a. What steps did Roosevelt take to solve the problem?
Roosevelt did not see why the mine operators would not bargin with the workers and give them what they demanded. He made threats and eventually they had to compromise. The two groups did this with an arbitration commission. Although no legislation helped with this, by 1903 the problem was cleared up. Roosevelt had created a precedent that conflicts
b. Which legislation helped solve the problem?
None
2. TRUSTS
a. What steps did Roosevelt take to solve the problem?
Although Roosevelt did not believe that trusts were a problem, he did take action against monopolies. He had the Department of Justice sue the Northern Securities Company because it had a monopoly over the railroad industry in 1902. This made people believe that he was a trustbuster. He also was part of the administration that filed 44 antitrust suits. However, none of this solved the problem.
b. Which legislation helped solve the problem?
The Sherman Antitrust Act was what allowed Roosevelt to file antitrust suits. Roosevelt did not create this piece of legislation, but it allowed him to try and break down trusts.
3. UNREGULATED BIG BUSINESS
a. What steps did Roosevelt take to solve the problem?
If referring to the regulation of railroads, Roosevelt did take steps to solve this problem, which was one of Roosevelt's major goals. He helped create the Elkins Act. This act made it so that railroads had to tell the public when set rates were changed and rebates could not be given to shippers by railroad officials for using a certain railroad. That act was created in 1903 and late the Hepburn Act of 1906 was created. This act helped increase the power of the Interstate Commerace Commission (ICC), which had been created under the Interstate Commerce Act in 1887, but had always been too weak. Under the Hepburn Act of 1906, the ICC could institute maximum railroad rates. The Hepburn Act also limited the amount of free railroad passes. Creating those two pieces of legislation were the steps Roosevelt took to solve the problem of regulating bis business.
b. Which legislation helped solve the problem?
The pieces of legislation that helped solve this problem were the Interstate Commerce Act in 1887, Elkins Act in 1903, and Hepburn Act of 1906.
4. DANGEROUS FOODS AND MEDICINES
a. What steps did Roosevelt take to solve the problem?
Roosevelt took steps to solve this problem, especially after he had read The Jungle by Upton Sinclair. He investigated if what was stated in the book about the awful conditions was true by sending out a commission. They reported that it was awful, so Roosevelt helped pass the Meat Inspection Act in 1906. This act created a federal meat inspection program as well at sanitation requirements. The act was a compromise because the meatpackers did not have to pay for inspections, the government did, did not have to have dates that stated when the meat was processed on the containers, and allowed them to appeal more in court. The act was major step Roosevelt took with meat. In 1906, an act that wanted truthful labels on food and medicine, the Pure Food and Drug Act, was passed. Yet the law did not prohibit dangerous medicine or food.
b. Which legislation helped solve the problem?
The legislation that helped solve the problem was the Meat Inspection Act and the Pure Food and Drug act, both passed in 1906.
5. SHRINKING WILDERNESS AND NATURAL RESOURCES
a. What steps did Roosevelt take to solve the problem?
Roosevelt took steps to solve this problem because he did not like that some believed that the country had unlimited resources. Roosevelt worked to conserve these resources by setting aside land, like 1.5 million acres that were sites of water-power and 80 million acres that were sites that experts could explore for natural resources and water. He was spoken to by John Muir as well as naming a head of the U.S. Forest Service, Gifford Pinchot. However, Pinchot and Muir did want to perserve the wilderness like John Muir. To fund water projects, the National Reclamation Act of 1902 was passed. This stated that when public lands were sold the money would go to water projects like the Roosevelt Dam.
b. Which legislation helped solve the problem?
The National Reclamation Act of 1902, Newlands Act, was a piece of legislation that helped solve the problem.
6. RACIAL DISCRIMINATION
a. What steps did Roosevelt take to solve the problem?
Roosevelt had a parent from both the North and South, but still took some steps to solve the problem of racial discrimination. He had an African American be head of the customhouse in Charleston, south carolina, which upset people. Roosevelt also invited an African-American leader who ran a training school of African-Americans for dinner at the White House. Besides that, Roosevelt did not do anything to solve the problem.
b. Which legislation helped solve the problem?
Since Roosevelt did not make an steps besides associating himself with a few people, the only legislation that helped solve this problem was the same legislation that freed the slaves. Later, the NAACP would be formed, but not really by the government.
Explain the importance of each of the following:
7. Square Deal:
Roosevelt's belief that the people deserved a Square Deal, one where the common people were not victims of big business, was important. This set the mood for his presidency. This was a mood in which he acted for the people and the protection of the common people.
8. The Jungle:
This book by Upton Sinclair was one that upset many people. So many Americans were disgusted and appalled by the descriptions in the book and, shortly after the release of the book, Roosevelt sent out a commission to investigate meatpackers. This book was one that helped bring about the Meat Inspection Act because, when the descriptions were found to be accurate, the government had to take action.
9. Upton Sinclair:
Upton Sinclair was the author of The Jungle, but wished for a different result to come from his book. He wanted to show the awful working conditions and how the labor of the poor was exploited. His writing of The Jungle made him important even though it did not achieve his goal, because the book ended up forcing the government to act on other issues.
10. NAACP:
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People was very important. Not only was this a group to help African Americans, but it was even founded by African Americans and whites. Also, this group's goal was equality for all the races and probably was a large part in steps even being taken towards that. However, during the Progressive Movement this group did not have enough support, yet it is still important.
11. Meat Inspection Act:
The Meat Inspection Act was important because it was a way for the government to protect the people. This act had the government inspecting the meatpackers and having them meet requirements. These requirements and inspections protected Americans a little more by decreasing the chances that what Americans were eating was spoiled and diseased, like the meat in The Jungle. Also, the systems set up under this act were in place until the 1990s.
12. Pure Food & Drug Act:
This act was important because it protected Americans and forced businesses to be accountable for their products. The people actually had some idea of what they were buying when food and medicine had to have accurate labels, which gave the people more control. Also, since goods could not be contaminated, it protected the people from disease. Clearly, the Pure Food and Drug Act was important.
13. Significance of the 1902 Coal Miners’ Strike:
The strike was important, but not the actual part about the strike. This strike was resolved peacefully when a third party came in to help with negotiations between the mine operators and miners. This was a new idea when it was down and set the precedent that such things could be done peacefully.
