Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Progressive Characters

Theodore Roosevelt 



A. Explain the biographical ideas behind the character
        Roosevelt was born and raised in New York City, he was part of a wealthy family. However, as a child he was very ill and spent a lot of his time in his room reading which he considered his first love. Once he was older and stronger he let nothing stand in his way, he tried to live a life full of danger.
B. Explain the major legislation related to this character
       Some major legislation that Roosevelt conducted was the Big Stick Policy that he said, "A man should walk softly and carry a big stick" which s to utilize military and violence to control the counties tat needed to be controlled. Roosevelt Corollary was added to the Monroe Doctrine which was to keep European countries from taking over South and Central American countries. Then there was the Progressive Party that an independent political party dedicated to progress change which was later consider Bull Moose Movement in the press.
C. Describe how this character attempted to progress the nation
       Roosevelt was very patriotic American, he would do anything is in his power to see the United states progress. he strongly believed in manifest destiny which he consider that the U.S was the most "powerful and righteous" place on the planet. He also tried to make products (food) more healthy for everyone which is considered the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in this modern day.
Woodrow Wilson 



A. Explain the biographical ideas behind the character 
       Wilson was not only the 26th president of the United States he was also a professor that an ample amount of students enjoyed. He taught history and political science after receiving his PH.D. at the University of Princeton which all started due to his love of books.He was also a man who was very ill at the end of his life and died after one of his major dreams did not pass the congress.
B. Explain the major legislation related to this character
       Wilson created a theory called Moral Internationalism stating that because America was strong, powerful and wealthy they should get involved with foreign affairs to help out the rest of the world. He also was involved in the Treaty of Versailles that would end WWI. Out of his theory he engendered 14 points which were progressive plans for the United States to be better.
C. Describe how this character attempted to progress the nation
       Wilson loved the nation so much that he kept the American boys out of war during the second World War. With in the 14 points Wilson stated that peace without victory, freedom of the seas, and the formation of the League of Nations which all in his mind proceeded to do good to America or make it progress. He believed that the League could end war, poverty, and hunger if only the countries would unite as one democracy.
Ida Terbel



A. Explain the biographical ideas behind the character 
      Tarbel came from a hard working family her father had three jobs two as a teacher and another as a wildcatter. She was taught as a young girl that she needed to work hard and let nothing bring you down not even failure. She was out raged when her father had lost everything due to John D. Rockefeller who stole the oil fields from the wildcatters. It only made her work harder, she attended school became a teacher but didn't feel it was fulfilling; thus, left and found that writing was going to make an impact in history.
B. Explain the major legislation related to this character
      There was a grudge that Tarbel had toward John D. Rockefeller for scamming all of the hardworking people. She never did forgive him and she started to do some research on him and his company to find some kind of dirt. She was considered a muckraker due to the fact the she would write about political people and there unequal treatment towards others, she wrote a lot about Rockefeller and uncovered many truths Her book about him became a best seller quickly.
C. Describe how this character attempted to progress the nation
       Tarbel's bravery in standing up and having freedom of speech during her time helped the nation progress because i gave women a sense of hope. The Woman's Right's Movement looked up to her because she had done things that many women would not think of doing. Alice Paul asked her if she would be apart of the movement but you disagreed with parts of the movement because you felt that it was damaging the traditional roles of women yet she did not write bad abut them in any of her books or magazines.
Robert La Follette




A. Explain the biographical ideas behind the character 
     La Follette was born and raised in the country side of Wisconsin, his father was one of the hardworking farmers. As a young child he understood what working hard meant and never forgot the struggles of the poor. Once he had graduated the University of Wisconsin he became District Attorney and eventually he was elected a member of the House of Representatives. In the house he viewed the unjust politicians and wanted the Democrats and Republicans to change their tactics.
B. Explain the major legislation related to this character  
      La Follette engendered the idea of initiative which meant that people could make or pass a law without the help of the legislature which mean that the politicians time was limited in office before the next election. The Wisconsin Idea that he also created was to help the people by the government giving back to them and giving the Americans direct democracy.He was elected Senator of the state of Wisconsin and during his tern Wilson was president and he was one of he few that spoke out against going into war with.
C. Describe how this character attempted to progress the nation
     La Follette was very opinionated and he did not care if people waned to hear them or not, with that attitude he gave his speeches that would accuse individuals with being corrupt. His speeches usually contained concepts that an ample amount of people started to become his enemy. He believed that both Americans and immigrants had the duty to keep the values that drove Americas spirit during the countries war days.

John D. Rockefeller


A. Explain the biographical ideas behind the character 
      Rockefeller was the second child born in upstate New York and they were a well off family but not very wealthy. When the crops got expensive his father sold the farm and when to Ohio with the family which was outside of Cleveland. After he went to Folsom Mercantile College he finish a book keeping course, then he was an assistant book keeper at the Hewitt and Turtle Firm. Then he formed his own business with a partner which he later turned it into a oil refinery business remaining it Standard Oil.
B. Explain the major legislation related to this character  
    Rockefeller was a master of monopoly which meant that he had control of most of the Ohio region with no competition. He learned to control the means of production completely dominating the oil business in Ohio. Pricing highly was very accurate during that time because they wanted to gain more money as Rockefeller tried to accomplish and it was a bones for him because there was no one going up against his company to make him loose money.
C. Describe how this character attempted to progress the nation
     Not only did Rockefeller engender his own company from the ground up which he schemed away from honest people he would rob them from there money. He would exploit the workers but he had achieved his American dream, however it was soon destroyed and forced to break into six different companies.  After he became a philanthropist and gave his money away to organizations due to the books of Ida Tarbel.
Eugene V. Debs



A. Explain the biographical ideas behind the character 
      Debs was born into a poor yet intellectual family in Terre Haute, Indiana, they were German. Due to the fact that he was an immigrant it was difficult but his father struggled through and opened a general store, they also became trusted members of the community. After finishing high school he went to work at the Union Pacific Railway but left the job to do union work and became a union activist.
B. Explain the major legislation related to this character  
     Debs engendered the American Railway Union to help the rights of the workers and he opened a publishing company that to get the voices of the workers that were unheard. The ARU and himself stood behind the Pullman Strike even if he was jailed. The Great Railway Strike was one of his greatest accomplishments which showed what he was giving up for the workers rights.
C. Describe how this character attempted to progress the nation
    Debs was a progressive reformer because he was trying to help the workers when he created the ARU to his endorsement of the Woman's Suffrage Movement. He was so motivated to the movement that he even got jail time and was proud of it. However, he died alone in his home after meeting the President Harding on the invitation to the White House due to his dedication.

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