Theodore Roosevelt Summary Notes

Theodore Roosevelt's Early Life

• Born into an elite upper-class family in NYC.
• Developed asthma and was reportedly legally blind.
• Became captain of the Harvard wrestling team.

Political Career

• Started in NY State Assembly and was a Civil Service Commissioner.
• Became Assistant Secretary of the Navy, joining the Army during the Spanish-American War.
• Elected Governor of New York, known for resisting political corruption.
• Became President in 1901 after McKinley's assassination.

Big Stick Diplomacy

• Roosevelt's foreign policy emphasized military strength alongside diplomacy ("Speak Softly and Carry a Big Stick").
• Philippine-American War: faced backlash for military actions against Filipino nationalists.
• Encouraged American business involvement in the Philippines, justifying it under the guise of "The White Man's Burden."

Square Deal

• As President, advocated a Progressive agenda known as the "Square Deal."
• Focused on regulating monopolies and improving labor conditions.
• Mediated the 1902 Coal Strike, marking the first major federal intervention in a labor dispute.

Conservation and Civil Rights

• Promoted the conservation movement, setting aside millions of acres as national parks.
• Invited African American leaders for discussions but faced criticism regarding civil rights issues.

Muckrakers

• Investigative journalists like Ida Tarbell significantly revealed the corruption and injustices of the time, leading to reforms such as the Meat Inspection Act.

Key Events in Roosevelt's Presidency

• Santo Domingo Intervention 1903: US intervened in response to European threats, reinforcing its influence in Latin America.
• Russo-Japanese War: Meditated a peace treaty that earned him a Nobel Prize, marking the US as a significant international mediator.
• The Great White Fleet: Showcased US naval power around the world to counter rising Japanese hegemony.