¶ … Theodore Roosevelt
Elected as President of the United States in 1901 and 1904, Theodore Roosevelt, while being one of the most ambiguous political figures in American history, was also extremely influential, both culturally and socially, and reflected the times in which he lived as no other President. His political beliefs and attitudes, both progressive and conservative, shaped many domestic and international events which took place in the early 1890's and into the opening years of the twentieth century.
In the years prior to Roosevelt's Presidency, two of the greatest social/political problems facing America and foreign nations were based on the continuing struggle between the poor and the wealthy classes and the expansion of "Manifest Destiny" into foreign lands. Domestically, America was burdened by a financial panic in the 1890's which upset the lives of the urban poor and made the wealthy even more prosperous. In the cities, people demanded democratic change in many areas, such as the twelve-hour work day, the dangerous conditions in American factories, the exploitation of immigrant laborers, corporate resistance to labor unions, political corruption in local and state governments, child labor laws, inadequate wages and most importantly the on-going concentration of wealth by such "Robber Barons" as J.P. Morgan and the Vanderbilts. But by the time Roosevelt was President, his ideals "that the government should be the great arbiter of the conflicting economic forces in the nation" took hold, thus "guaranteeing justice to each and dispensing favors to none." 1
By 1896, American expansion into the western regions of the country had greatly diminished; settlers from the eastern portions of the U.S. had literally taken over all of the lands once occupied by the American Indian. But due to the lingering effects of "Manifest Destiny" and the War of 1896, America expanded into many foreign territories, such as the Philippine Islands,...
1 Theodore Roosevelt, elected as President of the United States in 1901 and 1904, was one of the most ambiguous characters in American history. His political beliefs and attitudes, both progressive and conservative, influenced and shaped many domestic and international events which took place in the early 1890's and into the opening years of the twentieth century. In the years prior to Roosevelt's presidency, two of the greatest social/political problems facing America
Theodore Roosevelt Writing Guidelines for History Identifications and Essays Your essay should have an introductory paragraph that in some way summarizes, encapsulates, suggests, shapes, and/or sets up the ideas, themes, facts, or whatever you are going to discuss in the main body of your essay. In other words, you should set forth your thesis. Here, in the main body of your essay, you should develop the principal ideas and themes, and support them
... They were accustomed to living in the open, to enduring great fatigue and hardship, and to encountering all kinds of danger." The war against Spain and for the liberation of Cuba was one that would prove the superiority of America and its ideals. The United States, too, could join the nations of Europe as a major world power, with interests in every corner of the globe. Roosevelt became a hero
Yet, Theodore Roosevelt also found within the American nationalism a powerful civic culture that made the United States of America as a country that welcomed all kinds of people irrespective of where they came from, their racial identity and religious leanings as long as they were prepared to devote themselves to the country and observe the laws of the land. Theodore Roosevelt also loved the idea that the United
26th President was also the nation's youngest; although Teddy Roosevelt was not elected to his first term, he was already a popular politician. As the White House puts it, Roosevelt "brought new excitement and power to the Presidency, as he vigorously led Congress and the American public toward progressive reforms and a strong foreign policy," ("Theodore Roosevelt"). However, Roosevelt was and is known as much for his environmentalism as
The Treaty of Versailles, which ended the First World War and which Wilson played a key part in negotiating, was never ratified by the U.S. Congress and, as a result, the United States never became a member of the League of Nations. Wilson's behavior in reaction to opposition in Congress regarding the Versailles Treaty, in general, and the League of Nations portion of that Treaty, specifically, may be the best
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