FREE ESSAY ON TEDDY ROOSEVELT

TEDDY ROOSEVELT

Early Life and Family
Theodore Roosevelt, the second of four children, was born in New York, New York on
October 27, 1858. He was part Dutch, English, Welsh, Scottish, Irish, French, and German.
Because of Roosevelt's poor health, he suffered from asthma and defective vision. He had
great energy, curiosity, and determination like his father. "Teedie" as his family would
call him, loved books and the outdoors. He combined these interests into nature study.
When he was ten and again when he was fourteen, Teedie went with his family on yearlong
trips to Europe and the Middle East. His father built a gymnasium in his house so he
could exercise regularly. His father said that he would need a strong body to give his
mind a chance to develop fully. Over time, Roosevelt overcame his asthma and built up
unusual physical strength.
On October 27, 1880, Roosevelt married Alice Hathaway. They were a happily married couple
for about 3 years until she died on February 13, 1884, following a baby girl the next day
named, Alice Roosevelt's mother died on the same day as Theodore's wife. Baby Alice
survived, and was subsequently married in a lavish White House ceremony to Nicholas
Longworth.
Meanwhile, Roosevelt married his childhood sweetheart, Edith Kermit Carow, in London. She
was an intelligent, sensitive and cultivated woman. Resignedly, she accepted many of her
husband's most disruptive decisions, such as his break with the Republican Party in 1912.
She gave four sons-Theodore, Jr.; Archibals; Quentin; and a daughrt Ethel. The energetic
kids in the Roosevelt family were the liveliest group of children to live in the White
House.
Details of Presidential Life
September 14, 1901 Roosevelt took the oath of office at Buffalo and became the
twenty-sixth President of the United States. At age 42, he was the youngest man to hold
that office. In May of 1902, Crater Lake National Park was established. Other National
Parks established by Roosevelt are Windy Cave National Park, South Dakota; Sullys Hill,
North Dakota; Platt National Park, Oklahoma; and Mesa Verde National Park. In November of
1903, Roosevelt signed the Treaty with Panama for building the Panama Canal.
In November of 1904, Theodore Roosevelt was reelected president over Democrat Alton B
Parker. The first major achievement of Roosevelt's second term was the Hepburn Act of
1906, which gave the Interstate Commerce Commission power to fix railroad rates and to
prohibit discrimination among shippers. During the last two years of Roosevelt's
presidency, Republican leaders defied him almost continuously. Finally on January 31,
1908, Roosevelt lashed back in one of the most bitter and radical presidential messages
on record. He said that the representatives of "predatory wealth" were thwarting his
program. 
In 1902, Roosevelt gave his support to the Democratic-sponsored Newlands Act. Under his
authority 30 immigration projects, inculding Roosevelt Damn in Arizona, were begun or
completed during his presidency. In October of 1912, Roosevelt was shot and wounded in an
assassination attempt during a characteristically aggressive campaign. But Democratic
governor of New Jersey, Woodrow Wilson, received 42% of the popular votes and won
overpowering in the Electoral College.
Early Jobs / Career Goals Prior to Presidency
When Theodore was 23, he was elected to serve his first term in the New York State
Assembly. As the leader of a minority of reform-minded Republicans, he pushed through a
number of "good government" bills.
From 1884 to 1886, Roosevelt took up his lonely time by writing history and by operating
a cattle ranch in the Dakota Territory, where he earned the respect of cowhands and
ranchers. In the fall of 1886, he returned east to run for mayor of New York against
Congressman Abram S. Hewitt and the economist Henry George. Hewitt won decisively, while
Roosevelt finished a poor third.
In 1887, Roosevelt was named Assistant Secretary of the Navy by President William
McKinley. With this important job, Roosevelt worked behind the scenes for war against
Spain. In 1878, Roosevelt resigned to accept a lieutenant colonelcy in the 1st U.S.
Volunteer Calvary - the "Rough Riders". He led the Rough Riders in a heroic charge up
Kettle Hill in the battle for San Juan.
As head of the commission, Roosevelt was being lead by the belief that the spoils system
was a "fruitful source of corruption" that kept "decent men" out of politics. The
business community's resentment of Roosevelt's tax and other programs prompted "Boss"
Platt to try to ease him out of the state. Platt tried to talk Roosevelt into running for
vice-president on the ticket with President McKinley in 1900. The office of
vice-president had been vacant because of the death of Vice President Garret Hobart in
1899. Roosevelt didn't sound amused about running for vice president because he liked
being governor and he viewed the position as unchallenging. Roosevelt's good friend,
Senator Henry Cabot Lodge encouraged him to take the vice presidency as a possible
stepping stone to the presidency. Finally, Roosevelt ran for vice president. Because he
was so popular throughout the nation, he was nominated easily.
Roosevelt campaigned strenuously and was sept into the vice presidency by the McKinley
landslide. Six months into his second term, McKinley was assassinated at Buffalo, New
York.
Details of Campaign
In the summer of 1898, Roosevelt returned to New York to run for governor. He won by
fewer than 20,000 votes. Roosevelt became the best governor of New York at that time
because of enthusiasm and support by a public opinion. While governor, Roosevelt upgraded
teachers' salaries, spurred passage of a bill to outlaw racial discrimination in public
schools, and made a stab at arresting the blight of the slums. Finally, he took steps to
preserve the wildlife, forests and natural beauty of his state.
Educational Background
Roosevelt studied under tutors until he entered Harvard University at the age of 18. He
taught himself how to ride, box, and shoot. He began to work on a book of scholarly
Merit, The Naval War of 1812, which was published two years after he received his B.A.
degree in 1880.
Final Analysis of Effectiveness during Presidency
Some of Theodore's most effective achievements were in conservation. He added
tremendously to the national forests in the West, reserved land for public use, and
fostered great irrigation projects, in foreign affairs. He led us into the arena of
international power politics. He expanded the powers and responsibilities of the
presidential office. He reversed the traditional federal policy of laissez-faire, and
sought to bring order, social justice, and fair dealings to American industry and
commerce.
The Death of Theodore Roosevelt
Recurring bouts with malarial fever took Roosevelt's strength during his last years. He
was also hospitalized with rheumatism. On January 6, 1919, Theodore Roosevelt died at
home in his sleep. He was buried without eulogy, music, or military honors in a plain oak
casket at Sagamore Hill.
Bibliography
Bibliography
Burton, David H., Theodore Roosevelt (G.K. Hall 1973).
Collin, Richard H., Theodore Roosevelt, Culture, Diplomacy, and Expansion: A New View of
American Imperialism (La. State Univerity Press 1985)
Cutright, Paul R., Theodore Roosevelt: The Making of a Conservationist (University of
Ill. Press 1985)
Harbough, William H., The Life and Times of Theodore Roosevelt, rev. ed. (Oxford 1975).
Markham, Lois, Theodore Roosevelt (Chelsea House 1985).
Miller Nathan, Theodore Roosevelt: A Life (Morrow 1992)
Morris, Edmund, The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt (Ballantine 1980).
Roosevelt, Theodore, Autobiography of Theodore Roosevelt (Da Capo 1985).