Theodore Roosevelt was a man uniquely suited to the role he played in American history. He became president of the United States at the crucial crossroads of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. At the turn of the century, the United States faced countless problems due to the effects of the Industrial Revolution on society and politics. Reforms were needed, and it took a man of great vision and ambition to bring about the changes the American public sought. Roosevelt was the kind of man America needed to improve living standards, gain purity in democracy, create fairness in business practices, protect the natural environment, and earn the respect of foreign nations during the rise of the United States to global power. Teddy Roosevelt was in charge of America as it galloped to lead the world in the twentieth century; and with his broad progressive ideals and clear foresight of the nation's path, he achieved notable success. In many ways, he can be considered the first modern president, as he addressed many problems faced by the nation during his time and set the standards we still follow today. As Roosevelt's first major act as president, he focused primarily on separating the Northern Securities fund formed from the economic powers of the day. Roosevelt witnessed the monopoly that had formed and acted quickly to extinguish it before any more trusts of this magnitude could form. In 1903, he asked Congress to create the Department of Commerce and a Bureau of Corporations to investigate possible business trusts and prevent illegal practices. This allowed smaller businesses a greater chance of success by creating an opportunity...... middle of paper .. ....he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. During the transition from the 19th to the 20th century, America needed a leader who would address the nation's concerns as it entered the modern era. The industrial revolution raised many economic concerns such as the formation of monopolies. This revolution also raised issues of land conservation and preservation at a time when natural resources were being consumed at rates never before seen in the world. And foreign policy needed reform as America continued to establish itself as a major world power. Teddy Roosevelt was the kind of leader the nation needed to address these challenges and create solutions to the daunting problems of his time. It was TR's great ambition that led the United States into the modern era, and his legacy branded him as America's first modern leader. executive.