One of the Project XX documentaries, “The Innocent Years” examines the relatively calm and peaceful years in the USA between 1900-1914, featuring Teddy Roosevelt, Vaudeville, the development of movies, and the deployment of U.S. troops in Mexico. In the mid- to late- 1800’s about 599,000 immigrants from Europe came to the USA, the land of opportunity (1:33), the Statue of Liberty (1:11). Streets of New York (2:24). Two women in white dresses; modest forms and bell shaped hoop skirts (2:51). A beer distributor drives a wooden cart loaded with Doelger’s Beer (2:57). Kids jump into the fountain as they often did on extremely hot days (3:32). A bell rings out and the fire department (horse and buggy here) streams out (3:46). Pedestrians watch along the sidewalk, smoking (3:56). The fire department arrives at a pool hall (4:26). William McKinley’s body (4:55) is carried by pall bearers after he was assassinated by anarchist Leon Czolgosz in 1901. Theodore Roosevelt (5:27) took up the Presidency. His home is pictured off Sagamore Hill road in Oyster Bay, New York (5:34). Inside of the home (6:01). Roosevelt hacks at a tree (7:08) and propels a canoe across the lake (7:23). He is pictured with his son Archie (7:59). Factory towns springing up as industry expanded (8:22). Factory workers (8:41). Industry faced child labor issues and little pay for women (8:56) workers. The internal combustion engine (10:01) was developed in 1872. Footage follows of early automobiles considered frivolous and dangerous (12:15). The assembly line developed (13:24) enabling mass production. Ford Model T’s at automobile factory (13:42). The US Custom House is pictured (15:13). Broad street in New York is bustling (15:35) as brokers work on the street corners (15:38). A broker at work on Wall Street (15:44). John D. Rockefeller gained wealth and prominence (15:55). Andrew Carnegie (16:02) became the Czar of steel (16:02). J. P. Morgan of Wall Street follows (16:05). TR delivers a speech to supporters for re-election (16:20). His second wife, Edith (17:15) was his childhood friend. TR worked as the mediator for the Russo-Japanese War (17:30). He is pictured aboard the Presidential yacht; the Mayflower in Oyster Bay (17:36) and meeting with delegates from Russia and Japan (17:54). The USS Columbia (17:56) was part of the great white fleet. 1907 saw the fleet’s first round the world cruise (18:17) . Photographs show TR test flying the Wright Brothers’ plane (19:04). A novel by Mark Twain (19:49). He is pictured having tea with his two daughters (20:11). Circus parade down city streets (21:23). Kids toss rings (22:46). Pie eating contest (22:52). Ocean beach (25:18).A roller coaster (26:47). Luna Park at Coney Island (28:09). William Howard Taft runs for president (28:29). William Jennings Brian takes his campaign trail (29:13). Taft won the election (29:36). Pedestrians at 5th Avenue (30:23). A woman has new shoes fitted (31:00). Feminism took a broad stride into the public eye (32:39). Suffragettes march (32:48). The theater industry boomed (33:28). Lillian Russel (33:41) appears. Thomas Edison brought the invention of the Vitascope (36:34). Scenes follow from ‘The Great Train Robbery’ (36:41). California studios capture Indian flicks out in the sun (37:49). Mary Pickford (38:26), Lillian Gish (38:34), Claire McDowell (38:49) were early film stars. Charlie Chaplin appears (39:02). San Francisco fires raged in April of 1906 (40:41) after a record breaking earthquake. Flooding (42:29) in Ohio and Indiana (42:33). Citizens of Dayton, Ohio canoe through streets (42:41). Martial Law declared (43:16). Roosevelt, in June of 1910, returned to New York (43:51). Roosevelt and Taft fight for domination (44:26) causing the party to split. 1912 saw Roosevelt creating the ‘Bull Moose Party’ (44:58). Woodrow Wilson takes the win (45:52). Wilson ran on curbing the power of the monopoly (46:28). Wilson orders troops to the US border (47:00). National guardsmen and army men bid partners goodbye (47:11). 15000 troops arrive in the Rio Grande (47:38). Gen. John J. Pershing (48:02) ordered troops into the Chihuahua desert. The 11th Cavalry (48:09). The invention of the airplane changed how wars were fought (48:39). WWI broke out overshadowing the border skirmish (49:23) and the US withdrew from Mexico. President Wilson (50:08) readies for the war.

This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com