Theodore Roosevelt: 26th President: Great Conservationist

Angela loves history and feels it is essential to our future to know the past—or else we're destined to repeat it.

Roosevelt's Sickly Beginnings

Born in New York, New York, to a wealthy family, Theodore Roosevelt grew up as a sickly child with asthma and nearsightedness. He was very thin and weak. He could not attend school; therefore, he was home-schooled by his parents and tutors. Fortunately, due to his father's wealth, they could have a gym upstairs in their home. Despite being sickly, he became an accomplished boxer and worked out a lot.

He married his first wife, Alice Lee, at a young age. They had a daughter named Alice. Unfortunately, in 1884, she died the same day his mother passed away. Alice was only 22 years old. He spent the next two years as a cowboy and rancher for the Dakota Territory in the Badlands, where he drove cattle, hunted big game, and even captured an outlaw. He married his second wife, Edith Carow, in December 1886. They had five more children—Theodore, Kermit, Ethel, Archibald, and Quentin.

Colonel Theodore Roosevelt

Roosevelt's Early Career

Later he moved back to New York, where he worked as a police officer and became well-known for firing cops who were acting illegally. Due to those feeling threatened by him, he gained the nickname "Teddy the Scorcher."

President McKinley took notice of Roosevelt's exceptional qualities and made him Assistant Secretary of the Navy. While in the Navy, as the Spanish-American War began, he organized the Rough Riders cavalry unit, where he acted as a lieutenant colonel and became well known for leading the charge at the battle of San Juan.

His success as Assistant Secretary brought him national attention, and he was soon elected governor of New York. Many people felt intimidated by his strict values and ambition and felt that placing him as Vice-President would get him out of the way. Unbeknownst to them, McKinley would soon be assassinated, leaving Roosevelt as the youngest President to assume the position at age 42. He became the 26th President of the United States. Later he was elected for the following term, allowing him to serve almost two full terms.

Battle of San Juan

Broadened Executive Power

His dynamic personality and strong heart caused him to succeed as President. He felt that the President's job was to be a "steward of the people" and once wrote, "I did not usurp power, but I did greatly broaden the use of executive power." He felt that in the executive position, he should do whatever he could to help the public without breaking the law or going against the Constitution.

Roosevelt felt that it was important not just to look at our nation's issues but stretched his views internationally as well. He recognized a need for a shortcut between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans to ship goods more efficiently around the world. It was then that he sought to have a canal that would connect the two oceans. On June 19, 1902, the Senate voted to build the Panama Canal. Unfortunately, Colombia, which controlled the area, rejected the plan. Roosevelt sent U.S. warships to the site in support of Panamanian independence, which resulted in them gaining their independence on November 3, 1903, which then, in turn, allowed for the construction of the Panama Canal, making the transport of goods much less costly and more efficient.

One of Theodore's greatest frustrations was that of giant trusts. He felt that large companies controlling lucrative industries such as steel and coal should not be allowed to retain so much power. He then decided to enforce antitrust laws because he felt that being unchecked, these companies could become more powerful than the United States government.

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Nobel Peace Prize and a Happier Life

In 1906, he became the first American to win the Nobel Peace Prize, although he did not formally accept the award until after his presidency in 1910. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize because of his efforts to end the conflict between Russia and Japan in 1905. The previous year, Japan had offered the Russians control over Manchuria as long as they could have control over the northern part of Korea. They could not reach an agreement, and Japan officially severed ties and declared war against Russia on February 8, 1904. After a year of fighting, Roosevelt invited both leaders to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, where he, along with the citizens of Portsmouth, encouraged diplomacy between the two nations. His efforts succeeded, resulting in peace between the two countries.

When he accepted the award, he recognized that the only reason Roosevelt could do such a noble act was that he was President and felt slightly unworthy of the award. He attempted to decline the cash portion of the prize, but when they insisted, he donated the funds to help support war relief at the end of World War II.

In addition to his outstanding achievements in international affairs, he was a great conservationist. In the West, he added over 125 million acres to the national forest system, protecting the wilderness lands and their natural resources from destruction.

Not only was he a great leader, but he was also a father of six very unruly children who often made headlines. The younger ones often would slide down the banisters in the White House or walk on stilts inside. They even took a pony upstairs in the White House elevator.

Due to his love for adventure and nature, he went on an African safari and eventually toured the jungles of Brazil after his presidency. He did not stay away from politics too long, for he ran for President a second time, but under the "Bull Moose" party, in which he lost.

A fanatic shot him in the chest during his campaign, but fortunately, he quickly recovered. His response to the tragedy was taken with grace, as he stated, "No man has had a happier life than I have led; a happier life in every way."

Years later, he did die of a pulmonary embolism in Oyster Bay on January 6, 1919.

Fun Facts

• Officially named the White House the White House in 1901, before being called the White House, people referred to it as the President's House, the Executive Mansion, or even the President's Palace.
• The first president to ride in a car during his presidency was photographed on official White House business doing so on August 22, 1902.
• 5th cousin to Franklin D. Roosevelt.
• He was the first American to win the Nobel Peace Prize.
• On November 14, 1906, he became the first president to travel outside the United States on official business. He traveled to Panama.
• The youngest man to ever serve as president, but not the youngest to be elected, that honor goes to John F. Kennedy.
• The teddy bear was named after him.
• Oklahoma became a state while he was in office in 1907, becoming our 46th state.

Basic Facts

Sources

• Building the Panama Canal, 1903–1914 - 1899–1913 - Milestones - Office of the Historian. (n.d.). Retrieved April 21, 2016, from https://history.state.gov/milestones/1899-1913/panama-canal
• Freidel, F., & Sidey, H. (2006). Theodore Roosevelt. Retrieved April 20, 2016, from https://www.whitehouse.gov/1600/presidents/theodoreroosevelt
• King, L. (2016, November 06). Theodore Roosevelt. Retrieved April 21, 2016, from http://abouttheodoreroosevelt.com/roosevelt-peace-prize/291/
• Sullivan, G. (2001). Mr. President: A book of U.S. presidents. New York: Scholastic.
• U.S. Presidential Fun Facts. (n.d.). Retrieved April 20, 2016, from http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/explore/history/presidential-fun-facts/#geo-washington.jpg
• What are some interesting facts about presidents and first ladies? (n.d.). Retrieved April 20, 2016, from https://www.whitehousehistory.org/questions/what-are-some-interesting-facts-about-presidents-first-ladies

© 2016 Angela Michelle Schultz

Comments

CJ Kelly from the PNW on April 21, 2016:

Great Bio. Good hub. Shared.