1912: Wilson, Roosevelt, Taft and Debs- The Election that Changed the Country, by James Chace (Simon and Schuster, 2005)

Presidential elections can usher in a transfer of power from one political party to another, signal the ascendency of issues onto or off the national agenda, or serve to reorder electoral coalitions between parties. In many classrooms, presidential administrations and the elections that place the victors in power structure our courses. Although the Voluntary National History Standards do not dedicate any content standards to presidential elections, many local curricula place emphasis on the elections of 1800, 1824, 1860, 1876, 1896, 1912, 1932, 1968, and 1980.  In 1912: Wilson, Roosevelt, Taft & Debs—The Election that Changed the Country, James Chance presents a popular account of the four-way contest for president that year and makes an argument for its inclusion into the American survey.

The book weaves together the biographical background of each candidate with the broader social, political, and economic changes defining the American experience between 1880 and 1912. Of particular interest to Chance, and an important facet of the 1912 election, was the deteriorating relationship between former President Theodore Roosevelt and President William Howard Taft. Given the reins to an executive office focused on progressive reforms, Taft–in the eyes of both Roosevelt and many progressive Republicans–failed to uphold the pace, intensity, and effectiveness of the path blazed by Roosevelt. The firing of Roosevelt’s friend and conservation mentor, Gifford Pinchot, and Taft’s inability to effectively manage the conservative Republicans in Congress frustrated Roosevelt, and forced him back into the arena of presidential politics.

The intensity of party politics, often lost on today’s students, is dramatically depicted. The machinations behind closed doors, a contested and brokered convention, and the role of money and influence provide readers with a solid examination of how party politics once exerted greater influence on the selection of the chief executive. The rise of Roosevelt’s third party insurgency is also effectively conveyed. The most engaging portions of the book are those that weave the story of Eugene Debs into both the full narrative of the time period and the election.  Labor and the nascent Socialist movement in the United States are often given short shrift in most survey courses. Chance effectively narrates Debs biography and his role in the Pullman Strike. Debs is painted in generally sympathetic terms and as an equal participant in the four-way contest that was the 1912 presidential election. Chance demonstrates why labor unionism, socialism, and communism were important political factors in late-nineteenth and early twentieth century politics. The book’s greatest weakness is in the title’s declaration that the results of the 1912 election “changed America.” Chance leaves no room for the impact of the election on progressivism, socialism, or party coalitions, and disappoints when it comes to positing the 1912 elections as a transformative presidential contest.

The book’s classroom utility depends on how teachers structure their course or a district structures its curriculum. If the election of 1912 is reflected in a course or curricular objective then the book could be useful in helping to determine the issues of impacts of the election. If the election is subsumed into a broader examination of the Progressive Movement, as most curricula tend to do, then the books narrow focus may occupy too much time to merit its inclusion as a classroom tool. The book would serve as a useful tool for teachers of government or civics.  The descriptions of the conventions, Republican, Democratic, Socialist, and Progressive, could serve as useful discussion of the impact of Progressive reforms on political party power and influence both over the electorate at large and presidential politics specifically. Well written and populated by interesting personalities, James Chance’s 1912: Wilson, Roosevelt, Taft & Debs—The Election that Changed America is useful reading for teachers and students American History. 

Theodore Roosevelt: The Rough Riders/An Autobiography, by Theodore Roosevelt (Library of America, 2004)

Serving many masters, autobiography is a tricky genre of literature.  Often first drafts of history, autobiographies work to restructure the memory of events, ideas, personalities, and relationships. The trick is to ensure that students understand that this historical source presents a window not only into the life of its author but into the time period in which it was written. This window, opened by the author, makes autobiographies–like diaries and memoirs–interesting historical sources to use in the classroom.

In An Autobiography, President Theodore Roosevelt, a transformative figure in American History and in the history of the presidency, tells the story of his rise to the highest political office in the United States.  After two chapters detailing Roosevelt’s pre-political career, the book takes off as Roosevelt emerges from Harvard and enters into New York politics.  From the New York state legislature, to head of the federal Civil Service Commission, New York City Police Commissioner, Governor of New York, vice president, and finally the twenty-sixth president of the United States, Roosevelt’s political career is presented in a celebratory manner characteristic of most political biographies. Roosevelt’s role as New York City Police Chief and his relationship with progressive reformers such as Jacob Riis provides a distinctive view of the transformative power of progressivism and the challenges presented by rapid urbanization, industrialization, and immigration. Another unique perspective discussed is Roosevelt’s promotion of conservationism.  His relationship with Gifford Pinchot, named by Roosevelt as the first head of the United States Forest Service, exemplified Roosevelt’s willingness to promote ideas counter to turn of the twentieth century Republican political orthodoxy, and place government as a strong force in limiting the excesses of industrialization.

Foreign policy also forms a strand within the narrative of Roosevelt’s political career. His roles as Secretary of the Navy and as a commander in the Spanish American War provide great insight into the “Splendid Little War” that clearly announced the emergence of the United States as a World power. Serving as Secretary of the Navy in 1897, Roosevelt’s narrative paints the war as necessary to deal with the “archaic principles” by which Spain governed its colonial possession, Cuba. Roosevelt argues that “Our own direct interests were great, because of the Cuban tobacco and sugar, and especially because of Cuba’s relation to the projected Isthmian Canal.” What is clearly communicated by Roosevelt is how much this war was an overt expression of American nationalism.  “It was our duty, even more from the standpoint of National honor than from the standpoint of National interest, to stop the devastation and destruction [in Cuba].”  Roosevelt’s telling of the march to war and its fighting are punctuated with terms such as the “mollycoddle” voters that left the nation in a condition of military unpreparedness, to the “archaic” governing techniques of the Spanish, and the “honor” in the choice to go to war.  The powerful nature of Roosevelt’s semantic choices enables the reader to sense the power of the man’s personality and the strength of his convictions (if not the concrete chain of events that lead to the war itself). Later discussions of “Big Stick” diplomacy and particularly its application in Panama make for good reading and fertile ground for the classroom.

