Lesson Plan – Chris DiFranco
UEH Seminar Topic
Teddy Roosevelt and the World
Title
Does Roosevelt Belong on Mount Rushmore?
Author
Chris DiFranco
Grade Levels
US History II
Time Frame
3 class periods
Links to Massachusetts History and Social Studies Frameworks
USII.6 Analyze the causes and course of America’s growing role in world affairs from the Civil War to WorldWarI. (H, E)
- President Roosevelt’s Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine
USII.8 Analyze the origins of Progressivism and important Progressive leaders, and summarize the major accomplishments of Progressivism. (H, E)
People
- President Theodore Roosevelt
Seminal Primary Documents to Read: President Theodore Roosevelt, “The New Nationalism,” speech (1910).
Essential Objectives
Students will be able to compare and contrast the accomplishments of Theodore Roosevelt with other US Presidents.
Students will evaluate TR’s foreign policy and domestic policy, with a particular focus on the Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine and TR’s new nationalism speech
Students will learn about the importance of memorializing key figures in American history.
Essential Questions
How should it be decided what individuals get memorialized and how?
Does TR belong on Mount Rushmore?
What makes a President “Great”?
What was TR’s legacy?
Procedure
Day 1)
Each student or small group of students will be on a mock selection committee for the last president to be included on Mount Rushmore. So far Jefferson, Lincoln and Washington were selected. Now they have to choose between Theodore Roosevelt and a president previously studied. (This could be varied by adding future presidents as well – but for the purposes of this lesson, we’ll use knowledge already built upon) Each individual or small group will be given a different President to research. Suggestions would include John Adams, Andrew Jackson, James Monroe, James Madison, Ulysses S. Grant, Grover Cleveland, William McKinley.
The assignment will have the students compare and contrast Roosevelt and their assigned President on domestic and foreign policy as well as overall impact on the country and legacy. They will then give an oral presentation arguing for either Roosevelt or their assigned President which explains 1) Who they picked and 2) What criteria they used to pick him – this must compare both Presidents in their oral argument.
They will then write an essay/response on the same topic.
Students will be given a source packet on Theodore Roosevelt in order to learn more about him.
This packet will include various political cartoons, images (the Nahant Historical Society’s image of him in Nahant would be a useful inclusion), secondary sources including Remy’s Lives and most importantly the New Nationalism Speech and the Roosevelt Corollary.
Students will also be encouraged to go back through old course notes and to use online data-bases (especially ABC-Clio) and text sources to argue for or against their other candidate.
For homework students will go to the Mount Rushmore website ( and write a response on the question, “Is Mount Rushmore an appropriate memorial to the American Presidency?”
Day 2)
Take class to library/lab for research time. Ensure students use good websites and text sources. They may also work with the primary source packets on Roosevelt in this time.
Day 3) Oral Arguments. Students will present their oral arguments to the class. Individuals/groups should take no more than 5 minutes total for their presentation.
The teacher can keep tally of how often TR is the recommendation of the committee.
Wrap up: Big group discussion of TR. Make sure to tie together any loose ends and to make a final assessment of TR’s presidency.
Links to UEH Seminar
The UEH seminar gave a wide variety of primary sources as well as a terrific secondary source in Kathleen Dalton’s text. The primary sources are especially helpful toward helping the students understand TR. The background information I got through the readings and the lecture will also help me in teaching this topic.
Assessment
Informal Assessment through discussion
Oral argument on choice of President to be put on Mount Rushmore with follow up writing assignment/essay on the same topic
Primary/Secondary Documents Used
PBS—“The American Experience”: (links off of here include very useful biographical information as well as important presidential sources, especially the new nationalism speech and also political cartoons of the time)
Remy, Jean. Lives of the Presidents: Told In Words of One Syllable. New York: A.L. Burt Company, 1900.
“The Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine” <
The Theodore Roosevelt Association: (link off of here for a variety of primary sources to include in packet, his 1905 inaugural address, and political cartoons are especially useful)
“Theodore Roosevelt ‘Teddy and the Bear’ Caricature Ceramic Vase, ca. 1904.” ID #: 2214.BB0218
“Mount Rushmore.” National Parks Service <
Local Resources Used
Students could research local monuments and memorials especially of individuals, and determine why they think these individuals should or should not be memorialized
They could complete a photo scavenger hunt look at these monuments/memorials.