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What Presidential “firsts” did Roosevelt achieve?
-Foreign Travel
-Nobel Prize
What are Roosevelt’s defining strengths and weaknesses?
Strengths: Charismatic, Strong willed, and determined
Weaknesses: somewhat insecure and sometimes blocked out traumatic experiences from his memory. Always believed he was right, Stubborn and unwilling to negotiate or reconsider
How did FDR Define the Greatest Presidents?
Leaders of thought at times when certain historic ideas in the life of the nation had to be clarified
-Washington- Embodied federal union, of one nation, made up of many states
-Lincoln- Preserved union and ended slavery
-Jefferson/Jackson- Championed democracy, the right for ordinary people to govern themselves through their representatives
-Teddy and Wilson- Moral leaders who used the president as a pulpit
What problems does industrialization bring? What advantages?
It allowed for massive expansion in the US but it also drastically increased the wage disparity. There were far more rich people, but also far more poor people.
What are the social issues of equality?
The Government says all men are created equal, so should the government intervene for the good of the people
Compare and Contrast Lincoln and Roosevelt (personalities)?
They both loved books, at points they both had rough spots regarding their fathers, although Teddy loved his very much, Teddy valued and idealized war while Lincoln despised it, they were both somewhat brawlers, Lincoln fought a large group of guys to be accepted into their town, while Teddy was a boxer.
Compare and Contrast Lincoln and Roosevelt (background, childhood)?
Lincoln grew up on a farm without much money where he had to work for every scrap in a rural area, and he had to educate himself just by reading what he could. Teddy grew up rich with opportunities in new york city and was able to go to harvard
What challenges did Roosevelt have to overcome in his early life?
Constant Headaches, fevers, stomach cramps, bullying, and diarrhea. But worst of all, asthma so bad, that it threatened his life
How did he fight Corruption?
In the Bureau of Indian affairs, he fired corrupt Bureau members, changed 2600 federal jobs to merit based, and ended sex discrimination
What is the Pendleton Act?
An act that stopped dishonest appointments as a reward for party loyalty and instead appointed positions based on merit
How did Roosevelt's time in the BadLands help him overcome Depression?
It was a kind of therapy for him that helped him deal with his grief. He reveled in the freedom of hunting and the speed to out run all his other worries. It renewed his self confidence, he measured up to competent men
What did Roosevelt accomplish by leading the Police? Why was his leadership concerning?
He cracked down on the corruption within the police department. Before, police positions were bought and the police accepted bribes from criminals. But Roosevelt refused to stand for that corruption. Although, it was concerning that he encouraged police brutality on the part of his cadets.
What are the costs and benefits of Industrialization?
More stuff, faster stuff, cheaper stuff. Robber barons, sweatshops, child labor.
Who were the Robber Barons?
Andrew carnegie- A Scottish immigrant that brought massive amounts of steel to america. He owned all of his supply lines so his steel was half the cost of everyone else.
John Rockefellar- He monopolized oil. he controlled the resources and the trade routes for oil and focused on refining it and getting it to the market cheaply
JP Morgan- Ruled the investment and banking world. He dominated america’s leading industries: Railroads, shipping, farm machinery, and electric power
How did Business corrupt Politics?
For enough money politicians could be bought to pass legislation beneficial to the rich people that paid them. Government turned into a rule of the rich where the person that paid the most, ruled.
What defines the Quality of life? (Vs. Quantitative)
(OPINION) The means to enact your will upon the world. Life is more than work, sleep, eat, repeat. Life is about bringing into existence a piece of your dream. Abraham Lincoln is famous for touting a similar ideal in new america. The ability to rise through the ranks via hard work. That's what quality of life is, the means to enact your will
Imperialism: Why did European powers carve out colonies in Asia and Africa?
They needed their raw materials, like oil and rubber
What naval book did Roosevelt write at Harvard? What was his central message?
Naval history of the war of 1812. America must have a first class navy to defend overseas trade
What book did Alfred Thayer Mahan write? What did he claim? What 3 things did the nation need?
The influence of seapower upon history. No nation remained prosperous without command of the sea
1.A battle fleet to protect its merchant ships and coastal cities
2. Overseas bases for repairing and refueling warships
3. A canal across central america
What were “Capital Ships?” What made them unique?
They were the giant “heavy hitters” of the fleet they had the biggest guns of any ship in the fleet, they cost over 3 million each, they were powered by steam engines, and were made entirely of Carnegie steel.
What did Roosevelt believe about War? (summarize his speech)
He believed that war was a just and noble thing. He itched for it and would be at war with half the world if he had his way. ‘It's better to be over prepared and ready for war, than underprepared and timid.’
