The definition of progressive is a reformer who wanted to improve American life. Teddy Roosevelt was a progressive president in terms of his stance on business, foreign policy, and preservation because he has shaped the modern presidency by being a trustbuster, getting involved with foreign affairs, and preserving wildlife.
In terms of business, Theodore Roosevelt was progressive. As he was coming into office in 1901, he faced an America with a rapidly growing population, and urbanization. There were many problems that came with having more people and more business. Teddy Roosevelt believed that he needed to work for social justice, and economic regulation through the government. He believed that big business was a part of a healthy economy, and he didn’t want to abolish it, but he also believed that business needed to be regulated to preserve the peoples welfare and to prevent socialism. Former presidents had rarely used the Sherman Anti-Trust Act, and if they did, it was against labor unions. Roosevelt used the Sherman Anti-Trust Act in a way that benefited the Common Joe. In 1902 the Department of Justice issued a lawsuit against the Northern Security Company, which was four different railroads combining. It violated the Sherman Anti-Trust Act because it was a monopoly. In 1904, the US Supreme Court ruled that the monopoly be dismantled. During this ordeal, the stock market crashed, but overall the nation was pleased that the president has succeeded. He also regulated railroad corruption by introducing the Hepburn Act, which enhanced the powers of the Interstate Commerce Commission. Senators who opposed the Act tried to make the ICC powerless. Roosevelt brought the case directly to the people, who pressured the senators into p...
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...evelt was a progressive president in his presidency from 1901-1909 because even with his big ego, and the pressure of the growing corruption, he managed to make decisions that were for the good of the people, and not for the good of himself. He shaped the modern presidency and set an excellent example of how to break through the political corruption and really make a good difference. Theodore Roosevelt is a truly inspiring president whose progressive values made America what it is today.
Works Cited
"Miller Center." American President: Theodore Roosevelt: Domestic Affairs. University of Virginia, n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2013.
"Miller Center." American President: Theodore Roosevelt: Foreign Affairs. University of Virginia, n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2013.
"Miller Center." American President: Theodore Roosevelt: Impact and Legacy. University of Virginia, n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2013.
There were three presidents who served during the Progressive Era. They are Theodore Roosevelt, William H. Taft, and Woodrow Wilson. Of those presidents, I feel that Theodore Roosevelt was the most successful during this time. He was known as a hero of the Spanish-American war by many people. He also believed in “speaking softly and carrying a big stick”. These are two of the reasons why he was widely popular. President William McKinley was assassinated in 1901. At the time, Theodore Roosevelt was vice president of the United States. Once McKinley was shot, Roosevelt stepped up as the 26th president. At the age of 43, he was recorded as the youngest president to ever take power. Roosevelt created the “Square Deal” that was focused on the three
Theodore Roosevelt was one of the most influential people in the early 20th century. His leadership style, his reforms, and his personality shaped an America that was rapidly becoming a world power. Theodore Roosevelt is admirably remembered for his energetic persona, his range of interests and achievements, his leadership of the Progressive Movement, his model of masculinity and his “cowboy” image (). He was a leader of the Republican Party and founder of the short-lived Progressive Party of 1912 (). Before becoming President, he held offices at the municipal, state, and federal level of government (). Roosevelt’s achievements as a naturalist, explorer, hunter, author, and soldier are as much a part of his fame as any office he held as a politician. His legacy lives on as one of greatest leaders in American history.
Rauchway,Eric. Murdering McKinley: The Making of Theodore Roosevelt's America. 1st ed. New York: Hill and Wang, 2003.
Theodore Roosevelt may be one of the more notable personalities which have graced the oval office since 1789. Roosevelt’s disposition has been characterized as daring, brash, and ambitious. This image has been molded by stories and events throughout his life, which range from expeditions through the Amazon to giving a speech soon after being shot in the torso. (Andrews)
"Theodore Roosevelt." Presidential Administration Profiles for Students, edited by Kelle S. Sisung and Gerda-Ann Raffaelle, Gale, 2003. U.S. History in Context, link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/BT2304100034/UHIC?u=olat15213&xid=0a102ad7. Accessed 16 Oct.
