An overview of the life of Teddy Roosevelt, perhaps one of the most well known Progressive Presidents

2. The Progressive Era
• Today we will:
• Take look at President Teddy Roosevelt
• Get an overview of the Progressive Era
• Next time we will:
• Continue the Progressive Era
• Look at global events leading into the First World War

3. Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt, Jr.
• Childhood
• Born in NYC (Manhattan) 1858
• Comes from a long line of New Yorkers, all the way back to New Amsterdam
• As a child he had terrible asthma-later found that staying in shape helped
• Was very interested in animals and taxidermy-the outdoors
• Traveled extensively with his family, was homeschooled
• Graduated from Harvard, attended Columbia Law School (dropped out)
• Married his first wife in 1880
• Wrote a book about the US Navy and the War of 1812
• Elected State Assemblyman (NY) (served 1882-1884)
• 1884
• Daughter is born in Feb., then his mother dies a day and a half later
• Then his wife dies 11 hours after his mother

4. Retreat and Return to Politics
• He didn’t support the 1884 Republican candidate for
President (James G. Blaine), this put him on the outs with
most Republicans
• Between that and his personal losses, he quits politics and
moves to a ranch in North Dakota for two years
• 1886-Moves back to NYC and marries second wife (childhood
friend, Edith Kermit Carow) would go on to have five more
children
• 1886-Ran for Governor of NY (lost), 1888-Campaigns heavily
for Benjamin Harrison for president
• Appointed to US Civil Service Commission by Harrison (served
until 1895)
• Also served on the NYC Police Commissioners during this time
• Appointed to Asst. Sec. of the Navy in 1897, when McKinley
won the presidency

5. War and Continued Rise
• You know the next part…
• After returning as a war hero, was asked to run for Governor again
• Did so, and won in 1898 (by 1%)
• He had been supported by Tammany Hall, but they feared he wouldn’t bend
to their will
• They were right, but he was immensely popular with New Yorkers
• Begins to form his reform ideas while governed, even passing the Ford
Franchise-Tax Bill (entitling the state to a part of the profits of businesses
granted franchises in the state)
• By 1900 the McKinley needed a VP candidate, but TR had no intention
of running, he only said he would accept if nominated
• Tammany Hall wanted him out of NYC, so orchestrated his nomination
• Campaigned extensively, his charisma matched WJ Bryan

6. Presidency
• Was not VP for long…what happened to McKinley?
• Invited Booker T. Washington to dinner in Oct. 1901
• Was the first time an African-American had been invited to dinner at the WH
• Would be followed by many more meetings, but none were at dinners, why?
• Often seen as a trust-buster, but in reality favored big business, just
with regulations
• Directly intervened in strikes, came down hard on corruption in government,
oversaw the Hepburn Act (railroad regulation), and the Meat Inspection Act
and the Pure Food and Drug Act
• Established the Forest Service, created 5 National Parks, and put
around 230 million acres under federal protection
• Nobel Prize for the Treaty of Portsmouth
• Roosevelt Corollary

7. Post-Presidency
• Traveled to Africa, hunting and collecting samples for museums
• Then to Europe, where he met with many leaders
• Returned to the US in 1910, unhappy with his hand-picked successor, Taft, and
the state of the Republican party
• Party effectively splits ahead of the 1912 election
• TR and other radical liberals start the Progressive Party (Bull Moose)
• While campaigning he was shot in the chest, and gave the speech before seeking medical
attention
• There were 4 candidates on the ballot in 1912 (D-Woodrow Wilson, R-Taft, P-TR, and S-
Eugene V. Debs) Republican votes were split, allowing Wilson to win, but TR came in 2nd,
ahead of Taft.
• After the loss, he went on an expedition to S. America with his son Kermit led by
Brazilian Explorer Candido Rondon
• He almost dies due to injuries, fever, and illnesses contracted in the jungle
• After his return in 1914 he continues to participate in the Progressive Party
• After Woodrow Wilson wins again in 1916, Progressives rejoin the Republicans
• Died of a blood clot in his lungs in 1919, he was 60

8. Top: Teddy Roosevelt at the beginning of the
expedition in the Amazon. Bottom: Teddy at
the end of the expedition, what do you notice?
The location of the river Roosevelt helped to map in
present day Brazil. It is still named after him.

9. Overviews of the Progressive Era
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0Q4zPR4G7M
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7flSW1PGsA
The speech that was in his
pocket when he was shot
(with bullet hole) and the
glasses case (with bullet
hole). They slowed the
bullet enough to keep it
from killing him.
Right: One of the many political
cartoons about the ”Bull
Moose,” party.

10. Final Thoughts
• For next time:
• Finish Chapter 21
• We will look a little closer at some of the Progressive Era reforms