Taft family

I am Richard (Rich) Barker, I live in Granbury TX, just outside of Fort Worth. I have a passion for history and learning from scholars who provide both sides of an argument. To learn and understand our nation’s history and hopefully apply that knowledge in my future endeavors as a history teacher. Was the “Age of Jackson” truly the “Era of the Common Man?” This depends on your point of view. When viewing the ruling brought down from the courts during this time, not all of the common man…

Down through the years since the United States began, each president has faced different challenges, especially pertaining to foreign policy and war. George Washington chose neutrality when England and France were ready to destroy not only each other but the allies as well. Woodrow Wilson, the 28th president, took a page out of George Washington’s book over 100 years later. When Europe was fighting in the First World War, Woodrow Wilson had a difficult decision to make regarding the future of…

William Howard Taft was the 27th president of the United States of America. Taft was a kind and humble man from Ohio. He excelled at being a judicial figure which ultimately propelled him to becoming president. Taft managed to accomplish many things while he was president, but had a hard time living up to the presidency of his predecessor. His ability to see virtually every issue from each side made him very unbiased which was a very unique trait rarely seen in any president before him. Taft…

Gifford Pinchot’s Stand for Natural Conservation Natural resources play an integral role in a country’s success. Natural resources are in high demand because everyone needs them. Therefore, it would be beneficial for a country to have natural resources. Sometimes, countries even fight for control of natural resources. By controlling natural resources a country will have an immense amount of power (eSchooltoday). As a result, humans need to conserve the natural resources they have. Humans need…

America swiftly increased its industrial power becoming self- sufficient; thus, the idea of the progressivism movement was formulated by widespread activism, who was concerned and rose the question of political leaders, culture, and economy of the United States. American citizens relied on the “government to perform the securing of external defense, the maintenance of internal order, and the provision of an honest currency but none transpired.” (Johnson, 2007, Pg. 557) Did the progressive…

Born in New York City on October 27, 1858, Theodore Roosevelt was considered as the first modern President in the United States because of his expanded influence and power in the executive office (Miller Center). He had been experiencing his political life since he graduated from Harvard College (Theodore Roosevelt - Biographical). When he was forty-two years old, Teddy Roosevelt became the 26th and youngest man to assume the U.S. presidency from 1901 to 1909 after President William McKinley was…

“A canal, of about 166 km (103 mi) long, from the Isthmus of Suez and linking the Red Sea and the Gulf of Suez with the Mediterranean Sea,was Built under the supervision of Ferdinand de Lesseps, it was opened in 1869 and came under British control after 1875. The modern canal was planned by the French engineer Ferdinand de Lesseps, who also supervised construction (1859-69). Great Britain, which had opposed the construction of the canal, became the largest shareholder in 1875 by purchasing the…

In 1901, President William McKinley was shot and killed. This paved the way for Vice President Theodore Roosevelt to jump in, take his place, and become the 26th President of the United States. Theodore Roosevelt, or as he liked to be called, TR, believed in, what most people call now, the progressive era. He believed that a Federal government could have more power and regulation in businesses. TR aimed to distinguish “good corporations” who believed in manufacturing good products and services,…

The Supreme Court has gained a tremendous amount of power since the states first approved of the rights and limitations set forth for it in Article III during the Constitutional ratification process. Some of this accumulated power, such as the ability to analyze the constitutionality of Congressional legislation, appears to be justifiable in most cases. However, there have been several instances, especially the recent Obergefell v. Hodges case, where the Court has seemed to overstep its…

Planned Propaganda Changed the View of War Americans saw World War One as an unpopular war to begin with for many reasons. It was fought an ocean away over land that seemingly did not affect Americans. Plus, America had many citizens that had emigrated from those European countries involved. President Woodrow Wilson narrowly won his re-election bid with the slogan; He kept us out of war, in November of 1916. Yet by April of 1917, America was entering the European war. This unpopular war was…