Theodore Roosevelt’s legacy as a great president, lives on today through his policies. The Panama Canal now saves ships thousands of miles, and National Parks inspire people to conserve the resources of this earth. His social justice policies keep businesses honest and force them to be fair. But like all humans he had flaws. One of his major weaknesses was he thought anyone who did not agree with him was un-American, and during World War One was suspicious of German Americans. While on state Legislature, he tried to fire a judge based on corruption because he reached a verdict Roosevelt did not agree with. But Roosevelt’s great intelligence, strength, and curiosity outweighed his flaws, and it is not surprise he is considered as one of America’s greatest presidents.
"Miller Center." American President: Theodore Roosevelt: Life Before the Presidency. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Mar. 2014.
In the book Theodore Roosevelt by Louis Auchincloss, I learned a great deal about the twenty-sixth President of the United States of America. Former President T. Roosevelt made many accomplishments as president, and did not have a high number of scandals. Roosevelt did very well in keeping the peace between the different countries, which earned him many admirers and the coveted Nobel Peace Prize. The author’s purpose for writing Theodore Roosevelt was to tell his readers all about America’s former president, Theodore Roosevelt’s life. Louis Auchincloss did a great job at describing President T. Roosevelt’s life from Teddy’s childhood, his life before presidency, to all of Teddy’s accomplishments as president, and finally to his life after his
"Miller Center." American President: Thomas Jefferson. Ed. Peter Onuf. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Dec. 2013. .
Along with reforms by citizens the presidents of the Progressive era also fought to make things right. President Roosevelt was a war hero, and a great leader of the United States. During his role as...
One of the mentioned figures, President Theodore Roosevelt, succeeded to the Presidency when President McKinley was assassinated in 1901, helped the Progressive movement greatly. Another figure, although a Democrat, is Woodrow Wilson, who much like Roosevelt still pushed for progressive reforms. Each of the mentioned figures did their share in re-establishing a “fair” government that would work for the people and not for the large corporations and monopolies.
Roosevelt was President of the United States from 1900-1907. Each of them had their strong points and ideals of what needed to be accomplished to build a stronger nation, but what those ideals were and how to go about enacting them was very much different. Even though both were leaders of the Progressive Movement, Roosevelt and Wilson were very different men. Theodore Roosevelt was well known by the people for being for the people and willing to stand shoulder to shoulder with “anyone who had a forward-thinking vision of the future and intense convictions,” he called them Progressives (Bowles, M.D., 2011). In 1912 TR and his Progressive Party had already accepted that their chances of winning the Presidential Race were very small. "
The Progressive Era lasted from the 1890s until the 1920s during World War 1. However, its legacy continued subsequently, spreading the philosophy and the policies of Franklin D. Roosevelt. FDR was elected president during a major economic depression known as the Great Depression. He issued the New Deal, which was a series of domestic reforms to battle the depression by enacting numerous social insurance measures and use the government spending to stimulate the economy. While, the Progressive Era was a reform movement seeking to return control of the government to people, to restore economic opportunities and amend the injustices in American life.
Theodore Roosevelt stepped into head of office on September 19, 1901 when President William McKinley was assassinated. He was the youngest man to become president. His motto was “speak softly but carry a big stick.” President Roosevelt would come into power offering America the square deal. He would take the power away from the industrialists as he controlled big business from the White House. He would soon become known as a TrustBuster. Roosevelt used American power for American interests and was quoted as saying, “I am an American first and last. “ Although some historians argue that Roosevelt acted like a six-year-old throughout his presidency and that he didn’t think things through, ie “he thought with his hips”, one can admire the tremendous leadership qualities that Teddy Roosevelt had. First, he was a very bold man who graduated magna cum laude from Harvard. The average citizen was aware of what a “positive, warm and tough, authoritative and funny” president that they had leading them. His leadership qualities stemmed from his time as a New York state Assembly man, a deputy sheriff, a ...
American President: A Reference Resource. Miller Center; University of Virginia. Copyright 2012. February 26th, 2012.