Unit 10: The Roosevelt and Taft Administrations

T he Artios Home Companion Series Unit 10: The Roosevelt and Taft Administrations Teacher Overview In 1902 Mr. Roosevelt had become president "by accident." If it had not been for the tragedy of President McKinley's death he would not have come into power. Few Presidents have grown so much in popularity after coming into office as Mr. Roosevelt. People felt he was a jolly good fellow, and throughout the length and breadth of the land he was known as "Teddy." In 1909 William H. Taft became president. Mr. Taft had been Governor of the Philippines, and had shown great tact and firmness in that post. He and President Roosevelt were friends, and Roosevelt did all he could to further his election. Key People and Events Location of Panama between the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea President Theodore Roosevelt Panama Canal Gulf of Darien Oklahoma statehood President William H. Taft New Mexico statehood Arizona statehood Vocabulary Lesson 1: isthmus Reading and Assignments Based on your student s age and ability, the reading in this unit may be read aloud to the student and journaling and notebook pages may be completed orally. Likewise, other assignments can be done with an appropriate combination of independent and guided study. In this unit, students will: Complete one lesson in which they will learn about President Theodore Roosevelt, the Panama Canal and President William H. Taft. Create biography notebook pages on President Theodore Roosevelt and on President William H. Taft Define vocabulary words. Read selected chapters from The Singing Tree. Complete literature assignments including an author profile for Kate Seredy Learn about Direct Quotations and complete corresponding grammar exercises. Visit www. ArtiosHCS.com for additional resources. Unit 10: The Roosevelt and Taft Administrations - Page 1

Leading Ideas Honesty is a character quality to be desired. The Lord detests differing weights, and dishonest scales do not please Him. Proverbs 20:23 The Bible provides the ethics upon which to judge people and nations. Exodus 20:1-17 God is sovereign over the affairs of men. From one man He made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. Acts 17:26 The Christian s Responsibility to Government Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore he who resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of him who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain; he is the servant of God to execute his wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be subject, not only to avoid God s wrath but also for the sake of conscience. For the same reason you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. Pay all of them their dues, taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due. Romans 13:1-7 Literature, Composition, and Grammar The Singing Tree by Kate Seredy Literature for Units 9-14 Students will learn about World War I while reading The Singing Tree by Kate Seredy. We will explore writing different types of poetry, including various formats of rhythm and style, and display them creatively. This novel tells the story of two cousins, Kate and Jancsi, who live on the plains of Hungary. These two children are forced to grow up a little too soon when Jancsi s father is called up to join the country s forces in the Great War, or World War I. Throughout the story, we see how this war affects both the people and the land. Be Sure to Notice While this book is set in Hungary, there were dozens of other countries involved in the Great War. Consider mapping these countries along with a parent. Unit 10: The Roosevelt and Taft Administrations - Page 2

