-
-
Theodore Roosevelt ran unsuccessfully for president in 1912 as the nominee of the Progressive Party, popularly known as the Bull Moose Party. His campaign failed primarily because it split the Republican vote, allowing Democrat Woodrow Wilson to win the election. -
When President William McKinley died from an assassin's bullet in September 1901, Vice President Theodore Roosevelt became the nation's youngest president at age 42. The unexpected succession catapulted Roosevelt and his progressive agenda into the White House, changing the course of American politics. -
147,000 Maine workers demanded a 20% pay raise, a 9-hour workday and union recognition. -
The Elkins Act of 1903 banned the practice of railroad rebates and made both the railroad companies and the shippers who accepted them liable for penalties. The act aimed to stop the widespread corruption of giving secret discounts to large corporations, which disadvantaged smaller businesses. -
Pelican Island, located on Florida's Atlantic coast, was established as the first National Wildlife Refuge in 1903 by President Theodore Roosevelt. Its creation was a landmark moment for conservation, prompted by the near-extinction of native birds due to the commercial plume-hunting trade. -
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt served his first full presidential term from 1905 to 1909 after winning a landslide victory in the 1904 election. Having initially assumed the presidency after William McKinley's assassination in 1901, his elected term solidified his status as the first modern president. During this time, he significantly expanded the power of the executive branch through progressive reforms and a more assertive foreign policy. -
The Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906 was passed in response to public outrage over unsanitary food and drug practices, largely driven by Upton Sinclair's novel The Jungle. Signed into law by President Theodore Roosevelt on June 30, 1906, the act prohibited the misbranding and adulteration of food and drugs in interstate commerce. Its main provisions required accurate labeling and prohibited false or misleading claims, while creating the Bureau of Chemistry to enforce the new regulations. -
Yosemite came under full federal control in 1906, following a decades-long process that began with an 1864 grant of a portion of the land to California. Conservationist John Muir and President Theodore Roosevelt played pivotal roles in advocating for and finalizing this transfer, which ensured the area's preservation for public use. -
Theodore Roosevelt named Devils Tower the first U.S. National Monument on September 24, 1906, using the authority of the newly created Antiquities Act. -
Just weeks after leaving office in 1909, Theodore Roosevelt embarked on the Smithsonian-Roosevelt African Expedition, a year-long scientific and hunting safari. Accompanied by his son Kermit and a team of naturalists, he traveled through East Africa and the Congo, collecting thousands of specimens for the Smithsonian Institution. Roosevelt documented his observations and adventures in his book, African Game Trails.