First Modern President of the U.S.

Theodore Roosevelt was one of the most influential presidents in American history because of his belief in conservation, his establishment of foreign policy in the United States and his expansion of executive power in the government. He changed the executive office forever. Roosevelt came into office after the assassination of President McKinley in 1901, and was reelected to serve until 1909 ("Theodore Roosevelt."). Theodore Roosevelt began his career in the army during the Spanish-American War. Roosevelt led the Rough Riders Regiment at the battle of San Juan and came back to the United States as a war hero. In 1898, he became the governor of New York as a republican candidate because his boss, Tom Platt, needed a great war hero to draw attention away from the scandals happening in New York at the time ("Miller Center." ). His time as a leader in war and as governor gave Roosevelt the experience needed to make an impactful president for the Unites States of America.

Roosevelt’s conservation policy gave 

future generations the chance to 

appreciate the land as much as he did.

            President Roosevelt was the nation’s first environmentalist president. He saw the strong need to preserve the woodlands and mountain ranges in the U.S. as places of refuge and retreat. Roosevelt left his mark by creating 172 million acres of protected land, five national parks, eighteen national monuments and 51 wildlife refuges in the United States. These goals were met because of Roosevelt’s interaction with the head of the Forestry Bureau, Gifford Pinchot, and the head of the Reclamation Service, Frederick Newell. These men saw the natural beauty of the land they lived on and worked to change the world so it would be preserved. In 1902, Roosevelt built irrigation works and reservations to promote agriculture in the West after signing the Newlands Restoration Bill. He also changed the Department of the Interior to the Department of Agriculture. This reduced the role of stated and federal governments in the management of resources and allowed Roosevelt and other conservationists to reach their goals quicker ("Miller Center.").

            Roosevelt’s goal in office was to improve the life of the American citizens. He believed the president should take whatever action necessary for the good of the public, unless forbidden by the law or the Constitution ("Theodore Roosevelt."). This being said, he used the resources of other countries as well as the United States’ to improve the country. One of his famous quotes was from an old proverb and said, “speak softly and carry a big stick”. This supported Roosevelt’s belief that as chief executive, you must be willing to use force when necessary while practicing the art of persuasion, and that the government should be an arbiter to conflicting economic forces in the U.S. and other countries. As the first modern president, Roosevelt expanded the influence and power of the executive office. Congress was the power of the government, but by the end of Theodore Roosevelt’s presidency, the president was the center of power ("Miller Center.").

"Speak softly, carry a big stick"    

When reflecting on Roosevelt’s presidency, many believe he had the intention of creating an imperialistic government. Imperialism is defined as ‘a policy of extending a country’s power and influence through diplomacy or military force’ (New Oxford American Dictionary). This was shown through Roosevelt’s strong support for the construction of the Panama Canal. The canal created a passage from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean through Central America. The canal zone turned into a major American military zone, making the United States the dominant power in Central America. As the controller of the Panama Canal, the U.S. had the power to control imports, exports, and all the business involving foreign countries. Roosevelt was involved in foreign affairs in the Philippines and South America. In the Philippines, Roosevelt appointed William Taft as the civilian governor of the islands and they worked together to form a governor general, an independent judiciary, and a legislative assembly. In South America, President Roosevelt helped preserve stability in Venezuela and Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. His most impressive action with foreign affairs was mediating the Russo-Japanese War. Roosevelt received the Nobel Peace Prize for his accomplishment of settling the war between Russia and Japan ("Miller Center.").

As one of the most impactful presidents of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt’s beliefs and policies are still upheld today. His election was the first to be about the candidate themselves, instead of the political party they represented. This allowed the people to have a relationship with the people they would elect to run their country on a more intimate level so they could put their confidence in the president. The reputation and influence the office of the American government that Theodore Roosevelt started, is still developing today. The president is now serving as an agent of reform for the people and respects the relationship with the people and the responsibility the president has to the people.

Works Cited

"Theodore Roosevelt." The White House. The White House, n.d. Web. 08 Dec. 2014. <http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/theodoreroosevelt>.

"Miller Center." American President: Theodore Roosevelt: Impact and Legacy. Rector and Visitors of the University of Virginia, n.d. Web. 09 Dec. 2014. http://millercenter.org/president/roosevelt/essays/biography/9

"Carrying a Big Stick." Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural Site: Presidency. Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural Site Foundation, n.d. Web. 09 Dec. 2014. <http://www.trsite.org/content/pages/presidency>.

Cooper, John M., Jr. "Britannica School." Britannica School. Encyclopedia Britannica Inc., n.d. Web. 09 Dec. 2014. <http://school.eb.com/levels/high/article/83896>.

United States. National Park Service. "Theodore Roosevelt and Conservation." National Parks Service. U.S. Department of the Interior, 05 Dec. 2014. Web. 08 Dec. 2014. <http://www.nps.gov/thro/historyculture/theodore-roosevelt-and-conservation.htm>.

"Theodore Roosevelt and the EnvironmentOther General Articles." American Experience. WGBH, n.d. Web. 9 Dec. 2014. <http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pbs.org%2Fwgbh%2Famericanexperience%2Ffeatures%2Fgeneral-article%2Ftr-environm>.

Pictures:

King, Laurel. "Theodore Roosevelt." Big Stick Foreign Policy. Venturio Media, LLP, 6 Nov. 2013. Web. 12 Dec. 2014. <http://abouttheodoreroosevelt.com/theodore-roosevelt-big-stick/286/>.

King, Laurel. "Theodore Roosevelt." Conservation Movement. Venturio Media, LLP, 6 Nov. 2013. Web. 12 Dec. 2014. <http://abouttheodoreroosevelt.com/theodore-roosevelt-and-conservation/277/>.