Why did the Cuban war erupt with Spain? What happened to the population
Cuba wanted to be free of Spain, because they had no control over their own government and protesters were arrested and killed. A quarter of the population was killed (about 400,000 people)
Why did Americans become interested in getting involved in Cuba?
It was an ideal location for sugar and cotton plantations and many immigrants sympathized with the Cubans fight for freedom. Interest was amplified by newspapers who got people interested in the atrocities happening there
What did newspapers claim happened to the Maine?
That it was destroyed by Spanish sabotage
What orders did Roosevelt issue that started the war?!
He told Dewey to invade the Philippines
For what 2 reasons did America declare war on Spain?
To avenge the Maine and to liberate Cuba
Why did Roosevelt resign from his post as Asst. Secretary of the Navy? What military position did he join?
He resigned to enlist in the volunteer cavalry, he was given the position of lieutenant colonel
What were some of the nicknames of his fellow soldiers, and what was the nickname of the regiment?
Porkchop, metropolitan bill, rattlesnake pete, and prayerful james. They were known as the rough riders
What naval battle did Commodore Dewey win? How many ships fought, and how many sunk?
Manila Bay. 10 Spanish battleships fought, 10 Spanish battleships sunk. 6 American battleships fought, 0 sunk
Describe the American army that invaded Cuba: what was their military goal?
It consisted of 16,000 American soldiers with the goal of capturing Santiago de Cuba, to give the navy a chance at the bay
Describe several of Roosevelt’s combat experiences. What was his “Crowded hour?”
At kettle Hill he rode around on horseback as enemy riflemen tried to pick him off. He led his men up Kettle Hill and killed the first Spanish to appear by means of a pistol shot.
How many men from both sides died in the battle of Kettle Hill (San Juan Heights)? Which attacking unit had the most losses?
US- 205
Spain- 215
The Rough Riders with 88 losses
Why did Spain end up surrendering?
They suffered a devastating defeat at Kettle Hill and then lost their entire naval force trying to leave santiago bay
What was Roosevelt’s only “regret” about his service in the war?
hat he wasn’t wounded in a striking and disfiguring way
How did Roosevelt ensure that he had “good press?”
He hired reporters to live with and film his regiment. As well as writing a book accounting the situation
How did Roosevelt win the election as Governor of New York? What techniques did he use to campaign?
.He was endorsed by Thomas Platt, he went around campaigning with his rough riders and gave magnetic speeches to large crowds- often giving as many as 20 speeches a day
Why did Platt want Roosevelt to be Vice President? Why did Roosevelt dislike being Vice President so much?
He wanted to bury him in a useless position because Roosevelt raised taxes on corporations and attacked fraud in the management of Erie Canal. And roosevelt hated it because it was an empty position with nothing for him to do
How did Roosevelt feel about becoming President?
He thought it was dreadful to be made president due to the president's assassination, but was still very glad that he could finally do something
Why was the White House described as “ugly and uncomfortable?”
It had barely been updated since John Adams was president, so the carpets and furniture were dusty, the upper floors were rotting and about to collapse, and only a glass screen blocked the offices from the living space. Rats were everywhere and dead ones from past extermination attempts rotted in the walls
What is the West Wing?
A building separate from the White house that that held the president's office, the offices of his 38 assistants, and the cabinet room
Briefly describe Roosevelt’s daily Schedule
Woke up at 7:30, bathed, dressed, ate a LOT of food, (drinking about a gallon of coffee a day) and went to work. Began day reading newspaper articles- his wife Edith and an aide went through newspapers, highlighting stuff for him to read. Members of Congress saw him from 10 to noon and everyone else needed an appointment.
How was the President protected? What did the Secret Service do?
He was protected by the secret service. They ran decoy trains, they arrested potential threats, stationed bodyguards with Roosevelt, and stopped anyone trying to do him harm.
How much did the President earn, and what did he spend it on?
$50,000 a year ($1,107,780 in 2005 money ($1,745,170.41 in 2023 money)) Mainly on hospitality
How did Roosevelt cultivate the press?
He’d invite them to his house and “leak” information about secret things. They could say what the information was but not who it was from, because if they did, he’d stop giving them information.
Explain Roosevelt’s exceptional reading abilities and habits
He could read a page every 2-3 minutes, and could read up to 3 books per day. He also had a photographic memory so all the information he read stuck.
Why is Roosevelt considered our “most athletic president” of all time?
He played a lot of sports like horse riding, tennis, tree climbing, hunting, etc. Along with judo, boxing, and “creek walks” and did a lot of physical activities, such as beating government officials with a stick, while in the whitehouse.
Describe what the French ambassador had to do to “pass the test with flying colors.”
