(1858–1919). The 26th president of the United States was Theodore Roosevelt. He served as vice president under President William McKinley and took office upon the assassination of McKinley in 1901. Roosevelt introduced reforms and made the United States a strong presence in international affairs. He was an energetic man with many different interests. He was a writer, soldier, explorer, and hunter as well as a politician. Early lifeTheodore Roosevelt was born in New York City on October 27, 1858. He was the second of four children born into a wealthy family. Theodore showed a strong interest in natural history from an early age. He graduated from Harvard College in 1880. In the same year he married Alice Hathaway Lee, with whom he had a daughter. Frail and sickly as a boy, Roosevelt later developed a strong body through a program of regular exercise. He became a lifelong believer in strenuous physical and mental activity. He used his enormous energy both as an outdoorsman and as a politician. Political careerAfter briefly studying law at Columbia University Roosevelt decided to go into politics. In 1881, when he was only 23 years old, he was elected to the New York State legislature as a Republican. Roosevelt left politics in 1884 after his young wife and his mother died on the same day. He spent two years on his cattle ranch in the Dakota Territory. In 1886 Roosevelt married a childhood friend, Edith Kermit Carow. He lived with her for the rest of his life at an estate on Long Island, New York. They had five children. Roosevelt ran for mayor of New York City in 1886. He lost the election but remained active in politics. In 1895 he was appointed president of the New York City Board of Police Commissioners. In this position he took a strong stand against corruption. From war hero to presidentAfter two years as police commissioner Roosevelt was named assistant secretary of the United States Navy by President McKinley. During this period the United States was on the verge of war with Spain over the island of Cuba. When war was declared in 1898 Roosevelt organized a volunteer cavalry regiment that was sent to fight in Cuba. The volunteers were known as Rough Riders because many of them were cowboys. A brave military leader, Roosevelt emerged from the Spanish-American War as a national hero. After returning home Roosevelt was elected governor of New York. In 1900 he was nominated as President McKinley's running mate. McKinley was reelected, but he died on September 14, 1901, a week after being shot by an assassin. Roosevelt was sworn in as his successor. In 1904 he was elected president in his own right. PresidencyDomestic affairsRoosevelt called his presidential program the Square Deal. He used the term to describe his goal of peaceful relations between big business and labor unions. In 1902 Roosevelt helped to end a coal strike in Pennsylvania. He pressured the mine owners to enter negotiations with the workers. A special commission created by the president settled the dispute in a way that was acceptable to both sides. Roosevelt also worked to prevent big business combinations, popularly known as “trusts,” from becoming too powerful and stopping smaller companies from competing freely. In 1903 a Bureau of Corporations was formed to investigate trusts. One industry in particular that needed broader controls was the railroads. Roosevelt urged Congress to pass a law that gave the Interstate Commerce Commission the power to regulate railroad rates. Roosevelt's boldest actions involved his efforts to protect the country's natural resources. He set aside vast lands as national forests. He wanted to make the lands off-limits to companies looking for lumber, minerals, or water power. The Forest Service was created in 1905 to oversee the national forests. Roosevelt's refusal to shoot a bear cub on a hunting trip in 1902 inspired a toy maker to name a stuffed bear after him. The teddy bear fad soon swept the nation. Foreign policyIn foreign affairs Roosevelt's policy was to “speak softly and carry a big stick.” By this he meant that the United States should be fair in its dealings with other countries but must always be ready to protect its interests. He built the United States Navy into a major sea power and made the Army more modern and efficient. Roosevelt followed his “big stick” policy in 1903 when he helped Panama plan a revolution against Colombia. After Panama became independent, the United States began building the Panama Canal. Roosevelt considered the construction of the canal his greatest accomplishment as president. Roosevelt believed in the enforcement of the Monroe Doctrine, which President James Monroe first announced in 1823. This policy stated that the United States would not permit any European nation to become involved in events on the two American continents. Roosevelt expanded the Monroe Doctrine to say that the United States would make sure that Latin American countries fulfilled their agreements with other countries. He acted on this policy by forcing the Dominican Republic to pay debts owed to European countries. In 1905 Roosevelt brought about a peace conference between warring Russia and Japan. For this service he was awarded the Nobel peace prize in 1906. Later yearsRoosevelt's term ended in March 1909. Upon leaving office he went on a 10-month hunting trip in Africa and then toured Europe. After his return home he was drawn back into politics. In 1912 he ran unsuccessfully against President William Howard Taft for the Republican presidential nomination. He then founded the Progressive party and ran for president as its candidate. Both he and Taft were defeated by the Democrat Woodrow Wilson. After this defeat Roosevelt wrote his autobiography and later led an expedition into the Brazilian jungle. When World War I broke out in 1914, he became a strong supporter of the Allied cause. Roosevelt died in New York on January 6, 1919. |