Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th President of the United States, was born on October 27, 1858, to Theodore Roosevelt Sr. and Martha Bullock Roosevelt. As a child, Roosevelt suffered from asthma and was largely homeschooled due to his health. Despite this, he developed a voracious appetite for knowledge, especially in the natural sciences. His interest in nature led him to start a museum in his bedroom, where he would study and mount birds and other specimens he collected.
As a young man, Roosevelt was a member of the upper class and was raised under Victorian society's norms. He was sent to Harvard University and graduated in 1880. After his father's death, he married Alice Lee and they had five children together. He also ventured out west, where he bought a cattle ranch in the Dakota Badlands.
Roosevelt's political career began when he was elected to the New York State Assembly in 1882. He was soon eyed by many as a future Republican leader. However, he retired from politics in 1884 due to a double tragedy - the death of his wife and mother on the same day. He moved to North Dakota and worked on his ranch.
After returning to politics, Roosevelt was appointed to the U.S. Civil Service Commission by President William McKinley. He was then appointed as the assistant secretary of the Navy, where he was a strong advocate for the strengthening of the Navy. When war was declared with Spain in 1898, Roosevelt resigned his post and formed the first U.S. volunteer cavalry regiment, the Rough Riders.
Roosevelt was reelected governor of New York in 1900 and was then nominated for vice president in the 1900 presidential election. When President McKinley was assassinated in 1901, Roosevelt became the 26th President of the United States. As president, he pursued policies focused on breaking up monopolies, preserving wildlife, and expanding the U.S. Navy. He also mediated the Treaty of Portsmouth, which ended the Russo-Japanese War, and negotiated the Panama Canal treaty.
Roosevelt left office in 1909 and went on an African safari with a group of scientists and hunters. Upon his return, he was unhappy with the performance of his successor, William Howard Taft. Roosevelt began to speak loudly of leading a program of new nationalism, which emphasized labor over capital. Despite his retirement, Roosevelt remained an influential figure in American politics.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. Theodore Roosevelt was born on October 27, 1858, in New York City.
2. He was the second child of Theodore Roosevelt Sr. and Martha Bulloch Roosevelt.
3. He had an older sister, Anna, and two younger siblings, Elias and Corinne.
4. Roosevelt suffered from asthma from the age of three.
5. He was homeschooled by tutors due to his poor health.
6. He developed a passion for nature and the outdoors.
7. In 1869, his family embarked on a 12-month tour of Europe.
8. In 1871, his family traveled to the Middle East, visiting Egypt, the Holy Land, Syria, Greece, and Turkey.
9. Roosevelt was fascinated with newspaper stories about the exploits of British explorer Dr. David Livingstone.
10. He began collecting and studying insects and animals.
11. At the age of 16, he started filling his journals with observations about the natural world.
12. His mother regularly took him on trips to the country to alleviate his asthma.
13. In 1872, the Roosevelts made a trip to the Mediterranean.
14. Roosevelt's eyesight was extremely poor, and he discovered this when trying to shoot a billboard.
15. He was given a pair of eyeglasses, which greatly improved his eyesight.
16. He developed a passion for taxidermy and learned to stuff and mount birds.
17. In 1875, he passed the Harvard entrance exams and enrolled as a freshman.
18. He took to college life, involving himself in politics, boxing tournaments, and rowing competitions.
19. He became a skilled debater and was soon invited to join Harvard's most prestigious societies.
20. In 1880, he graduated from Harvard and married Alice Lee.
21. He enrolled in a law degree at Columbia University and worked at his uncle's law firm.
22. In 1881, he decided to write a book about the War of 1812.
23. In 1884, his wife Alice died, and he was devastated.
24. He took a break from politics and moved to the Dakota badlands.
25. He established a cattle ranch and hired a guide named Bill Sewall.
26. In 1886, he captured a group of thieves and took them to the local sheriff.
27. In 1886, he returned east and met Edith Carow, whom he later married.
28. In 1889, he joined the Republican Party and became involved in politics again.
29. In 1897, he was appointed as the Assistant Secretary of the Navy.
30. In 1898, the U.S. warship Maine exploded in Havana Harbor, and Roosevelt took charge of preparing ships for war.
31. He resigned his post and formed the first U.S. Volunteer Cavalry Regiment.
32. He led his men in the Battle of Las Guasimas and the Battle of San Juan Hill.
33. In 1898, he returned to New York and was convinced to run for governor.
34. He won the election and became governor of New York.
35. In 1900, he was nominated for vice president alongside President McKinley.
36. In 1901, President McKinley was shot, and Roosevelt became the 26th President of the United States.
37. He was the youngest man to ever hold the office at the time.
38. He implemented various domestic policies, including breaking up monopolies and preserving natural resources.
39. He established the United States Forest Service and created five national parks.
40. He won the Nobel Peace Prize for mediating the Treaty of Portsmouth.
41. He ran for re-election in 1904 and won with 56% of the popular vote.
42. He did not seek a third term and became a lame-duck president.
43. After leaving office, he went on an African safari with the Smithsonian Institute.
44. In 1912, he ran for president as an independent candidate but lost to Woodrow Wilson.
45. He contracted tropical fever during a South American expedition in 1913-1914.
46. He died on January 6, 1919, at the age of 60, due to a blood clot in the lungs.