Teddy Roosevelt was Vice President of the United States when President McKinley was assassinated in 1901, leaving Roosevelt as the youngest U.S. President ever. Politically it was a time of progressivism and change, but like all past affairs, things can get lost or interpreted differently by different people. It’s not just about Roosevelt, it 's about the people responsible for shaping America during the time of his presidency. This is evident in the two excerpts, “Prosperity” by Nell Irvin Painter in her political history Standing at Armageddon and Kolko’s “Roosevelt as Reformer”, from his political history Triumph of Conservatism. Although they are both political histories of the time during Roosevelt’s presidency, they have sharply contrasting components, such as a use of …show more content…
Different people have a different spin on what really happened or their interpretation of the events that occurred, and since we each have our own set of biases and knowledge that we bring into our interpretations, no two accounts of history will be exactly the same. We can easily see this in Kolko and Painter’s excerpts. Painter is all about the people, how they shaped America, their likes, dislikes, what they wanted, and this shines through in her work. She even tells us in the preface that is what her work is all about, “This is mostly a hybrid political- labor history, but it also pays attention to social changes…” (Painter, xiii). Painter was not lying, all of chapter 6 focuses on the people. It talks about their social, economic, and political problems/ ideas/ aspirations in the beginning, and when something major happens, like the labor strikes, and trusts. With the labor strikes, she tells us why they struck and the struggles they faced (mostly employers and the government), and why they disliked trusts and their efforts to quell the corruptness and injustices brought on them by big
The book Murdering McKinley: The Making of Theodore’s America by Eric Rauchway examines the murder of President William McKinley and the assassin’s motives that impacted America. Rauchway also reveals to us the making of Theodore’s America through a tragic event to show us how Roosevelt gave it meaning through the start of the Progressive Era with his own political agenda. McKinley’s policies came to and end bringing open doors to new policies on social reform. The book is a well-constructed written book that presents to the reader the story of what had occurred chronologically from the beginning of the assassination to the end of the murder’s life. The main issues that are presented in the book include the assassination of the President and
Eric Rauchway’s Murdering McKinley: The Making of Theodore Roosevelt’s America is an examination of the events, social conditions and dramatic political changes taking place in America immediately prior to and during the birth of the 20th century that led to the assassination of William McKinley and the rise of progressivism. It is furthermore an investigation of the motives behind the assassination, and an analysis of the events leading up to what made possible “Roosevelt’s America,” arguably the first recognizably modern period in American history from a 21st century perspective: the progressive era.
The presidency of Theodore Roosevelt is well known in the general public and his actions still stand strong in our society today. President Trump’s election was a shock to many that thought Hilary Clinton was a shoe-in for the seat. Trump has already made an impact that will likely be remembered for many years to come. Although there are slight differences, President Trump and former President Teddy Roosevelt are alike in many ways. These ways include their backgrounds, their physical uniqueness, their personalities, and their policies. Taking a detailed look at the comparison of two presidents can lead to a more in depth, applicable way of studying history.
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, 26th president of the United States, was one of the most influential presidents of all time according to many people. Teddy was in office for a total of 8 years or 2 terms. Theodore was sworn into office after the assassination of President William Mckinley by Leon Czolgosz in 1901. Later Roosevelt competed against Alton B. Parker in the 1904 presidential election and ultimately won. Theodore Roosevelt was a type of president that was a people person, as well as a very determined person. He was known to not back down so easy and fought until the very end. Many things are discussed about Roosevelt in this article written by John Lukacs, such as the comparison between Theodore Roosevelt
In 1901 Vice President Theodore Roosevelt took over as President after William McKinley was assassinated. The country had many opportunities ahead but was in need of some changes that the American people were all too ready for. Roosevelt was brought up in a well to do family and had was Harvard educated. But he was known to be a down to earth man that understood the needs of the people. His first priority as president was to give the people a “square deal” which encompassed his plan for the era. He wanted to reduce control the big businesses had over the U.S. economy and the workers, create more protection for the consumer, and create a plan to conserve our natural resources.
"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.
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
Teddy Roosevelt was a man who liked to creat a stir wherever he went. He loved mingling with people to boost his own self-image.He loved to impress people with his cowboyism, his collection of guns, and his pintsize spectacles.Also, Roosevelt was a direct-actionist.He wanted to keep the country moving foward and preserve his public image at the same time. He wanted to display to his supporters that he could lead the country and be a jovial person simulataneously. His public image seemed to be his first priority, and when the election of 1904 came approaching, he wanted to show that he could be a bully to smaller countries and impress his people back home.
Theodore Roosevelt, the twenty-sixth president of the United States of America and the founder of the Progressive Era, received his chance at office after President McKinley tragically died. If McKinley
Expansive growth was the moniker which expressly defined the Gilded Age. Industry in all sectors, witnessed massive growth leading to the creation of an American economy. Due to the rapidly changing nature of industrialization important men of both the public and private sectors attempted to institute their own controls over it. However this transforming landscape integrated both economic and political changes, but also cultural and social interactions. In turn, those who controlled the flow of business would also steadily impact the American social scene by extension. Alan Trachtenberg, professor of American studies at Yale and author of The Incorporation of America, argues that the system of incorporation unhinged the idea of national identity that all American’s had previously shared. As a result incorporation became the catalyst for the great debate about what it meant to actually be American, and who was capable of labeling themselves as such. Throughout his work Trachtenberg consistently tackles the ideas of cultural identity and how those ideas struggled against one another to be the supreme definition of Americanism. This work not only brings to life the issue of identity but it attempts to synthesize various scholarly works into a cohesive work on the Gilded Age and demonstrates that concepts developed during the incorporation of the time period have formed the basis for the American cultural, economic, and political superstructure. The Incorporation of America sets a high standard for itself one in which it doesn’t necessarily meet; however the work is still expansive and masterful at describing the arguments of the Gilded Age.
During the Gilded Age, “living conditions in the cities were often deplorable, with thousands of families forced to reside in slums that were breeding grounds for typhoid, smallpox, cholera, tuberculosis, and other diseases that swept through the cities on a regular basis.” (“Industrial Revolution”). Poverty and homelessness was not uncommon at the time. The political corruption at the time did not help with this issue either. Political machines governed cities, exploiting the desperate immigrants and gaining their loyalty to stay in power. Starting life anew was difficult and near impossible. Urban life was deplorable during the Gilded Age as demonstrated by the urban slum life, political corruption and difficult life.
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...
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 ...