This book is actually a sequel to The Good Master. While it is written at a slightly lower level than The Singing Tree, you might enjoy reading this book, too. The Singing Tree was awarded the Newbery Honor in 1940, and Mrs. Seredy drew the illustrations herself. If you are following along with the optional American Tall Tales study, this unit s focus should be on Davy Crockett. For this unit you will need a pair of cheap sunglasses and a large piece of posterboard or foam core. Context Resources You will find additional context resources within the resources section of the Artios Home Companion website. Be sure to take time to explore the links and activities to help further your understanding The years of this First World War were a deep, troublesome, and complex time in our world s history. It can be difficult for students to understand when it seems so far from what you know and experience every day. Take some time to explore the resources provided on the website so that you can better understand the times in which Jancsi and Kate were living. Unit 10 - Assignments Literature Begin by completing an author profile for Kate Seredy. You will find an Author Profile Page within the Resources section of the website. You can find information about the author through various Internet sources, as well as on the book itself; make sure you get a parent s permission before accessing the Internet. Read Chapters 1 & 2 of The Singing Tree. During this unit, try something different with your discussion questions: have each child in the family come up with the questions that he or she feels are most important to discuss. Try to think about questions that can t be answered in a word or two, but those that require some thought and reflection instead. Record these questions in a journal, and consider spending some time creating written responses to them, too. Composition Poetry is a kind of writing that gives us the opportunity to look at the world around us in a brand new way. Usually there is an emphasis on emotions and ideas, and many types of poetry have a particular style or rhythm. Obtain a pair of cheap sunglasses, and decorate them with various crafty materials that you find around your house. Wear them during this unit as you read and write poetically to encourage you to look at your world with fresh, creative eyes. To begin, we are going to write an acrostic poem. This kind of poetry can be rather simple, but it s important for you to take the time to think carefully and creatively. You will find examples of acrostics in the Resources section of the website. Follow these steps to write an acrostic using your name as the word: Write your word vertically on a piece of paper. For each letter, write a word or phrase that describes your word. Continue this process for each letter to complete your poem Unit 10: The Roosevelt and Taft Administrations - Page 3

Now that you have created one for yourself, we re going to apply your new knowledge to our book. Pick one noun that represents something from this first section of our novel. Repeat the process to write an acrostic for this noun, making sure that you are using thoughtful and reflective words for each letter. Make a neat and decorative copy of each of your acrostics, and place your second one in a folder to save for the end of this unit. Grammar Read the notes on Direct Quotations, beginning on page 4. Complete the corresponding exercises on the Artios Home Companion website. Add direct quote and gear change comma to your cheat sheet. Grammar Notes for Unit 10 U s e d b y p e r m i s s i o n : w w w. a n a l y t i c a l g r a m m a r. c o m Buzzword: Direct Quote Direct Quotations When you re reading something, how do you know who is saying what? Bill, I want to go home, said John. In the sentence above, who is speaking? John! Right! In English we use punctuation called quotation marks to show when words are being spoken by someone in particular. What about in this sentence? John, I was hoping to stay a little longer, I said. Assuming these two sentences form a little story, who is speaking now? That s right... Bill! Buzzword: Quotation Marks These,. are QUOTATION MARKS. You always put them around the words people speak. Whatever is inside the quotation marks (words and punctuation) is called DIALOGUE. The rest of the sentence (said John or I said) is called the NARRATIVE. The narrative tells us who is speaking and sometimes gives us more information about what is happening. EXAMPLE: As I walked in the room, I yelled, Is anyone here? There are a few specific things to know when using quotation marks. Pay attention to these examples and look back at them during your exercises if you need help. A. Always begin your dialogue with a capital letter if the quote is a sentence. EXAMPLE: James said, Tell me more about your trip. B. The BROKEN QUOTE: When a quoted sentence of dialogue is divided into two parts with narrative in between, the second part of the dialogue begins with a lower case letter. EXAMPLE: I really was hoping, said Pam, that you would come. Unit 10: The Roosevelt and Taft Administrations - Page 4

C. Sometimes the speaker has more than one sentence to say. EXAMPLE: The state fair is great! cried Janie. Don t you want to go? I do! Each time you write dialogue, you must enclose the entire speech in quotation marks, even if the dialogue consists of fourteen sentences! Please also note that when you have a complete sentence in front of the narrative, you must have a period after the narrative. So this is different from the broken quote we described in part B of these notes. D. Suppose you are writing a sentence which begins with dialogue and ends with narrative. And then suppose that your dialogue is a statement, which would ordinarily end with a period. Here s how you might think it should be done: EXAMPLE: I wish I could go to the state fair. said Bob. Now, I think that sentence looks confusing. We know that a period is a signal to the reader to come to a full stop, right? So, if the reader comes to a full stop after fair, then is he supposed to come to another full stop after Bob? Here s how we solve this problem: we change the period after fair to a comma, so it looks like this: EXAMPLE: I wish I could go to the state fair, said Bob. Buzzword: Change Gear Comma Now it s not confusing at all! We only do this if the punctuation would have been a period. If it is an exclamation mark or question mark, you leave it there. E. When you go from dialogue to narrative or narrative to dialogue - unless there is other punctuation present - you need a comma to change gears from one to the other. EXAMPLE: I asked, Who is your science teacher? (note the location of the comma after asked ) More Copy-editing Symbols: He is my favorite science teacher! yelled Roger. (note there is no change gear comma because there is an exclamation mark) Insert quotation marks and capitalize the word this : I said, this is my quote. The edited sentence would be (edits in yellow): I said, This is my quote. Unit 10: The Roosevelt and Taft Administrations - Page 5

