelt forced the railroads to split into smaller companies to force competition and lower prices.

• He did not force this on all of the big businesses, only those that practiced less scrupulous business tactics.

Roosevelt takes on the food industry!

• In response to The Jungle, Roosevelt pushes through the Meat Inspection Act, so that the gov’t could check out all meat products crossing state lines for health concerns.

• The Food and Drug Act did the same for medicines. Today, we have the FDA.

• Labels required on products (Coca-Cola)

Roosevelt: the Environmentalist

• Roosevelt felt that nature should be preserved, but not at the expense of man.

• He allowed for the use of nature’s resources and protected a large amount of land against use.

• He also made regulations against overusing forests and instead became more prudent about when and how they could be used.

Who owns the water?

• Water became highly demanded for strip mining and irrigation farming.

• With the rise in demand, so came claims to water.

• Roosevelt helped to enact the National Reclamation Act, which allowed the federal gov’t to control how and where water could be distributed.