Mrs. Ruland's U.S. History Class Project
Teddy Roosevelt's Big Stick Policy
Serving as president from September 1901 to March 1909, Theodore Roosevelt developed his slogan, "speak softly and carry a big stick." The slogan came to be a policy which amended the Monroe Doctrine. The basic idea of the Big Stick Diplomacy was for the US Navy to help maintain foreign affairs when the foreign countries could not hold their own. The policy was simply a military threat behind all domestic affairs. This ideal was added to the Monroe Doctrine, which said that European involvement in the Western World could be opposed. Most of the foreign countries Teddy Roosevelt was determined to help were in Latin America, such as Panama and Cuba. The Big Stick Policy is said to be the defining act of Roosevelt's presidency.
Theodore Roosevelt Association
A Study Sphere Award of Excellence web site, this page covers everything from the life of Theodore Roosevelt to his political career. It includes a collection of his speeches and even allows you to hear several. This site is easy to navigate but full of information, some of it being primary sources written by Roosevelt himself.
Theodore Roosevelt's "Big Stick" Policy
An article written by Theodore Roosevelt in September 1914.
Biography of Theodore Roosevelt
This site, which is part of the White House’s homepage, gives the political aspects of Roosevelt’s career. It reviews his Big Stick Policy and the events following Roosevelt’s use of the proverb in the following historical events that transpired in the early 1900’s.
TR's Big Stick: The Great White Fleet's Voyage
This site gives insight upon the Great White Fleet and how it began with Roosevelt’s mention of the Big Stick. As one of the worldwide events that the Big Stick Policy was portrayed in, the author mentions how the policy promoted “peace through strength” worldwide.
Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919)
This web site presents a general overview of Theodore Roosevelt’s presidency. The Main Idea focuses on his involvement in foreign affairs and mentions the big stick quote, but does not name his involvement as “The Big Stick Policy”.
Why We Should Study Theodore Roosevelt
Despite the title, the article does more than persuade the reader to study Theodore Roosevelt. Time Magazine used an online version of a magazine article to portray Roosevelt as one of the times most effective reformers.
Roosevelt's Big Stick Diplomacy: 1899-1908
SparkNotes provides a timeline of the Big Stick Diplomacy, which includes many of the occurrences in which crucial decisions were affected by Roosevelt’s policy. In also includes brief synopses of some of the major events during the Big Stick Diplomacy and a summary of the policy and why Roosevelt chose to utilize it.
Roosevelt, Theodore - The World Almanac for Kids
This entire article is a history of Theodore Roosevelt, but only the foreign policy section will be useful in determining the reform aspect in Roosevelt’s Big Stick Policy.
This web site includes a political cartoon with a precise description that relates the Big Stick Policy to the Monroe Doctrine.
Historian Walter LaFeber on the Roosevelt Corollary
Historian Walter LaFeber gives an audio real on the Roosevelt Corollary, as well as in writing, coming from the Public Broadcasting System.
Last updated March 28, 2008
© Marcella Ruland 1998-2008, All rights reserved
