Focuses on the domestic policies of President Theodore Roosevelt, known as the 'Square Deal,' including his actions on trust-busting, consumer protection, and environmental conservation.
What were the 'Three Cs' that formed the basis of Theodore Roosevelt's 'Square Deal' domestic agenda?
The Three Cs were: 1) Conservation of natural resources, 2) Control of corporations, and 3) Consumer protection.
What was Roosevelt's attitude toward business trusts, earning him the nickname 'trust-buster'?
Roosevelt distinguished between 'good' trusts (efficient and fair) and 'bad' trusts (which stifled competition and harmed the public). He used the Sherman Antitrust Act to break up harmful monopolies.
What major industrial monopoly was successfully broken up by Roosevelt's administration in the Supreme Court case *Northern Securities Co. v. U.S.* (1904)?
The Northern Securities Company, a massive railroad holding company organized by J.P. Morgan and James J. Hill, was ordered to be dissolved, re-establishing the federal government's authority to regulate monopolies.
How did Roosevelt's intervention in the 1902 Anthracite Coal Strike represent a major shift in federal policy?
He brought both labor leaders and mine owners to the White House and threatened to use the army to run the mines. This was the first time a president sided with labor in a dispute, forcing the owners to compromise.
What two significant consumer protection laws were passed in 1906, largely as a result of the public outcry following 'The Jungle'?
The Meat Inspection Act, which mandated federal inspection of meat shipped over state lines, and the Pure Food and Drug Act, which banned the sale of contaminated foods and required truth in labeling.
What was Roosevelt's approach to environmental conservation?
Roosevelt was a dedicated conservationist who balanced development with preservation. He set aside over \(200\) million acres for national forests, wildlife refuges, and parks, and promoted scientific management of natural resources.
What was the purpose of the Newlands Reclamation Act of 1902?
This act funded large-scale irrigation projects, such as dams and canals, in the American West. It aimed to reclaim arid land for agriculture and manage water resources, reflecting Roosevelt's conservationist goals.
What new cabinet department was created in 1903 to address issues between business and labor?
The Department of Commerce and Labor was created to oversee business and labor relations. Its Bureau of Corporations was empowered to investigate businesses engaged in interstate commerce.
What legislation strengthened the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) by giving it the power to set maximum railroad rates?
The Hepburn Act of 1906 gave the ICC the power to set maximum railroad rates and regulate other transportation methods like pipelines and ferries, a major step in controlling corporate power.
