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During the Spanish-American War, Roosevelt, as Lieutenant Colonel, led his "Rough Riders" in the famous charge up Kettle Hill in Cuba. This battle turned him into a national hero, providing the popularity that launched his political career toward the presidency. -
Roosevelt became President after the assassination of William McKinley, making him the youngest president in U.S. history at age 42. He brought new energy to the office, launching his "Square Deal" progressive agenda and expanding the power of the executive branch to serve the public interest. -
The strike began because Pennsylvania's anthracite miners demanded better wages, shorter workdays, and union recognition, threatening the nation's winter fuel supply. Roosevelt intervened, not by crushing the union but by forcing arbitration, which significantly raised the status of the presidency as a neutral arbiter between capital and labor. -
This act was signed to fund vital irrigation projects in 16 arid Western states, using money from federal land sales to foster regional development. It is a cornerstone of Roosevelt's conservation achievements, allowing for massive agricultural and population growth in the American West. -
Because large corporations were receiving secret railroad rebates, giving them an unfair economic advantage, Senator Stephen Elkins sponsored a law to end the practice. The Act successfully outlawed rebates, stabilizing the railroad industry and marking an early, important step in Roosevelt's effort to regulate big business. -
Roosevelt had ordered the Justice Department to use the Sherman Antitrust Act to break up a massive railroad trust organized by powerful financiers. The Supreme Court upheld the order, establishing Roosevelt as the "Trust Buster" and proving that the federal government had the authority to regulate monopolistic corporations -
Roosevelt won the election decisively, giving him a powerful mandate from the American people to continue his "Square Deal" progressive reforms. On election night, he damaged his future political options by promising not to run for a third term in 1908. -
Influenced by his 1903 camping trip with John Muir, Roosevelt signed legislation that transferred the federally granted Yosemite Valley and Mariposa Grove back from state to federal control. This consolidation ensured the proper preservation of the famous landmarks and underscored Roosevelt's commitment to large-scale conservation efforts. -
Public outrage over unsanitary conditions exposed in the meatpacking industry (like in The Jungle) compelled Congress and President Roosevelt to act. The resulting law established federal inspection of meat, creating a safer food supply and initiating a major consumer protection role for the government. -
Spurred by consumer demand and muckraking journalism, Congress passed this act to address the widespread sale of dangerous, adulterated, or falsely labeled foods and medicines. The law created the precursor to the modern FDA, establishing the federal government's enduring responsibility for public health protection. -
After his presidency ended, Roosevelt wanted to remove himself from politics to allow his successor, William Howard Taft, room to govern. He went on a year-long scientific collecting expedition for the Smithsonian Institution in Africa, reinforcing his public image as a world-class naturalist and explorer. -
Frustrated by William Howard Taft's conservative turn, Roosevelt bolted the Republican Party to run for president as the candidate for the Progressive (Bull Moose) Party. His third-party candidacy split the Republican vote, ensuring the victory of Democrat Woodrow Wilson but also demonstrating the wide support for his progressive platform.