PRESIDENTS MCKINLEY ROOSEVELT TAFT DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN POLICIES

PRESIDENTS MCKINLEY, ROOSEVELT & TAFT DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN POLICIES

PRESIDENT WILLIAM MCKINLEY #25 REPUBLICAN 1897 -1901 • Domestic Policy • Gold Standard (versus bimetallism). • Plessy v. Ferguson-”separate but equal” facilities • 2 nd Term won due to pro-Imperialistic stance of country. Opposition=Anti-Imperialism League. • Interesting Fact: Assassinated by anarchist at the Pan. American Exposition in Buffalo. Bullet lodged in fat-doctors couldn’t get it out.

PRESIDENT WILLIAM MCKINLEY #25 REPUBLICAN 1897 -1901 • Foreign Policy • Annexed Hawaii due to American businessmen not wanting to pay tariffs. • De Lomé letter criticizing Mc. Kinley as weak angered War Hawks/Jingos and • Ordered USS Maine to Cuba to rescue Americans-exploded. Yellow Journalism blamed Spain. • Spanish American War-to free Cubans from Spanish oppression. • Treaty of Paris-US received Guam, Puerto Rico, Cuba & Philippines ($20 million).

PRESIDENT WILLIAM H. TAFT #27 REPUBLICAN 1909 -1913 • Domestic Policy • Payne-Aldrich Tariff- too moderate & angered Progressives. • Busted 90 Trusts • Not a friend of conservationists • Fun Fact: Taft started the popular presidential custom of throwing out the first ball of the major league baseball season. He was also the largest president and got stuck in the White House bath tub.

PRESIDENT WILLIAM H. TAFT #27 REPUBLICAN 1909 -1913 • Foreign Policies • Dollar Diplomacy- the US government will guarantee loans made to foreign countries by US businessmen. • Dollar Diplomacy- justified keeping European powers out of the Caribbean. • Ex: American bankers loaned money to Nicaragua when a rebellion left them near bankruptcy.

THEODORE (TEDDY) ROOSEVELT #26 REPUBLICAN 1901 -1909 • Domestic Policy • “Bully pulpit” used the news media to shape legislation. • Square Deal- Progressive reforms to give common people a fair deal with Big Business. • Trust Buster-RR regulation- sued Northern Securities Company. • Intervened with Coal Strike when reserves ran low. Arbitration between 2 sides. • Pure Food and Drug Act • Meat Inspection Act • Conservationist-set land aside for national parks and wildlife sanctuaries. • Election of 1912 - Bull Moose Party (Progressive Party) was a 3 rd party and split votes between the Republicans and Democrat Woodrow Wilson won.

THEODORE (TEDDY) ROOSEVELT #26 REPUBLICAN 1901 -1909 • Foreign Policies • 1905 moderated peace between Russia and Japan. Received Nobel Peace Prize. • Panama Canal- Sponsored Panamanian revolution when Colombia would not let US build canal. Yellow fever & malaria. • Roosevelt Corollary- the US would use force to protect it’s economic interests in Latin America. The bite to the bark of the Monroe Doctrine. • Big Stick policy. - “Speak softly and carry a big stick”.

THEODORE (TEDDY) ROOSEVELT #26 REPUBLICAN 1901 -1909 • Interesting facts: • Youngest president 42 years old. • His wife and mother died on the same day. • Went blind in his left eye during a boxing match. • Went skinny dipping in the Potomac River. • Scaled the Matterhorn in Swiss Alps. • Won the Nobel Peace Prize. • Teddy and FDR were 5 th cousins. • Refused to shoot an old bear tied to a tree. People started selling stuffed teddy bears in his honor. • Grand Canyon – National Park