Lesson One H i s tory Overview and Assignments Presidents Roosevelt and Taft Teddy Roosevelt was the youngest of all presidents, and he brought to the White House a youthful energy and hustle such as no President before him. He had strong opinions to which he never hesitated to give voice. Perhaps the most interesting thing in Roosevelt s presidency was the beginning of the Panama Canal. Key People and Events President Theodore Roosevelt Panama Canal Gulf of Darien Oklahoma statehood President William H. Taft New Mexico statehood Arizona statehood Vocabulary President Theodore Roosevelt President William H. Taft isthmus Reading and Assignments Read the article: Presidents Roosevelt and Taft, pages 7-9. Define the vocabulary word in the context of the reading and put the word and its definition in the vocabulary section of your notebook. After reading the article, summarize the story you read by either: Retelling it out loud to your teacher or parent. OR Completing an appropriate notebook page. Either way, be sure to include the answers to the discussion questions and an overview of key people, dates, and events in your summary. Instead of answering discussion questions, complete a biography notebook page on President Theodore Roosevelt. Be sure to include the events and accomplishments during his time as president. Complete a biography notebook page on President William H. Taft. Be sure to include the events and accomplishment during his time as president. Be sure to visit www.artioshcs.com for additional resources. Unit 10: The Roosevelt and Taft Administrations - Page 6

Adapted from the book: This Country of Ours by H. E. Marshall Presidents Roosevelt and Taft Upon McKinley s death Theodore Roosevelt, the vice-president, became president. He was the youngest of all the presidents, being only forty-two when he came into office. Mr. Roosevelt was in the mountains with his wife and children when the news was brought to him that the president was dying. At nine o clock at night he started off on a long drive of thirty-five miles to the railway station. The road was narrow, steep, and full of mud holes, and the drive through the darkness was one of danger. A little after five in the morning the station was reached. Here a special train was waiting which carried the vicepresident to Buffalo as fast as might be. But he was too late to see his president in life. For while he was still on his wild drive through the night, President McKinley had passed peacefully to his last rest. As Mr. Roosevelt was the youngest of all presidents, he brought to the White House a youthful energy and hustle such as no president had before. He had strong opinions to which he never hesitated to give voice, and perhaps since Lincoln no president had been such a forceful leader. Perhaps the most interesting thing in Roosevelt s presidency was the beginning of the Panama Canal. You remember that when Columbus set forth upon the Atlantic, his idea was to reach the east by sailing west. And to the day of his death he imagined that he had reached India by sailing westward. But soon men found out the mistake and began the search for northwest passages by which they might sail past the great continent, and so reach India. The northwest passage, however, proved a delusion. The men turned their attention to the narrow isthmus by which the two vast continents of North and South America are joined. And soon the idea of cutting a canal through this narrow barrier began to be talked of. But time went on, and the Spaniards who held sway over the isthmus did no more than talk. Then an adventurous Scotsman was seized with the idea of founding a colony on the Gulf of Darien. He meant to build a great harbor where all the ships of the world would come. Merchandise was to be carried across the isthmus by camels, and soon his colony would be the key to all the commerce of the world. Such was his golden dream, but it ended in utter failure. Still, the idea grew. Men of many nations began to discuss the possibility of building the canal. And at length the French got leave from the government of Colombia, and work on the canal was begun. But after working for many years the French gave up the undertaking, which was far more difficult and had cost far more money than they had expected. Meanwhile the Americans had become much interested in the scheme, and they had begun to think of cutting a canal through the isthmus at Nicaragua. Then when the French company went bankrupt, they offered to sell all their rights to the Unit 10: The Roosevelt and Taft Administrations - Page 7