He had to keep up with Roosevelt on his “creek walks” and swim across a river, naked except for his gloves.
Who comprised the Roosevelt family? Write their names and ages at the time of the Presidency:
Theodore - 43
Edith
Alice - 17
Theodore Jr. - 14
Kermit - 12
Ethel - 10
Archie - 7
Quentin - 4
What were some of the weirdest animals at the White House?
flying squirrels, kangaroo rats, Eli, a parrot, and Algonquin, a Shetland pony
In which ways was “Princess Alice” a rebel? What scandalous things did she do?
She smoked, drank, and gambled in public, showed disdain for church, and she wore pants
What 4 major areas did Roosevelt strive to do what was best for the country?
The effects of the industrial revolution
The environment
America’s role in world affairs
Racial justice
Who is Booker T. Washington, and why was Roosevelt almost ashamed of NOT inviting him to the White House?
Booker T Washington was the most influential black man of his time, and Roosevelt was ashamed for allowing himself to consider not inviting him to dinner simply for bad press
Why did Roosevelt detest the Newly Rich? What type of tyranny did they threaten?
Because he believed them to be shallow and coarse compared to the genteel, refined people born into wealth and hated their wastefulness. They were also boring
They threatened plutocracy (the power of sheer money)
What is the “Square Deal?” What did it do to J.P. Morgan’s monopoly?
The Square Deal was Roosevelt’s policy of dealing with everyone fairly. It was an effort to get rid of monopolies by “speaking softly but carrying a big stick;” that is trying not to interfere with companies unless they needed punishment for something. Doing this to allow good businesses to flourish, but punishing bad ones. He sued to break up JP Morgan’s monopoly under the sherman antitrust act of 1890
What were some of the awful conditions for coal miners?
Long hours in claustrophobic, low tunnels, coal dust in the lungs, suffocation, cheated out of wages, not paid in real money, exposed to dangerous machinery, and gas poisoning
What did Roosevelt threaten to do to the coal mines if the strike continued? Why was it controversial?
Have the military take over the mining- Technically he was not allowed to make that decision because the constitution does not allow the president to seize private property
Why do you think Roosevelt won re-election in 1904? (What was the percentage of the vote he received?)
He got around 60% of the vote (7.6 million votes), possibly because of his work towards human rights and helping the environment. Also because he ended the coal strikes, resupplying coal to the nation showing that the government isn’t afraid to stand up to big business
Explain the difference between the “Old Guard” and the Progressives
The old guard believed in keeping government the way it was, leaving it out of the economy as much as possible, and pushing for “free enterprise” The progressives believed that the government should interfere with some aspects of the economy because they wanted to progress in everything.
What book did Upton Sinclair write, and what did it describe?
He wrote The Jungle and it described the awful conditions of meat factories and how unsanitary everything they ate at the time was
What new agency was created to test foods and drugs?
The FDA (food and drug administration)
Who are the IWW “Wobblies”? (142) What (socialist) revolution did they plan?
The industrial workers of the world. They were an organization that was trying to organize every worker into a worker’s army. They planned to have the working men take over everything and chase the bosses out
What happened in Idaho that made cities across the country march in protest to Roosevelt?
A former governor was exploded by someone who claimed that they were paid to assassinate him by two people. There was no evidence for the people to be convicted apart from the testimony of a liar, so they were innocent according to the jury, but Roosevelt claimed they were guilty loudly and publicly before the trial even began.
What happened at the “Brownsville Raid” ? Do you think the 25th Regiment (Black Soldiers) were guilty?
A group of 167 black army members went to occupy a fort near Brownsville, Texas, and people wanted them to leave. They did not, and that night there was a group of people that shot up the town, killing a barman and wounding a police officer. Roosevelt claimed, wrongly in most peoples’ opinions, that it was the fault of the soldiers and fired them all without retirement bonuses because they wouldn’t (and maybe couldn’t) tell him who participated in the shooting.
Explain what happened to the land, animals, and environment
Buffalo were hunted to near extinction (around 300 left by 1900)
Cows were overbred, killing grass and filling the earth with dung
Entire forests (350 million acres worth) were chopped down, exposing underbrush to heat and fires spread
The uprooting of trees caused floods
They killed so many passenger pigeons that they went extinct in 1914
What were ways that Environmentalists tried to conserve the environment?
Roosevelt brought back the buffalo population to over 200,000 in the modern day
He also doubled the number of national parks in America
He planted 150 million acres of timberland during his presidency
He established 50 wildlife preserves across the country
Built large scale dam projects to irrigate dry wasteland
What was George Washington’s view of foreign relations?
That america should remain neutral and not interfere with foreign wars, they should trade with other nations, but don’t meddle with internal affairs or take part in their quarrels
Which nations were Europe’s Great Powers? What lands did they rule?
