Happy Birthday TR
On October 27, 1858 (154 years ago today) Theodore Roosevelt Jr., the 26th President of the United States, was born in New York City, the second of four children and the oldest son. For me, when I think of TR, the phrase "larger than life" comes to mind. He is remembered for his exuberant personality, his vast range of interests and achievements, his leadership of the Progressive Movement, and his "cowboy" persona.
Before becoming President, Theodore (he hated to be called "Teddy", so I try to honour that request) held offices at the city, state, and federal levels. These included State Assemblyman, New York City Police Commissioner, Assistant Secretary of the Navy and Governor of New York. Roosevelt achieved much as a conservationist (or what we would today call an environmentalist), as an explorer, hunter, author, and soldier.
Born into a wealthy family in New York City, Roosevelt was a sickly child who suffered from asthma and stayed at home studying natural history. To compensate for his physical weakness, he embraced a strenuous life which included learning to box. He was home-schooled, where he became an eager student of nature. He later attended Harvard University, where he studied biology, boxed and developed an interest in naval affairs. In 1881, one year out of Harvard, he was elected to the New York State Assembly, where he became a leader of the reform faction of his Republican party. In 1882 he wrote The Naval War of 1812 which established his reputation as a historian.
On Valentine's Day in 1884, his first wife Alice and his mother Martha died on the same day. He was quite depressed abd left politics to go to the frontier, where he became a rancher in the "Badlands" in the Dakotas. In 1886 he returned home, where he ran unsuccessfully for mayor of New York City in 1886, finishing third with 60,000 votes. He later became city police commissioner where he embarked on a vigorous program of reform.
The Spanish–American War broke out in 1898 while Roosevelt was the Assistant Secretary of the Navy. He resigned his position and formed the Rough Riders – a volunteer cavalry regiment that fought in Cuba. He returned from the war as a hero and was elected Governor of New York in 1898.
In 1900 was nominated for and was elected vice president on a ticket with President William McKinley. The two campaigned on a platform of high tariffs, the gold standard, imperialism, prosperity at home and victory abroad.
In 1901, President William McKinley was assassinated and Roosevelt became President at the age of 42. He remains as the youngest person to become president (though not the youngest elected to the office). Roosevelt attempted to move the Republican Party toward Progressivism. His policies included trust (monopoly) busting and increased regulation of businesses. In 1904 Roosevelt was elected to a full term of his own, becoming the first person every to become president following the death of a president and later elected on his own. He won the largest percentage of the popular vote since the uncontested election of 1820. Roosevelt coined the phrase "Square Deal" to describe his domestic agenda, emphasizing that the average citizen would get a fair share under his policies. He promoted the conservation movement. On the world stage, Roosevelt's policies were characterized by his slogan, "Speak softly and carry a big stick". Roosevelt was the force behind the completion of the Panama Canal. He sent the US Navy on a world tour to demonstrate American power and he negotiated an end to the Russo-Japanese War, for which he won the Nobel Peace Prize.
At the end of his second term, Roosevelt promoted his friend William Howard Taft for the 1908 Republican nomination. He toured Africa and Europe. On his return in 1910 he broke with Taft and ran against Taft in the 1912 election, running for the Bull Moose Party. He was wounded in an assassination attempt during the campaign and lost to Democrat Woodrow Wilson.
Roosevelt led a major expedition to the Amazon jungles but contracted diseases which ruined his health. He died relatively young at the age of 60 on January 6, 1919. He died in his sleep at his home in Oyster Bay, New York of a coronary thrombosis (heart attack). He was buried in nearby Youngs Memorial Cemetery. Upon receiving word of his death, his son Archie telegraphed his siblings simply, "The old lion is dead." The U.S. vice president, Thomas R. Marshall, said "Death had to take Roosevelt sleeping, for if he had been awake, there would have been a fight." Roosevelt is one of four presidents immprtalized in stone on the face of Mount Rushmore, South Dakota.
Before becoming President, Theodore (he hated to be called "Teddy", so I try to honour that request) held offices at the city, state, and federal levels. These included State Assemblyman, New York City Police Commissioner, Assistant Secretary of the Navy and Governor of New York. Roosevelt achieved much as a conservationist (or what we would today call an environmentalist), as an explorer, hunter, author, and soldier.
Born into a wealthy family in New York City, Roosevelt was a sickly child who suffered from asthma and stayed at home studying natural history. To compensate for his physical weakness, he embraced a strenuous life which included learning to box. He was home-schooled, where he became an eager student of nature. He later attended Harvard University, where he studied biology, boxed and developed an interest in naval affairs. In 1881, one year out of Harvard, he was elected to the New York State Assembly, where he became a leader of the reform faction of his Republican party. In 1882 he wrote The Naval War of 1812 which established his reputation as a historian.
On Valentine's Day in 1884, his first wife Alice and his mother Martha died on the same day. He was quite depressed abd left politics to go to the frontier, where he became a rancher in the "Badlands" in the Dakotas. In 1886 he returned home, where he ran unsuccessfully for mayor of New York City in 1886, finishing third with 60,000 votes. He later became city police commissioner where he embarked on a vigorous program of reform.
The Spanish–American War broke out in 1898 while Roosevelt was the Assistant Secretary of the Navy. He resigned his position and formed the Rough Riders – a volunteer cavalry regiment that fought in Cuba. He returned from the war as a hero and was elected Governor of New York in 1898.
In 1900 was nominated for and was elected vice president on a ticket with President William McKinley. The two campaigned on a platform of high tariffs, the gold standard, imperialism, prosperity at home and victory abroad.
In 1901, President William McKinley was assassinated and Roosevelt became President at the age of 42. He remains as the youngest person to become president (though not the youngest elected to the office). Roosevelt attempted to move the Republican Party toward Progressivism. His policies included trust (monopoly) busting and increased regulation of businesses. In 1904 Roosevelt was elected to a full term of his own, becoming the first person every to become president following the death of a president and later elected on his own. He won the largest percentage of the popular vote since the uncontested election of 1820. Roosevelt coined the phrase "Square Deal" to describe his domestic agenda, emphasizing that the average citizen would get a fair share under his policies. He promoted the conservation movement. On the world stage, Roosevelt's policies were characterized by his slogan, "Speak softly and carry a big stick". Roosevelt was the force behind the completion of the Panama Canal. He sent the US Navy on a world tour to demonstrate American power and he negotiated an end to the Russo-Japanese War, for which he won the Nobel Peace Prize.
At the end of his second term, Roosevelt promoted his friend William Howard Taft for the 1908 Republican nomination. He toured Africa and Europe. On his return in 1910 he broke with Taft and ran against Taft in the 1912 election, running for the Bull Moose Party. He was wounded in an assassination attempt during the campaign and lost to Democrat Woodrow Wilson.
Roosevelt led a major expedition to the Amazon jungles but contracted diseases which ruined his health. He died relatively young at the age of 60 on January 6, 1919. He died in his sleep at his home in Oyster Bay, New York of a coronary thrombosis (heart attack). He was buried in nearby Youngs Memorial Cemetery. Upon receiving word of his death, his son Archie telegraphed his siblings simply, "The old lion is dead." The U.S. vice president, Thomas R. Marshall, said "Death had to take Roosevelt sleeping, for if he had been awake, there would have been a fight." Roosevelt is one of four presidents immprtalized in stone on the face of Mount Rushmore, South Dakota.