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William McKinley Assassination
William McKinley is assassinated by an anarchist at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York, and dies a few days later of gangrene. His Vice President, Theodore Roosevelt, was hiking in Vermont at the time of the assassination and rushed to Buffalo to be at McKinley's side. -
Theodore Roosevelt Becomes President
As McKinley’s VP, 42 year-old Roosevelt took office and became the nation’s youngest person to hold the Presidency in United States history. He was sworn in at the Ansley Wilcox House in Buffalo, New York. -
Crater Lake Becomes a National Park
Roosevelt signed legislation that created Crater Lake as a national park in Oregon, making it the sixth national park in the United States. This park was designed to protect the unique geological features as well as the scenic beauty of the lake, which was formed by the collapse of Mount Mazama. -
Isthmian Canal Act
Theodore Roosevelt signed the Isthmian Canal Act, which authorized the construction of a canal connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans through Panama. This act called for the funding of assets from the New Panama Canal Company of France. -
Department of Commerce and Labor Established
Roosevelt established the Department of Commerce and Labor as part of a broader Progressive Era agenda. This department aimed to investigate business practices, promote fair trade, and address labor issues. This was largely in response to the rise of powerful corporations and a growing concern of workers’ rights. -
Panama Declares Independence from Colombia
Panama declared its independence from Colombia with support from the United States, who sought control of the Isthmus of Panama to construct the Panama Canal. The Panamanian revolutionaries established the Republic of Panama and the US recognized it three days later. -
The Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty is Signed
The Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty was signed between the United States and Panama to give the US the right to build and operate the Panama Canal in a designated Canal Zone, which was a ten mile wide strip of land. -
Gonzales v. Williams
Isabel Gonzales, a Puerto Rican woman, was denied entry at Ellis Island despite being from a US territory. The Supreme Court ruled that Gonzales was not an alien and could not be denied entry, but didn’t explicitly say that she was a US Citizen. Therefore, under the Immigration Act of 1891, Puerto Ricans were not considered aliens. -
Roosevelt Wins 1904 Election
Roosevelt easily defeated Parker in the 1904 election where he had a popular vote margin of 18.8%, which was the largest margin between 1820 and 1920. Parker even lost his home state of New York. -
Portsmouth Treaty is Signed
Japan requested Roosevelt’s assistance in mediating a peace agreement between Japan and Russia, after Japan was struggling financially. The negotiations took place in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and ended the war, giving Japan dominance in Korea and Manchuria. -
Oklahoma Enabling Act
Roosevelt signs the Oklahoma Enabling Act, which created a compromise allowing Oklahoma to join with Indian Territory to form one state. The people of New Mexico and Arizona were also enabled to form a constitution and State government through this act, and led to them eventually being admitted to the Union. -
Roosevelt Visits Panama Canal
President Roosevelt became the first US President to make a diplomatic visit by going to the Panama Canal to view its construction. He wrote a letter to his son, describing the hardworking Americans that were making the project possible, after several setbacks due to accidents and diseases.