canal to the United States. There was a good deal of discussion over the matter, for some people thought that the Nicaragua route would be better. But in the end it was agreed to take over the canal already begun, and go with it. Everything was arranged when the Colombian Senate refused to sign the treaty. By this treaty they were to receive ten million dollars, besides a yearly rent for the land through which the canal ran. But that sum seemed to them now too small, and they refused to sign the treaty unless the money to be paid down should be increased to twenty-five million dollars. This the United States was unwilling to give. Everything came to a standstill, and it seemed as if the Panama scheme would have to be given up, when suddenly a new turn was given to affairs. For the people of Panama rose in rebellion against Colombia and declared themselves a republic. The United States at once recognized the new republic, and before a month had passed a treaty between the United States and the Republic of Panama was drawn up and signed, and the work on the great canal was begun. A good many people, however, were not very pleased at the manner in which the struggle had been ended. They thought that the United States ought not to have taken the part of rebels in such haste. But the president was quite satisfied that he had done the right thing, and that it would have been dishonorable not to help the new republic. In 1902 Mr. Roosevelt had become president by accident. If it had not been for the tragedy of President McKinley s death he would not have come into power, and the thought grieved him somewhat. So when he was again elected president, he was quite pleased. For now he felt that he held his great office because the people wanted him, and not because they could not help having him. Few presidents have grown so much in popularity after coming into office as Mr. Roosevelt. People felt he was a jolly good fellow, and throughout the length and breadth of the land he was known as Teddy. Who is the head of the government? a little girl was asked. Mr. Roosevelt, was the reply. Yes, but what is his official title? Teddy, answered the little one. During this presidency Oklahoma was admitted to the Union as the forty-sixth state. Oklahoma is an Indian word meaning red people. It was part of the Louisiana Purchase and had been set aside as a Native American reservation. All the land, however, was not occupied, and as some of it was exceedingly fertile the nonnatives began to agitate to have it opened to them. So at length the Native Americans gave up their claim to part of this territory in return for a sum of money. This was in 1889, and President Harrison proclaimed that at twelve o clock noon on the 22nd of April the land would be opened for settlement. Long before that day, people set out in all directions to the borders of Oklahoma. On the morning of the 22nd of April, at least twenty thousand people had gathered on the borders. And as soon as the blowing of a bugle announced that the hour of noon had struck, there was a wild rush over the border. Before darkness fell whole towns were staked out. Yet there was not enough land for all, and many had to return home disappointed. Unit 10: The Roosevelt and Taft Administrations - Page 8

The population of Oklahoma went up with a bound but it was not until eighteen years later, in September, 1907, that it was admitted to the Union as a state. In 1909 William H. Taft became president. Mr. Taft had been governor of the Philippines, and had shown great tact and firmness in that post. He and President Roosevelt were friends, and Roosevelt did all he could to further his election. During Mr. Taft s presidency, the last two states were admitted to the Union. Ever since the Civil War New Mexico had been seeking admission as a state, and at one time it was proposed to call this state Lincoln. That suggestion, however, came to nothing, and some years later it was proposed to admit New Mexico and Arizona as one state. To this Arizona objected, and at length they were admitted as separate states, New Mexico on the 6th of January and Arizona on the 11th of February, 1912. Both these states were made out of the Mexican Concession and the Gadsden Purchase. Unit 10: The Roosevelt and Taft Administrations - Page 9