Theodore Roosevelt, the Spanish-American War, and the Rise of the American Empire (Season Two, Episode Three)
Relevant HistoryShow Notes
Near the turn of the 20th century, the United States’ economy is an international powerhouse, but its military is, at best, a third-rate force. One man aims to leverage that small force to build an empire: Theodore Roosevelt. First as Assistant Secretary of the Navy and then as President, Roosevelt will reform the navy and conquer the remnants of the old Spanish Empire. Beyond that, Roosevelt will transform the nation itself by battling government corruption, supporting the nascent labor movement, and building the Panama Canal. At the end of his presidency, the world’s great powers will be forced to recognize the United States as a peer – one that will play an outsized role in the World War era.
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Chapter One: A New Birth of Freedom – 00:03:48 Chapter Two: The Rise of Roosevelt – 00:29:03 Chapter Three: The Twilight of the Spanish Empire – 01:04:45 Chapter Four: Remember the Maine! – 01:30:41 Chapter Five: The Battle of Manila Bay – 02:06:20 Chapter Six: The Rough Riders and the War for Cuba – 02:25:58 Chapter Seven: The Assassination of William McKinley – 03:01:04 Chapter Eight: Roosevelt the Progressive – 03:28:09 Chapter Nine: Roosevelt the Imperialist – 04:03:19 Chapter Ten: The Bull Moose – 04:38:03
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Episode transcript (90% accurate, includes bibliography): https://bit.ly/4ityHNy/ Complete list of Season Two sources: https://bit.ly/46gwX2O/
Music courtesy of: https://www.youtube.com/@publicdomainclassicalmusic3961/
SOURCES: Barraclough, Geoffrey (ed.) – Harper Collins Atlas of World History Blow, Michael – A Ship to Remember: The Maine and the Spanish-American War Bradford, James C.; Cooper, Diane E., et. al. – Crucible of Empire: The Spanish-American War and Its Aftermath Brands, Henry William; Breen, Timothy H.; Williams, R.H.; Gross, Ariela J. – American Stories: A History of the United States Brinkley, Douglas – The Wilderness Warrior: Theodore Roosevelt and the Crusade for America Cooper, John Milton, Jr. – The Warrior and the Priest: Woodrow Wilson and Theodore Roosevelt Cumings, Bruce – Dominion from Sea to Sea: Pacific Ascendancy and American Power Davis, Paul K. – 100 Decisive Battles: From Ancient Times to the Present Harbaugh, William Henry – Power and Responsibility: The Life and Times of Theodore Roosevelt Johnson, Thomas H. – The Oxford Companion to American History Kinzer, Stephen – The True Flag: Theodore Roosevelt, Mark Twain, and the Birth of the American Empire Locke, John – The Works of John Locke in 9 Volumes, Volume 4 Lord, Walter – The Good Years: From 1900 to the First World War McCullough, David – The Path Between the Seas: The Creation of the Panama Canal 1870-1914 McPherson, James M. – Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era Morris, Edmund (2010) – Colonel Roosevelt Morris, Edmund (1979) – The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt Morris, Edmund (2001) – Theodore Rex Musicant, Ivan – Empire by Default: The Spanish-American War and the Dawn of the American Century Nofi, Albert A. – The Spanish-American War, 1898 O’Toole, George J. A. – The Spanish War: An American Epic 1898 Overy, Richard (ed.) – The Times Complete History of the World Pringle, Henry F. – Theodore Roosevelt: A Biography Rickover, Hyman G. – How the Battleship Maine Was Destroyed Roosevelt, Theodore – The Rough Riders Roosevelt, Theodore; Brands, Henry William (ed.) – The Selected Letters of Theodore Roosevelt Samuels, Peggy; Samuels, Harold – Remembering the Maine Sebag-Montefiore, Simon – Voices of History: Speeches that Changed the World Sondhaus, Lawrence – Naval Warfare, 1815-1914 Tuchman, Barbara –
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