Theodore Roosevelt Essays - Sons Of The American Revolution

Theodore Roosevelt Essays - Sons Of The American Revolution Theodore Roosevelt Outline Thesis: Theodore Roosevelt's political presence altered the course of the United States, transforming it into a superpower fully ready to handle the challenges of any opposition, and changed the role of the president and executive branch of US government, making it a force to be reckoned with. I. Introduction II. Before Roosevelt A. Post-Reconstructionist Views B. The Industrial Revolution C. The Gilded Age 1. Railroads 2. Robber Barons 3. Immigration 4. Standard Question D. McKinley III. The Roosevelt Era A. Early Life 1. Influence of Parents 2. Invalidism B. Early Political Career 1. Ending Corruption/Enforcing Laws 2. Political Bosses 3. Governorship C. Presidential Era 1. Vice Presidential Race 2. Manipulation of the Press 3. Federal Regulatory Laws 4. Foreign Policy 5. Strong Executive Branch D. Post-Presidential Era 1. Taft 2. The Progressive Party IV. Post-Rooseveltian America A. Wilson 1. Continued Progressivism 2. World War I a. Inactivity b. Activity B. Life After Wilson 1. Implementation of Roosevelt's Reforms 2. Roosevelt's Influence Today 3. Influences in the Future V. Conclusion Theodore Roosevelt: The Founder of an Era The turn of the century has always been a big deal for modern civilizations. One hundred years of life is quite large compared with the average 70 or so given to most. Because of that, people tend to look in trends of decades, rather than centuries or millennia. When it does come time for a new century, when that second digit rotates, as it does so seldom, people tend to look for change. Events tend to fall before or after the century, not on top of it, and United States history, particularly, has had a tendency for sudden change at the century marks. Columbus' accidental discovery of the West Indies in 1492 brought on the exploration age in the 1500s. Jamestown colony, founded in 1607, was England's first foothold on the New World. A massive population surge, brought on in part by the import of Africans, marks entry into the 18th century. Thomas Jefferson's presidency, beginning in 1800, changed the face of American politics. 1900 was a ripe year for change, but needed someone to help the change arrive. That someone was Theodore Roosevelt. Roosevelt's political presence altered the course of the United States, transforming it into a superpower fully ready to handle the challenges of any opposition, and changed the role of the president and executive branch of US government, making it a force with which to be reckoned. As the first president with progressive views, Roosevelt enacted the first regulatory laws and prosecuted big businesses who had been violating them and others for years. Roosevelt also initiated the United States' active interests in other countries, and began to spread the benefits of democracy throughout the world. Before Roosevelt, the United States was an inward-looking country, largely xenophobic to the calls of the rest of the world, and chiefly concerned with bettering itself. As one critic put it, "Roosevelt was the first modern president"(Knoll). After Roosevelt, the United States would remain a superpower, chiefly interested in all the world's affairs for at least a century (Barck 1). It would be foolish to assume that Roosevelt was a fantastically powerful individual who was able to change the course of the United States as easily as Superman might change the course of a river. It would be more accurate to say Roosevelt was the right person in the right place at the right time. It is necessary, though, to show how the United States was progressing, and how Roosevelt's presence merely helped to catalyze the progression. It has been said that when John Wilkes Booth murdered Abraham Lincoln, he "extinguished the light of the republic" (Cashman 1). While this is a small hyperbole, it serves as an example of the general mood that pervaded the period from 1865 to 1901. The early dominating factor was, of course, Reconstruction. Reconstruction was a dirty game, and nobody liked it. Johnson fought with congress and the end result proved very little had changed. The South was still largely agrarian, and the North was commercial. Most importantly, the Southerners and the Northerners still felt they had as little to do with each other as a fish does with a bicycle. To the young "Teedie" Roosevelt, this must have made itself apparent. He was born in a mixed household, where "Theodore Roosevelt (Sr.) was as profoundly...for the North as Martha Roosevelt was for the south" (Hagedorn 10). The fact that the family was able to live, from all accounts, very harmoniously, is

Low Self-Esteem Linked to Domestic Violence

Low Self-Esteem Linked to Domestic Violence In many cases, self-esteem and domestic violence  go hand in hand. Low self-esteem can be brought on by a variety of factors and can be a serious issue for women (and men) who are victims of domestic violence. Contrary to what many believe, domestic violence is not just about physical violence. It can also include sexual abuse, emotional abuse, financial abuse, and stalking. Basically, domestic violence offenders always feel the need to be in control of their victims. The less in control an offender feels, the more they want to hurt others. If victims of domestic violence have low self-esteem, it can cause them to stay in an abusive relationship. This can lead to serious injuries and even death. Maria Phelps, a survivor of brutal domestic violence and the blogger behind A Movement Against Domestic Violence, notes: Self-esteem alone cannot combat domestic violence. A woman with high self-esteem can be affected by domestic violence, but I feel that the woman with better self-image will be more empowered to leave a relationship where there is abuse, and that is the important thing to focus on. Women with low self-esteem feel that they cannot do better than the situation they are in, which makes them far less likely to leave than a woman who has high self-esteem and can stand up for herself. Domestic violence offenders tend to prey on women who have low self-esteem, realizing that the victim will want and need them no matter what they do. Because of the connection between self-esteem and domestic violence, it is critical to teach children about self-esteem. According to Overcoming.co.uk, a website that focuses on mental health issues, â€Å"Crucial experiences that help to form our beliefs about ourselves often (although not always) occur early in life.† It is, therefore, essential that children are introduced to the concept of self-esteem at an early age. In order to help prevent domestic violence in future generations, children need to understand if what they are feeling is healthy and learn positive ways to feel better about themselves. Alexis A. Moore, founder of Survivors In Action, observes: Women don’t leave because of fear and self-esteem. Most women, if we ask them to say the truth, are fearful of going out on their own. It’s a self-esteem issue primarily that is compounded by fear that they can’t make it alone without their batterer. Offenders are very aware of this and use it to their advantage. If an abuser feels that his partner is becoming more empowered to leave, hell turn on the charm to convince the victim that he actually does love her, then take something away from her to control and dominate her. That something could be the victim’s right to money or privacy or any number of other rights. He may tell the victim that shes nothing compared to him, causing the victim to feel vulnerable and afraid. Even if a victim seems like she has nothing else to lose, an offender can still find something to control and that usually has a significant impact on the victim’s self-esteem, causing her to stay with her abuser for just that little bit longer. Women dealing with domestic violence need to remember that they are not alone. Friends and family members of victims should provide ongoing reminders that they can get out of the situation and lead a normal life. Victims need support to feel empowered to live a life free of violence. Phelps, who was battered for years by her husband a teacher and a martial arts black belt knows how hard it is to leave. Yet she has one response to domestic violence victims who ask what they should do: The only answer to this question is to run. It is never the right choice to stay in a relationship where there is abuse involved. A victim of domestic violence should form a safety plan and get out of the situation at the first chance they can. Every victim of domestic violence needs to remember that it doesn’t matter how small and vulnerable your attacker makes you feel. You are worth more and deserve to be treated with respect and dignity, just like everyone else.