Theodore Roosevelt

Theodore (Teddy) Roosevelt (October 27, 1858 – January 6, 1919) was the 26th president of the United States. he is well remembered for his energetic personality, range of interests and achievements, leadership of the progressive movement, model of masculinity, and his "cowboy" image. He was a leader of the Republican Party and founder of the short-lived progressive ("bull moose") party of 1912. Before becoming president (1901–1909) he held offices at the municipal, state, and federal level of government. Roosevelt's achievements as a naturalist, explorer, hunter, author, and soldier are as much a part of his fame as any office he held as a politician.

Born to a wealthy family, Roosevelt was an unhealthy child suffering from asthma who stayed at home studying natural history. In response to his physical weakness, he embraced a strenuous life. He attended Harvard, where he boxed and developed an interest in naval affairs. A year out of Harvard, in 1881 he ran for a seat in the state legislature. His first historical book, the naval war of 1812, published in 1882, established his reputation as a serious historian. After a few years of living in the badlands, Roosevelt returned to New York City, where he gained fame for fighting police corruption. He was effectively running the US department of the navy when the Spanish American war broke out; he resigned and led a small regiment in Cuba known as the rough riders, earning himself a nomination for the Medal of Honor (which was received on the presidents’ behalf January 16, 2001). After the war, he returned to New York and was elected governor; two years later he was nominated for and elected vice president of the United States.

In 1901, President William McKinley was assassinated, and Roosevelt became president at the age of 42, taking office at the youngest age of any U.S. president in history. Roosevelt attempted to move the Republican Party in the direction of progressivism, including trust busting and increased regulation of businesses. Roosevelt coined the phrase "square deal" to describe his domestic Agenda, emphasizing that the average citizen would get a fair shake under his policies. As an outdoorsman and naturalist, 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 out the great white fleet to display American power, and he negotiated an end to the russo-japanese war, for which he won the Nobel Peace Prize. Roosevelt was the first American to win the Nobel Peace Prize.

Roosevelt declined to run for re-election in 1908. After leaving office, he embarked on a safari to Africa and a trip to Europe. On his return to the US, a rift developed between Roosevelt and his anointed successor as president, William Howard Taft. Roosevelt attempted in 1912 to wrest the republican nomination from Taft, and when he failed, he launched the Bull Moose Party. In the election, Roosevelt became the only third party candidate to come in second place, beating Taft but losing to Woodrow Wilson. After the election, Roosevelt embarked on a major expedition to South America; the river on which he traveled now bears his name. He contracted malaria on the trip, which damaged his health, and he died a few years later, at the age of 60. Roosevelt has consistently been ranked by scholars as one of the greatest U.S. presidents.

Presidency 1901–1909

On September 6, President McKinley was shot while at the pan-american exposition in buffalo, New York. Initial reports in the succeeding days suggested his condition was improving, so Roosevelt embarked on a vacation at mount Marcy in upstate New York, across the state from buffalo. He was returning from a climb to the summit on September 13 when a park ranger brought him a telegram informing him that McKinley’s condition had deteriorated, and he was near death.

Official white house portrait by john singer sargentRoosevelt and his family immediately departed to go to buffalo. When they reached the nearest train station at north creek, at 5:22am on September 14, he received another telegram that McKinley had died a few hours earlier. Roosevelt arrived in Buffalo that afternoon, and was sworn in there as president at 3:30pm.

Roosevelt continued McKinley's cabinet and promised to continue McKinley's policies. One of his first notable acts as president was to deliver a 20,000-word address to congressasking it to curb the power of large corporations (called "trusts"). for his aggressive attacks on trusts over his two terms he has been called a "trust-buster."

In the 1904 presidential election, Roosevelt won the presidency in his own right in a landslide victory. His vice president was Charles Fairbanks.

Roosevelt dealt with union workers also. In may 1902, united mine workers went on strike to get higher pay wages and shorter work days. He set up a fact-finding commission which stopped the strike. It resulted in the workers getting more pay for fewer hours.

In 1905, he issued a corollary to the Monroe doctrine, which allows the United States to "exercise international policy power" so they can intervene and keep smaller countries on their feet.

Roosevelt helped the well-being of people by passing laws such as the meat inspection act of 1906 and the pure food and drug act. The meat inspection act of 1906 banned misleading labels and preservatives that contained harmful chemicals in them. The pure food and drug act banned food and drugs that are impure or falsely labeled, from being made, sold, and shipped.

The gentlemen's agreement came into play in 1907, banning all school segregation, yet controlling Japanese immigration in California. That same year, Roosevelt signed the proclamation establishing Oklahoma as the 46th state of the union.

Building on McKinley's effective use of the press, Roosevelt made the white house the center of news every day, providing interviews and photo opportunities. After noticing the white house reporters huddled outside in the rain one day, he gave them their own room inside, effectively inventing the presidential press briefing. The grateful press, with unprecedented access to the white house, rewarded Roosevelt with ample coverage.

He chose not to run for another term in 1908, and supported William Taft for the presidency, instead of Fairbanks. Fairbanks withdrew from the race, and would later support Taft for re-election against Roosevelt in the 1912 election.