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Roosevelt became a war hero when he led the Rough Riders in a battle at San Juan Hill during the Spanish-American War. This made him famous and helped him get into politics.
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Roosevelt became president after President McKinley was shot and died. He was only 42, the youngest president ever. This started a new era of strong leadership and reforms.
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Roosevelt ran for president again in 1912 with a new party called the Progressive or Bull Moose Party. He didn’t win, but his campaign showed that many Americans wanted change and reforms.
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Coal miners went on strike asking for better pay and working hours. Roosevelt stepped in to help settle the strike fairly. It was the first time a president helped workers in a labor dispute.
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This law gave money to build irrigation systems in dry parts of the western U.S. It helped farmers and showed Roosevelt cared about using natural resources wisely.
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The Elkins Act made it illegal for railroads to give special deals, or rebates, to certain companies. It helped stop unfair business practices and was one of Roosevelt’s first steps in controlling big businesses.
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Roosevelt took a big railroad company to court for breaking antitrust laws. The company was broken up, and this showed that Roosevelt was serious about stopping monopolies.
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Roosevelt won the 1904 election and became president in his own right after finishing McKinley’s term. It showed that Americans supported his ideas and leadership.
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Roosevelt made Yosemite National Park a part of federal land. This helped protect the land and showed his strong support for nature and conservation.
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This law made sure that meat was processed in clean conditions and inspected before being sold. It was passed after people were shocked by the dirty conditions in meat factories, shown in the book The Jungle. Roosevelt pushed for the law to protect consumers.
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This law stopped the sale of unsafe or fake food and medicine. It helped make food and medicine safer for people and led to the creation of the FDA.
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After leaving office, Roosevelt went on a safari in Africa to hunt animals and collect them for the Smithsonian. He wanted to take a break from politics and explore nature.