There are numerous instructional opportunities for Roosevelt’s autobiography. Although the length of the book would it make it difficult to assign, numerous shorter segments could be easily adapted for classroom use. Roosevelt’s narrative on the Panama Canal, the 1906 Anthracite Coal Strike, the emergence of the conservationism, the attacking of industrial trusts, and other issues that defined his political rise and service as president, are ripe for classroom investigation. Comparing Roosevelt’s telling of these events to other historical sources facilitates student engagement with questions of how an autobiography must be measured against multiple perspectives in order to fully flesh out a more well-rounded telling of the story.  Political cartoons, newspaper articles, biographies, and other historical sources can be used as support and/or counterpoints to the versions of the events discussed in Roosevelt’s autobiography.  Careful selection of elements of the book can provide students a window not only into one of the more colorful and influential presidents in American history but also into the challenges provided in using autobiographies as historical sources. 

TR: The Last Romantic, by H.W. Brands (Basic Books, 1998) 

After trudging through a parade of rather mundane post-Reconstruction presidents, it is quite refreshing to begin teaching students about the Rough Riding, trust-busting president on Mount Rushmore, Theodore Roosevelt.  While time constraints and curriculum restrictions often prohibit us from delving more deeply into the life and times of Theodore Roosevelt, H.W. Brands’ biography, T.R.: The Last Romantic, is an excellent backgrounder for the classroom teacher, masterfully placing Roosevelt’s well-known public actions in their historical context. 

The first part of Brands’ biography explores the many troubles and relationships Roosevelt had as a young child.  From overcoming numerous childhood ailments to his time spent rowing and hiking, Roosevelt’s early love of physical exercise and the outdoors can be seen in his policies as President.  Reading the chapter about the influence Roosevelt’s father’s had on young Theodore brilliantly demonstrates to students the role parents and upbringing may have on a person throughout a lifetime. Brands frequently revisits this influence throughout the book especially when examining the estranged relationship Roosevelt had with his daughter, Alice. Without being a Roosevelt apologist, Brands exposes both the personal strengths and weaknesses of his subject, in incredible detail.

Each chapter is conveniently divided into smaller, more manageable sections.  Teachers could judiciously select specific sections within each chapter for student reading or classroom examination, thus exploring the dual nature of Roosevelt. Because T.R: The Last Romantic is over 800 pages, there is little chance that even our heartiest and most die-hard history students will pick up Brands’ single volume work as a pleasure read. However, T.R. certainly has its place as a history classroom resource.  Aside from providing excellent content on our youngest president and “Teddy” bear namesake, T.R. offers a detailed explanation of why Roosevelt holds such an esteemed, yet controversial, place in American History.  Asking students why T.R. can be considered “great” is an excellent classroom endeavor. A quick perusal of the numerous sources Brands used will certainly leave teachers a wide selection of primary source ideas.

T.R. himself was no stranger to the pen. Because of the many letters and writings available, it is easy to see how daunting writing a single volume biography of Teddy Roosevelt could be.  Author of more than 100,000 letters and numerous books, Roosevelt’s proliferation should prompt the question of which sources could be used in writing a biography and which writings– his nationalistic tales of heroism or his private letters and musings – reveal the “real” Theodore Roosevelt.   Used in conjunction with The Library of America’s Theodore Roosevelt: Letters and Speeches, edited by Louis Achincloss, excerpts from Brands’ work could be used to teach students about the choices an historian makes when writing a biography.  For example, having students read and analyze the full text of a letter or speech from The Library of America’s collection and then examining how Brands excerpted and used that particular source could be an excellent research endeavor.   A discussion on whether the excepts were used effectively, whether another portion of the document could have better served the author’s purpose, or even if the students believe that the excerpt was taken out of context could really allow students to “do history” and be historians in the classroom.

The Library of America’s Theodore Roosevelt: Letters and Speeches itself could easily prompt numerous classroom activities and lessons. The Library of America volume contains nearly 375 letters and speeches written between 1881-1919. Certainly, an interesting classroom discussion could revolve around the choices the editor had to make in selecting documents.  Comparisons could be made as to the sources chosen for this collection and the ones Brands used in T.R. However, students should be aware that Theodore Roosevelt: Letters and Speeches focuses on a later and more public period for Roosevelt rather than his youth and early career.

For teachers looking for a great single volume work on President Theodore Roosevelt, H.W. Brands T.R.: The Last Romantic will certainly fit the bill. Brands’ research and excellent storytelling will provide teachers with the background knowledge on both Roosevelt and the time period in which he lived. While lengthy, the chapters are nicely subdivided making this text ready for excerpts or for homework readings. Theodore Roosevelt: Letters and Speeches can provide the full text of many of Roosevelt’s most famous works. Used in conjunction with Brands’ book, both works can provide a classroom teacher with numerous lesson plan ideas for teaching about Roosevelt, his time period, and about the work of an historian.