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  Politician, environmentalist, Nobel 

Prize recipient, adventurer, soldier, 

reformer: Theodore, "Teddy", 

Roosevelt did it all. He was so well 

liked and respected that even today, 

almost 100 years after his death, 

many Americans rank him up among 

the likes of George Washington and 

Abraham Lincoln. One must only 

look around to see his influence, and 

his face will forever stare down from 

its regal perch at Mt. Rushmore. 

     With this imposing image in mind, I began 

my research. What I learned exceeded any 

expectations that I had created. Not only did I 

learn about Roosevelt as a public figure, but I 

also learned about the man behind 

that image, and the amazing

personality and morality that 

powered them both.

Theodore Roosevelt was born on 

October 27, 1858 in New York City 

into a wealthy family. He was very 

sickly and suffered from bad asthma. 

During his early years, Roosevelt 

nurtured a love and fascination with 

nature, which he would carry with 

him into his adult life. Due to his 

bodily weaknesses, Roosevelt was 

taught at home, and he was strongly 

influenced by his father, who 

ingrained in his young son the 

importance of courage.

As a teenager, Theodore began 

exercising and weightlifting to 

improve his strength and stamina, 

much affected by perpetual 

childhood illness. He developed the 

active and robust lifestyle which 

later became a key part of his social 

image. Educated as an 

undergraduate at Harvard College, 

young Roosevelt briefly attended 

Columbia University Law School 

before leaving the world of formal 

education behind in favor of public 

service.

Theodore Roosevelt began his 

political career as a member of 

the NY state assembly. He also 

served as president of the New 

York City Board of Police 

Commissioners, on a ranch, 

and in the Navy before joining 

the "Rough Riders" at the 

outbreak of the Spanish-

American War. It was his 

courageous leadership with 

these Rough Riders that 

helped make "Teddy" a war 

hero and a household name. 

After returning from the Spanish-American War, 

Roosevelt used his new-found fame to 

successfully win the bid for the governorship of 

NY. It was from this platform that he was chosen 

to be the running mate for Republican 

presidential nominee William McKinley. The pair 

won the presidency in 1901. Later that year, 

McKinley was assassinated, and Theodore 

Roosevelt became the youngest American 

president in history. He was elected to a second 

term in 1904.

As president, Theodore Roosevelt was  

revolutionary. He redefined the 

presidential position and helped to create 

the modern "big government" presidency 

that we have today. Roosevelt 

recognized the opportunities available to 

him to influence the American people- 

and he took advantage. He developed a 

close working relationship with the press 

and used his position and his "bully 

pulpit" to help reform popular American 

views.

Active and robust, Roosevelt brought 

an energy to the White House not 

seen before. To the American 

people, he seemed the ideal hero 

with his wild west experience and 

soldierly bravery. Roosevelt was not 

afraid to be firm in pursuit of his 

goals, yet he had a personality that 

drew people in. Despite his strong 

progressive stance, Theodore was 

popular with the American people, 

Democratic and Republican alike. 

Domestically, the president focused 

on reform. Roosevelt was very 

progressive, so much so that he 

often created controversy within his 

own party. He used the government 

as an "equalizer", protecting the 

rights of the American worker and 

consumer, and mediating between 

large corporations and their 

employees. He also supported 

woman's suffrage and was the first 

president to invite and host an 

African-American in the White 

House.

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