France- Vietnam and cambodia
Great Britain- India, Burma, Malaya
Netherlands- East Indies
Germany & England & Russia- Parts of china
What lands did the Treaty of Paris give to the United States?
Puerto Rico, and Guam
Why did Twain think America should hide its head in shame for fighting the Philippines?
For turning against a “weak and friendless” nation that allied with us
What was the result of the Philippines? What did America agree to do? How many died on both sides?
America conquered the Philippines but agreed to let them govern themselves under American supervision. 200,000 Philippine citizens died and 18,000 Filipino soldiers. 4234 American soldiers died
What is the Monroe Doctrine? (Which regions did America tell Europe to leave alone?)
It was a policy that basically said america would attack anyone who tried crushing the “young republics”, the new nations that declared independence from spanish colonies, from chile all the way to mexico
Where did Congress decide to build a Canal?
A 6-mile wide strip in the Isthmus of Panama
Why did they decide to build it there?
Little volcanic activity and more efficient to blow up (less area to cover)
Even though Columbia (which controlled Panama) rejected their offer to build a canal, how did America still get permission to build it?
Panama staged a revolution organized by Bunau Varilla that the US assisted in, the new nation of Panama then signed the treaty
What disease killed off people in Panama?
Yellow fever
How did Gorgas plan to stop the disease?
By eradicating all mosquitoes, covering all water barrels, and oiling locations with still water where mosquito eggs could be
What is the “Roosevelt Corollary” to the Monroe Doctrine?
Should any nation in the western hemisphere do anything to provoke foreign intervention, the US would act as an international police power. Basically saying “No one try to screw with the Dominican Republic, or we’ll break your kneecaps”
Why did Roosevelt win the Nobel Peace Prize in 1906? (What war did he help end?)
He was the first American to receive a Nobel peace prize because he helped end a war between Japan and Russia. He organized the peace negotiations and constantly encouraged the two nations to find a compromise. He ended the Russo-japanese war
Why did Roosevelt send the “Great White Fleet” around the world?
He wanted to show everyone how strong and independent America was by sending a fleet of world-class navy ships around the world to Japan. To educate Americans on the importance of sea power and show Japan the “Big stick”
Why did Roosevelt want Taft to be his successor?
Taft was already experienced in government and had many similar views to Roosevelt, so he’d continue carrying out plans Roosevelt started. Taft served as a judge and civilian governor in the philippines and most importantly served as secretary of war under roosevelt
Explain one adventure Roosevelt had in Africa:
He described in detail a group of Nandi hunters who killed a lion with spears in under 10 seconds
Why did women begin to strike? What did they hope to achieve?
Because shirtwaist manufacturers were the worst paid workers at $7 for 84 hours of work. They sought to increase the pay and conditions of women clothing makers.
What is the “Triangle Tragedy,” how many women died?
The triangle clothing factory set on fire and because of the complete lack of safety conditions 146 women died
What did Roosevelt believe about women’s rights?
He believed that women should have rights and that they should be able to vote, “the same rights as men”
Why did Roosevelt decide to leave the Republican party and run against Taft?
Because the republican party began to split, and as president Taft controlled the republican party delegation, so he was sure to be elected as the republican representative
Describe the Progressive Platform: what are 3 new measures they introduced?
It was a nationalist program that sought to increase citizen participation in local and state government.
Initiative- Would allow citizens to propose laws by gathering enough signatures on a petition
Referendum- Voters would accept or reject proposals
Recall- Would allow voters to remove elected officials by means of a special election
How did Roosevelt survive being shot? What did he do afterward?
The bullet passed through his eyeglass case and a 50 page speech folded in half before hitting a rib and stopping millimeters from his heart. Afterwards, he gave a full-length speech that went on for an hour and a half before allowing himself to be taken to the hospital.
Why did Roosevelt lose the 1912 election?
Roosevelt split the republican leaning voters between him and Taft, had Roosevelts voters voted for Taft, he would have beaten Willson.
What kind of President was Woodrow Wilson?
He was much sterner and less good humored than Roosevelt. He said he’d give his own son the death penalty should he be tried for murder with Woodrow Wilson as the judge.
What did he do as President?
He established the FTC and made it harder for businesses to form monopolies. He also tried to deprive black people of rights when he said he would do the exact opposite during his campaign.
Why was Roosevelt’s trip to Brazil so horrible---how did Roosevelt almost die?
He cut his knee trying to move a boat and it got infected by malaria, giving him a life threatening fever. There were also many issues that came up, such as fleas eating undergarments,hot and humid conditions, mosquitoes, fire ants, piranhas, red wasps, indians, and vampire bats.
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