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Caroline Menges
Mrs. MacKay
AP US History
February 24, 2014
Presidential Outline: James Knox Polk
I. Theodore Roosevelt (October 27, 1858- January 6, 1919)
II. Theodore Roosevelt was born in Manhattan, New York. He was a member of the
Republican Party.
III. Educational and Occupations Background
a. He was tutored at home in his early years of education. The reasons for this were
because he traveled, with his family, throughout Europe in his early years. He
continued his education at Harvard where he studied many topics.
b. Occupations before President:
i. New York Assembly 1882-1884
ii. Lived and worked on a ranch
iii. Mayor of New York City 1886
iv. New York City Police Board 1895
IV. Dates of the Terms in Office
a. September 14, 1901- March 3, 1909
V. Issues Prominent in the elections:
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a. Theodore Roosevelts Square Deal was a huge impact on his election. His idea
of the Square Deal proposed the thought that any American could succeed. This
put him ahead of the other candidates.
b. Issues between the two major political parties, Democrat and Republican,
consisted of the gold standard, anti-imperialist, and right labors for unions.
VI. Opponent(s) by Term:
a. 1904- Theodore Roosevelt (Republican) vs. Alton B. Parker (Democrat)
VII. Vice President by Term:
a. In his first term there was none as he filled the presidents spot/
b. 1904- Charles Fairbanks
VIII. Political Party of the President
a. Republican
IX. Major Domestic/Political Happenings:
a. Conservation: Theodore Roosevelt believes that woodlands and mountain ranges
should be reserved. He thought that the resources shouldnt be exploited, they
should be carefully managed. He created 5 national parks, 18 national
monuments, and 51 wildlife refuges.
b. Roosevelt Corollary: This was issued in December of 1904. It reinforced the same
ideas as the Monroe Doctrine. It stated that because of the situations in Latin
America, the United States could use their military forces. The Roosevelt
Corollary was important because it would later be credited as the foundation for
involvement in Dominican Republic, Cuba, Nicaragua, Mexico and Haiti.
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c. Oklahoma becomes a State: On November 16, 1907, Oklahoma was admitted to
the United States. It would be the forty second state in America. When people
settled, it proved to be a great agricultural area.
X. Major Economic Issues of the Administration:
a. Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty (1903): This was an agreement between Panama and
the United States regarding the Panama Canal. The United States agreed to give
Panama 10 million dollars in gold and 250,000 dollars annually in return for
control over the 10 mile wide range that made up the canal.
b. Elkins Anti-Rebate Act (1903): On February 19, 1903, the act was signed stating,
it was illegal for railroads to give rebates on their freight rates. This was passed
because of the railroads involvement with associations that gave shippers an
economic advantage.
c. Panic of (1907): The worry of depression arose when the United Copper
Company Shares began to fluctuate. This was significant because it destabilized
the American bank.
XI. Major Supreme Court Cases:
a. Champion vs. Ames: in 1903, there was a law that was passed banning the
transportation of lottery tickets between states. Champion was arrested for
violating this law. Ames stated that he was restrained of his Liberty. Event
through this debate, the decision was that Congress had control over the
transportation of lottery tickets in interstate commerce. This was the root for
regulations of food, drugs, and narcotics in todays world.
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b. Northern Securities Company vs. United States: In 1902, Roosevelt criticized the
Northern Securities Company, a railroad holding company, for looking to achieve
monopoly from a railroad in the Northwest. He got rid of this company and the
court ruled that his practice of trust-busting was valid.
c. Loncher vs. New York: In 1905 Loncher was forced his workers to work 60 hour
weeks. He was fined for this offense, but more importantly he was brought to
court. The justice ruled that the laws in New York, regarding labor hours, were
invalid. Because of this court cases, the era was known for the many controversial
court cases that arose.
XII. Major Foreign Policy Decisions:
a. Governance of the Philippines (1901): The United States was responsible for the
Philippines as a result of the Spanish-American War. Roosevelt appointed
William Howard Taft as the first governor of the Philippines, he was a Philippine
himself. He negotiated with Congress for a civil government with an elected
legislative assembly.
b. Extension of the Chinese Exclusion Act (1902): This act was extended to ensure
that the immigration of Chinese laborers was strictly prohibited. Roosevelt
approved this to ensure that Americans would be able to maintain their jobs.
c. Panama Canal Construction (1901-1914): The construction of the canal began in
1901. Congress approved the root through Panama. The Hay-Bunau-Varilla
Treaty gave control to the US for $10 million.
XIII. Major Conflict of This Administration
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a. Trust Busters: This was one of the largest conflicts between the administration.
Roosevelt forced a railroad combination, in the Northwest, apart. Because he saw
himself as a representative of all men, he wanted big businesses strongly
regulated. His purpose was that he could serve all people. He tried to get rid of the
idea of big business to maintain economic liberty, but was unsuccessful.
XIV. Major Social Events, Social Happenings, and Social Movements:
a. 1901- William McKinley was shot by Leon Czolgosz on September 14, 1901.
This event left Theodore Roosevelt the President of the United States.
b. 1904- The Summer Olympic Games were held in St. Louis, Missouri. This was a
very big deal for the United States and was attended by many people.
c. 1906- The Nobel Prize had been given out before but this one was given to the
president for his involvement in resolving issues between Russia and Japan.
XV. Major Inventions and/or Technological Changes
a. Teddy Bear (1902) - Theodore Roosevelt is credited behind the idea of the
Teddy Bear. He was on a hunting trip and couldnt shoot the bear. A political
cartoonist took this idea and sold it to a toy store and made a bear and called it the
Teddy Bear.
b. Vacuum (1901)- Hubert Cecil Booth received a British patent in 1901 for the
Vacuum cleaner. This invention is still used every day in America and is a staple
in households.
c. Airplane- The first successful airplane was taken off in 1903 in North Carolina by
the Wright Brothers.
XVI. Bibliography
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