Episode 7 - Teddy Roosevelt

On the seventh podcast of American History Too! we turn our attention to the most cuddily of all US Presidents – Theodore ‘Teddy’ Roosevelt.  We pull apart ‘T.R.’s’ legacy in the context of American imperialism abroad and the rise of progressivism at home.  Malcolm argues that Roosevelt is a shining example of why nuance is required when we discuss historical figures, while Mark discusses the legitimacy of Roosevelt’s place on Mt. Rushmore alongside Washington, Jefferson, and Lincoln.  What legacy can we ascribe arguably the first modern president?  We give you our views but it’s left up to you to decide. Finally, find out the truth behind the ‘Teddy Bear’ story and also how T.R. actually felt about the nickname! We’ll be back in a couple of weeks when we’ll hopefully be joined by another special guest to discuss the 1930s.  Until then, thanks again for listening! Mark and Malcolm    Reading List: -          Michael Cullinane, ‘Imperial “Character”: How Race and Civilization Shaped Theodore Roosevelt’s Imperialism,’ America’s Transatlantic Turn: Theodore Roosevelt and the ‘Discovery’ of Europe, eds. Hans Krabbendam and John M. Thompson (London: Palgrave Macmillan, 2012). -          Kathleen M. Dalton, ‘Theodore Roosevelt’s Contradictory Legacies:  From Imperialist Nationalism to Advocacy of a Progressive Welfare State,’ A Companion to Theodore Roosevelt, ed. Serge Ricard (Wiley-Blackwell, 2011) -          Peter G. Filene, “An Obituary for ‘The Progressive Movement’,” American Quarterly 22 (1970), 20-34 -          Fabian Hilfrich, Debating American Exceptionalism: Empire and Democracy in the Wake of the Spanish-American War (New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2012), Chp.2. Also see Ken Burns’ excellent recent documentary series The Roosevelts: An Intimate History (2014) Our Holiday Reading recommendations -          W. Bernard Carlson, Tesla: Inventor of the electrical age (2013) -          Eric Schlosser, Command and Control: Nuclear Weapons, the Damascus Accident, and the Illusion of Safety (2013) -          Gary Younge, No place like home: A black Briton journeys through the American South (2000) -          Raymond Arsenault, Freedom Riders: 1961 and the Struggle for Racial Justice (2007) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices