Theodore
Roosevelt (1858-1918) 26th
president of the United States (1901-1909) |
|
"Walk
Softly and Carry a Big Stick"
Theodore
Roosevelt was born on October 27th, 1858 in New
York City. In 1880, he graduated from Harvard University
and enrolled in Columbia University's school of
law.
His
political career began in 1882 in the New York State
Assembly. In 1886, after spending three years at
his North Dakota ranch, he returned to New York
City and ran unsuccessfully for mayor. Nevertheless,
his political career continued to blossom. In 1889,
he was appointed to the U.S. Civil Service Commission
by President Benjamin Harrison for which he served
six years. In 1895, he became president of the New
York City Board of Police Commissioners. Two years
later, in 1897, he was appointed assistant secretary
of the Navy by President William McKinley.
In
1898, in the wake of the U.S. war with Spain, Teddy
Roosevelt resigned from the Navy and organized the
first regiment U.S. volunteer cavalry, known as
"Roosevelt's Rough Riders". The "Rough
Riders" were 2,000 specially selected men of
different occupations and backgrounds trained by
Roosevelt in San Antonio, Texas for special combat
against the Spanish in Cuba. On June 20th, 1898,
the "Rough Riders" left for Cuba. They
landed at Daiquiri, Cuba and fought their way toward
the Spanish garrison at Santiago. As they approached
Santiago, the "Rough Riders" were attacked
at San Juan Hill. Despite vigorous resistance from
the Spanish, and mounting casualties, the "Rough
Riders" charged up San Juan Hill, drove back
the Spanish, and forced them to surrender, effectively
ending the war. Teddy Roosevelt was a national hero!
In
1899, after the Spanish-American War, Theodore Roosevelt
was elected governor of New York. Soon after, in
1900, he was nominated as vice presidential candidate
on the Republican ticket. In 1901, he was inaugurated
as William McKinley's vice president. Roosevelt,
however, would occupy the office of vice president
for only a short time. Merely six months after becoming
vice president, President William McKinley was assassinated
in Buffalo, NY. On September 14, 1901, Theodore
Roosevelt was sworn in as America's 26th president.
At the time he took office, he was the youngest
president in the history of the United States.
Theodore
Roosevelt served two eventful terms as president.
In his first term, he supported a rebellion in Panama
that cleared the way for that country's independence
from Colombia, as well as for the U.S. acquisition
of land in Panama that would later be used for construction
of the Panama Canal. He fought vigorously against
corporate corruption, and pushed for the dissolution
of the Northern Securities Company for violating
the Sherman Antitrust Act (forming a monopoly).
In 1905, President Roosevelt helped mediate a peace
treaty between Russia and Japan for which he was
awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. In 1906, Roosevelt
signed the Hepburn Act, which awarded greater powers
to the Interstate Commerce Commission and the federal
Food and Drug Act. Furthermore, Roosevelt started
the U.S. Forest Service and signed the 1906 Antiquities
Act under which he proclaimed 18 national monuments,
5 national parks, 51 wildlife refuges and 150 national
forests. In 1908, the Bureau of Investigation was
created to conduct investigations for the Justice
Department.
After
his second term as president, Teddy spent the rest
of his life exploring and hunting. He died June
4th, 1918. Theodore Roosevelt National Park, in
the Badlands of North Dakota, was dedicated after
his death. Roosevelt was one of four presidents
rendered on Mount Rushmore in South Dakota.
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