The 1904 Republican National Convention The 1904 Republican Convention was held in the second Coliseum, a new building on South Wabash Avenue. International affairs were the hot topic and domestic affairs came in second. Four women arrived at the convention as delegates--a first, but no plank for women's suffrage was added to the party platform. Theodore Roosevelt, the sitting president following the assassination of President McKinley three years earlier, controlled the convention from beginning to end and was confident of winning his party's nomination. His main rival, Senator Mark Hanna of Ohio, died four months prior to the convention. Roosevelt was widely admired for his colorful and courageous character. When Roosevelt was nominated, a flag used originally to nominate Abraham Lincoln in 1860 was flown followed by a deafening ovation. Roosevelt received all 994 votes on the first ballot. It took just three hours for the Republicans to select the team (Charles Fairbanks was the chosen vice president) that went on to win handily in the general election.

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Al Capone - Chicago Black Sox - A Century of Progress - Chicago Fire
The World's Columbian Exposition - Parades, Protests and Politics
The Pullman Era - The Stockyards
Fort Dearborn (Coming Soon!)

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