HOME PAGE

 

KAT STORE

 

DVD

 

MUSIC

 

HOT PHOTOS

 

ARTICLES

 

RADIO

 

GUESTBOOK

 

KAT BIO

 

CLASSICAL COMPOSERS

 

REVIEW COPIES

 

LINKS

 

CONTACT KAT

THEODORE ROOSEVELT

THEODORE ROOSEVELT BIOGRAPHY

 

1858-1919

 

Theodore Roosevelt was the youngest President of the United States at the age of 42. He was a statesman, police commissioner, Nobel Peace Prize winner, author, hero, cowboy, soldier, hunter, naturalist, explorer and leader of the Rough Riders! Roosevelt's policy was "SPEAK SOFTLY AND CARRY A BIG STICK."

 

Theodore Roosevelt, known as "Teddy" or "T.R." was born in New York City, NY on October 27, 1858.  From birth until his late teens, Roosevelt suffered greatly from asthma, was a weak and sickly, and was near-sighted, which forced him to wear glasses. His father took him for rides in the night to help him breathe with fresh air and encouraged him to build up his body with strenuous exercises and sports in efforts to build his body and mind. In 1876, Roosevelt was accepted to Harvard College. After graduating, he decided to enter politics and in 1881, at the age of 23, he won election to the first of three terms in the New York State Assembly as a Republican.

 

In 1889, Roosevelt was appointed to the U.S. Civil Service Commission and then in 1895 appointed to the post of N.Y. City Police Commissioner. As Police Commissioner, he modernized the entire police force and monitored the officers suspected of illegal activites.

 

In 1897, Roosevelt became the Assistant Secretary of the Navy, where he began to really show his aggressiveness. As the Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Roosevelt FORCED the U.S. to build up the Navy fleet to get rid of Spainish control from the Western Hemisphere (Cuba and Puerto Rico). In 1898, The U.S. declared war on Spain in the Spanish American War. Roosevelt resigned as Assistant Secretary of the Navy and organized the FIRST UNITED STATES VOLUNTEER CAVALRY REGIMENT, known as the "ROUGH RIDERS". Roosevelt commanded the regiment in CUBA, and on July 1, 1898 led the charge up Kettle Hill, which surrounded the Spanish blockhouse on San Juan Hill, near Santiago, Cuba. He attacked with his troops and captured the hill. He became a national hero and the Rough Riders were nationally famous.

 

Upon his return to New York in 1898, Roosevelt was immediately nominated for governor and won the election due to his war record. Roosevelt described his policy as "SPEAK SOFTLY AND CARRY A BIG STICK." He began implementing numerous reforms, including taxation on corporation franchises, regulation of sweatshops and a conservation program. These reforms infuriated the businessmen who supported the Republicans. So the party forced Roosevelt to accept the Vice-Presidential nomination in 1900 to get rid of him as N.Y. Governor. The Presidential candidate, McKinley and Roosevelt won the election and in 1901, Roosevelt became the Vice-President of the United States.

 

In 1901, only six short months after the inauguration, McKinley was assassinated and at 42 years old, Theodore Roosevelt became the youngest President of the United States and the 26th President. Roosevelt's goals as President were to represent all people: farmers, laborers, businessmen and white-collar workers. Roosevelt started the Square Deal Program, which asked for anti-trust proceedings against big businesses, an attack on social problems, control of the railroads and conservation of natural resources. Roosevelt became known as the "trustbuster" and believed that large businesses were good for the economy, but the government must regulate large corporations, instead of destroying them.

 

Roosevelt worked to make the U.S. a world leader, which included strong armed forces. He strengthened the Navy and kept European nations from interefering in Latin America. Roosevelt believed that civilized nations had the RIGHT to interfere with uncivilized nations to PUSH CIVILIZATION AHEAD. In 1902 during The Venezuela Affair, Roosevelt threatened the Germans to stop from taking over Venezuela. In 1903, Roosevelt acquired the Canal Zone after Panama broke free from Colombia. The Panama Canal was one of Roosevelt's proudest accomplishments: "I took Panama," Roosevelt bragged. Roosevelt was known to greatly broaden the use of the presidency to accomplish his goals.

 

Roosevelt won in 1904 a landslide victory for re-election to the presidency. He then lowered the taxes on imports and made the "Pure Food and Drug Act" and pushed conservation forward. Roosevelt built friendships with the Japanese and offered them to help mediate the Russo-Japanese War, which earned Roosevelt a Nobel Peace Prize in 1906. During his presidency, automobiles, lights and telephones started widespread usage and the Wright Brothers flew the first successful airplane.

 

After finishing his presidency in 1909, Roosevelt went to Africa to hunt big game. After returning to the U.S., Roosevelt saw that President Taft began sliding to the old policies of the Republicans. Roosevelt set his progressive policies in the "New Nationalism" speeches and challenged Taft for the presidential nomination, but failed. In 1912, Roosevelt then started the BULL MOOSE PARTY to attack Taft. On Oct 14, 1912, Roosevelt was shot by a saloonkeeper in an assassination attempt. The bullet hit him in his chest, but the impact was deflected by his glasses case. He STILL went on to deliver his speech that night. Ultimately, Woodrow Wilson won the Presidential election, but Wilson began writing a big section of Roosevelt's ideas into law.

In 1912, Roosevelt wrote his autobiography and in 1913, he went to the River Of Doubt in the Brazilian jungle to explore. He almost died from malaria, but survived, but was severely weakened. In 1914, when the outbreak of World War I started, Roosevelt decided that the U.S. must support the Allies, led by Britain and France against Germany, who he feared could dominated Europe. In 1915, Roosevelt led the movement to prepare the U.S. to go to war. The U.S. declared war against Germany in 1917, but Roosevelt was forced to fight the war at home. On January 6, 1919, Roosevelt died unexpectedly of a blood clot in the heart at Sagamore Hill.

Theodore Roosevelt was one of the greatest, most innovative and rebellious presidents in U.S. history, who enlarged federal power to react to technological revolutions and is one of only four presidents who faces are carved on Mount Rushmore.

 

 

 
The contents of all music, photos, graphics, text and videos are protected by copyright
and may not be used or reproduced without prior express written authorization from the publisher.