Theodore Roosevelt

Theodore Roosevelt Jr. (/ˈroʊzəvɛlt/ ROH-zə-velt;[lower-alpha 2] October 27, 1858 – January 6, 1919), often referred to as Teddy or by his initials, T. R., was an American politician, statesman, conservationist, naturalist, historian, and writer who served as the 26th president of the United States from 1901 to 1909. He previously served as the 25th vice president under President William McKinley from March to September 1901 and as the 33rd governor of New York from 1899 to 1900. Having assumed the presidency after McKinley's assassination, Roosevelt emerged as a leader of the Republican Party and became a driving force for anti-trust and Progressive policies.

Theodore Roosevelt
Portrait by Pach Bros., c. 1904
26th President of the United States
In office September 14, 1901 – March 4, 1909
Vice President	None (1901–1905)[lower-alpha 1] Charles W. Fairbanks (1905–1909)
Preceded by	William McKinley
Succeeded by	William Howard Taft
25th Vice President of the United States
In office March 4, 1901 – September 14, 1901
President	William McKinley
Preceded by	Garret Hobart
Succeeded by	Charles W. Fairbanks
33rd Governor of New York
In office January 1, 1899 – December 31, 1900
Lieutenant	Timothy L. Woodruff
Preceded by	Frank S. Black
Succeeded by	Benjamin Barker Odell Jr.
Assistant Secretary of the Navy
In office April 19, 1897 – May 10, 1898
President	William McKinley
Preceded by	William McAdoo
Succeeded by	Charles Herbert Allen
President of the New York City Board of Police Commissioners
In office May 6, 1895 – April 19, 1897
Appointed by	William Lafayette Strong
Preceded by	James J. Martin
Succeeded by	Frank Moss
Commissioner of the United States Civil Service Commission
In office May 7, 1889[1] – May 6, 1895
Appointed by	Benjamin Harrison
Preceded by	John H. Oberly[2]
Succeeded by	John B. Harlow[3]
Minority Leader of the New York State Assembly
In office January 1, 1883 – December 31, 1883
Preceded by	Thomas G. Alvord
Succeeded by	Frank Rice
Member of the New York State Assembly from the 21st district
In office January 1, 1882 – December 31, 1884
Preceded by	William J. Trimble
Succeeded by	Henry A. Barnum
Personal details
Born	Theodore Roosevelt Jr. (1858-10-27)October 27, 1858 New York City, U.S.
Died	January 6, 1919(1919-01-06) (aged 60) Oyster Bay, New York, U.S.
Resting place	Youngs Memorial Cemetery, Oyster Bay, New York
Political party	Republican (1880–1912, 1916–1919)
Other political affiliations	Progressive "Bull Moose" (1912–1916)
Spouse(s)	Alice Lee ​ ​ (m. 1880; died 1884)​ Edith Carow ​ ​ (m. 1886)​
Children	Alice Theodore III Kermit Ethel Archibald Quentin
Parent(s)	Theodore Roosevelt Sr. Martha Bulloch Roosevelt
Relatives	Roosevelt family
Education	Harvard University (AB) Columbia Law School
Occupation	Author conservationist explorer historian naturalist police commissioner politician soldier sportsman
Civilian awards	Nobel Peace Prize (1906)
Signature
Military service
Branch/service	United States Army
Years of service	1882–1886 (New York National Guard) 1898
Rank	Colonel
Commands	1st U.S. Volunteer Cavalry
Battles/wars	Spanish–American War Battle of Las Guasimas Battle of San Juan Hill
Military awards	Medal of Honor (posthumous, 2001)

This article is part of a series about Theodore Roosevelt
Political positions Electoral history Early life Family The Naval War of 1812 Rough Riders Battle of San Juan Hill 1886 New York City mayoral election 33rd Governor of New York Governorship "The Strenuous Life" 25th Vice President of the United States 1900 McKinley-Roosevelt campaign "Speak softly and carry a big stick" 26th President of the United States Presidency Timeline First term McKinley assassination 1st inauguration Square Deal West Wing Coal strike Booker T. Washington dinner Venezuela crisis Roosevelt Corollary Second term 1904 campaign Election 2nd inauguration Conservation Antiquities Act Forest Service Pure Food and Drug Act FDA Swift & Co. v. United States Meat Inspection Act Treaty of Portsmouth Nobel Prize FBI Panama Canal Great White Fleet 1912 election Republican Convention Progressive Party Convention New Nationalism Assassination attempt Post Presidency African Expedition River of Doubt Expedition "Citizenship in a Republic" WWI volunteers Legacy Memorials Depictions
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A sickly child with debilitating asthma, he overcame his health problems as he grew by embracing a strenuous lifestyle. He integrated his exuberant personality and a vast range of interests and achievements into a "cowboy" persona defined by robust masculinity. He was home-schooled and began a lifelong naturalist avocation before attending Harvard. His book The Naval War of 1812 (1882) established his reputation as a learned historian and popular writer. Upon entering politics, he became the leader of the reform faction of Republicans in New York's state legislature. His wife and mother died on the same night and he was devastated psychologically. He recuperated by buying and operating a cattle ranch in the Dakotas. He served as Assistant Secretary of the Navy under President William McKinley and, in 1898, helped plan the highly successful naval war against Spain. He resigned to help form and lead the Rough Riders, a unit that fought the Spanish army in Cuba to great publicity. Returning a war hero, he was elected governor of New York in 1898. The New York state party leadership disliked his ambitious agenda and convinced McKinley to make Roosevelt his running mate in the 1900 election. Roosevelt campaigned vigorously and the McKinley–Roosevelt ticket won a landslide victory based on a platform of victory, peace, and prosperity.

Roosevelt assumed the presidency at age 42 after McKinley was assassinated in September 1901. He remains the youngest person to become president of the United States. Roosevelt was a leader of the progressive movement and championed his "Square Deal" domestic policies, promising the average citizen fairness, breaking of trusts, regulation of railroads, and pure food and drugs. He prioritized conservation and established national parks, forests, and monuments to preserve the nation's natural resources. In foreign policy, he focused on Central America, where he began construction of the Panama Canal. He expanded the Navy and sent the Great White Fleet on a world tour to project American naval power. His successful efforts to broker the end of the Russo-Japanese War won him the 1906 Nobel Peace Prize. Roosevelt was elected to a full term in 1904 and continued to promote progressive policies. He groomed his close friend William Howard Taft to succeed him in the 1908 presidential election.

Roosevelt grew frustrated with Taft's brand of conservatism and belatedly tried to win the 1912 Republican nomination for president. He failed, walked out, and founded the Progressive Party. He ran in the 1912 presidential election and the split allowed the Democratic nominee Woodrow Wilson to win the election. Following the defeat, Roosevelt led a two-year expedition to the Amazon basin where he nearly died of tropical disease. During World War I, he criticized Wilson for keeping the country out of the war; his offer to lead volunteers to France was rejected. He considered running for president again in 1920, but his health continued to deteriorate. He died in 1919. Polls of historians and political scientists rank him as one of the greatest presidents in American history.