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| 1905 |
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| Roosevelt offered his services as mediator between Russia and Japan, and on Aug. 9 the peace conference at Portsmouth, N.H., opened (See Sept. 5). Roosevelt received the Nobel Peace Prize for his role in ending the Russo-Japanese War. | 1 |
| The Industrial Workers of the World was formed under the leadership of socialists like Eugene V. Debs and radical industrial unionists like William D. (“Big Bill”) Haywood (1869–1928), head of the Western Federation of Miners. The organization's membership never exceeded 100,000, but its influence increased following successful strikes in the textile mills of Lawrence, Mass., and Paterson, N.J. | 2 |
| U.S. Steel Corp. built Gary, Ind., the largest planned community ever constructed by an American manufacturer. Rather than follow the Pullman pattern of company-owned houses, U.S. Steel had private contractors build the houses and then sold them to workers on long-term contracts. | 3 |
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| 1906, Jan. 16 |
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| In Europe, Roosevelt was instrumental in bringing about the Algeciras conference (See Jan. 16–April 7). | 4 |
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| June 30 |
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| The Pure Food and Drug Act prohibited the mislabeling and adulteration of foods. | 5 |
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| Oct |
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| The segregation of Japanese schoolchildren in San Francisco schools led to strained relations with Japan; Roosevelt persuaded the school board to revoke its segregation order. In return, Japan declared it was not its practice to issue passports to laborers to come to the United States, though passports were issued for Hawaii, Canada, and Mexico, the holders of which in most cases came to the United States. Japan expressed its intention of continuing this policy, and, relying on this gentlemen's agreement, Congress inserted in the Immigration Act of 1907 a clause authorizing the president to exclude from the continental territory of the United States holders of passports issued by any foreign government to its citizens to go to any country other than the United States. By the Root-Takahira Agreement of Nov. 1908, Japan confirmed “the principle of equal opportunity for commerce and industry in China” and agreed to support the “independence and integrity” of that empire. | 6 |
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