Roosevelt’s first acts, for achieving a Square Deal in the economy, were his restrictions placed on corporations, and his push for federal intervention with labor issues. Roosevelt also ventured to institute a number of social reforms aimed at improving living standards. One of Roosevelt’s first opportunities to impose his progressive style of leadership occurred when miners went on strike in Pennsylvania, and the mine owners refused to accept the complaints being made. Roosevelt stepped in, and threatened to annex the mines and replace the corporations’ owners with federal employees. This resulted in the corporations increasing the miners’ wages and lowering their working hours, marking the first time the government had aided workers in a
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Roosevelt believed that the United States of America was a special nation with a responsibility to improve weaker nations. With much success coming from military use in the Spanish-American war, Roosevelt developed his foreign policy around a strong militant force. Historians would later name his foreign strategy, “big stick” diplomacy. Roosevelt first decided to extend America’s influence into Cuba. When American Armies liberated Cuba from Spanish control, they were ordered not to withdraw until Cuba accepted the Platt Amendment. This amendment prevented Cuba from signing treaties with any other nation, and granted America the right to intervene in order to preserve peace. This ultimately prevented Cuba from becoming the foundation of future powerhouse or American threat, in the western hemisphere. Europe then became Roosevelt’s next focus of foreign concern. He thrust out his “big stick” diplomacy once more when the Roosevelt Corollary revamped the Monroe Doctrine. With this act America became a military police power that would preserve order in Latin America when tensions rose. Many accused Roosevelt of being an Imperialist, but he argued that he was just upholding the oldest of American foreign policies by shielding America from European intrusion. Ultimately Roosevelt’s “big stick” diplomacy was not about asserting military control over the western …show more content…
In fact, many of the progressive accomplishments achieved by the later presidents, Taft and Wilson, can be accredited to Roosevelt. While Taft is rightfully termed progressive presidents, his leadership did not always guide the country toward progressive reforms. Taft proved his progressive nature when he took to court twice the amount of trusts and corporations that Roosevelt had; however, it is important to note that Howard Taft was handpicked by Roosevelt himself to be his successor. With that fore knowledge, achievements made by Taft, such as the Pain Aldrich Act that lowered tariffs and the Mann Elkins Ac that gave the government full control over telegraph and telephone rates, can be attributed to Roosevelt’s sheer genius and foresight. Should Taft not have been handpicked by Roosevelt, the progressive movement could easily have lost its foothold in the White House, and fade away, like Populism had just two decades prior. In truth, this did start to occur, when Taft fired Gifford Pinchot—a leader in the progressive community, who worked with Roosevelt on preserving forests and the natural resources that came with them. The protection of natural resources was a major objective for many progressives, and the firing of the man who had accomplished that goal was clear betrayal. In
Roosevelt believed that the United States of America was a special nation with a responsibility to improve weaker nations. With much success coming from military use in the Spanish-American war, Roosevelt developed his foreign policy around a strong militant force. Historians would later name his foreign strategy, “big stick” diplomacy. Roosevelt first decided to extend America’s influence into Cuba. When American Armies liberated Cuba from Spanish control, they were ordered not to withdraw until Cuba accepted the Platt Amendment. This amendment prevented Cuba from signing treaties with any other nation, and granted America the right to intervene in order to preserve peace. This ultimately prevented Cuba from becoming the foundation of future powerhouse or American threat, in the western hemisphere. Europe then became Roosevelt’s next focus of foreign concern. He thrust out his “big stick” diplomacy once more when the Roosevelt Corollary revamped the Monroe Doctrine. With this act America became a military police power that would preserve order in Latin America when tensions rose. Many accused Roosevelt of being an Imperialist, but he argued that he was just upholding the oldest of American foreign policies by shielding America from European intrusion. Ultimately Roosevelt’s “big stick” diplomacy was not about asserting military control over the western …show more content…
In fact, many of the progressive accomplishments achieved by the later presidents, Taft and Wilson, can be accredited to Roosevelt. While Taft is rightfully termed progressive presidents, his leadership did not always guide the country toward progressive reforms. Taft proved his progressive nature when he took to court twice the amount of trusts and corporations that Roosevelt had; however, it is important to note that Howard Taft was handpicked by Roosevelt himself to be his successor. With that fore knowledge, achievements made by Taft, such as the Pain Aldrich Act that lowered tariffs and the Mann Elkins Ac that gave the government full control over telegraph and telephone rates, can be attributed to Roosevelt’s sheer genius and foresight. Should Taft not have been handpicked by Roosevelt, the progressive movement could easily have lost its foothold in the White House, and fade away, like Populism had just two decades prior. In truth, this did start to occur, when Taft fired Gifford Pinchot—a leader in the progressive community, who worked with Roosevelt on preserving forests and the natural resources that came with them. The protection of natural resources was a major objective for many progressives, and the firing of the man who had accomplished that goal was clear betrayal. In