On September 2, 1901, Teddy Roosevelt used the phrase "speak softly, and carry a big stick" to describe his foreign policy. Big Stick diplomacy defined his presidency.
Big Stick policy, in American history, policy popularized and named by Theodore Roosevelt that asserted U.S. domination when such dominance was considered the moral imperative.
Roosevelt used this phrase to explain his relations with domestic political leaders and his approach to such issues as the regulation of monopolies and the demands of trade unions.
