Roosevelt’s Conservation—Understanding Information In 1907 President Theodore Roosevelt included the following quotation in his annual message to
Congress. Write V if the statement seems valid based on Roosevelt’s message to Congress and I
if it seems invalid. Correct each invalid statement so that it is true. (Hint: There are three invalid
statements. Don’t forget to correct them!)
8 Points
We are prone to speak of the resources of this country as inexhaustible; this is not so. The
mineral wealth of the country, the coal, iron, oil, gas, and the like, does not reproduce itself,
and therefore is certain to be exhausted ultimately; and wastefulness in dealing with it today
means that our descendants will feel the exhaustion a generation or two before they otherwise would.
1. Roosevelt was unaware of the variety of natural resources in the United States.
2. Roosevelt believed that every mineral resource should be left alone.
3. Roosevelt recognized that some natural resources could be totally used up.
4. Roosevelt believed that conserving resources was vital to future generations.
5. Roosevelt was more concerned with preserving resources for their beauty that using
them intelligently.