Few believed that the frail, asthmatic little
boy who loved to collect insects would amount to anything special, much less the youngest
and most robust president in US history. Theodore Roosevelt’s transformation from
sickly child to master of the bully pulpit and the ultimate symbol of American strength
and vitality is an inspiring story of the power of self determination. In this week’s Biographics we uncover his
story. Early Life Theodore Roosevelt, the future 26th President
of the United States, was born in New York City on October, 27th, 1858 to Theodore Roosevelt
Senior and Martha Bulloch Roosevelt. Roosevelt, senior was one of the leading citizens
of New York City. Theodore Junior, who was known as Teedie was
the second child to the affluent couple, who lived in a luxurious home on Manhattan Island. Teedie had a sister, Anna, who was four years
older than him. A younger brother, Elliot, would follow two
years later, and then another sister, Corrine, a year after that. Teedie suffered from asthma from the age of
three. His condition was so bad that he spent much
of his early years in bed. Unable to attend school, his parents hired
tutors to teach him from home. Despite his illness, young Teedie relished
the opportunity to learn. Once he had learned to read, he became a voracious
devourer of books. He loved to fill his mind with tales of such
Nordic heroes as King Olaf and Eric the Red. He was also fascinated with newspaper stories
about the exploits of the famous British explorer Dr. David Livingstone. Teedie was a dreamer and he filled his mind
with dreams of tracking through uncharted territories and discovering untamed tribes. Young Teedie showed an unusual curiosity about
the natural world. One day, on a trip to the market, he came
across a dead seal in a butcher’s stall. He was fascinated with the find and returned
daily to study and measure it with his ruler. Eventually he managed to take possession of
the seal’s skeleton and take it home where it became the prize exhibit of his ‘Roosevelt
Museum of Natural History’, which he had set up in his bedroom. From the age of six, Teedie began filling
journals with his observations about the natural world. His mother regularly took him on trips to
the country in order to help alleviate his asthma. Teedie made the most of the opportunity to
wander around in search of fish, insects, eels and birds that he could analyze and write
about. The Roosevelt children were raised under the
norms of Victorian society. As members of the upper class they did not
mix with the less wealthy, strict mores of decency were enforced and manners and politeness
were of utmost importance. Sunday was the day for religious observance,
consisting of church followed by quiet contemplation. Teedie hated Sundays as this was the day when
he was not permitted to indulge his natural curiosity of the world. In 1869, when he was ten years of age, Teedie’s
family embarked on a tour of Europe. For twelve months the children were exposed
to the great sights of England, Germany, France and Italy. Yet, Teedie was not impressed. He later wrote . . .
I cordially hated it, as did my younger brother and sister. Practically all the enjoyment we had was in
exploring any ruins or mountains when we get away from our elders, and in playing in our
different hotels. When he was thirteen, Teedie’s father gave
him his first shotgun. He was dismayed to find that he was a terrible
shot, which brought ridicule from his peers. When a friend challenged him to hit a billboard
in the distance, he discovered what the problem was, later recalling . . .
Not only was I unable to read the sign, but I could not even see the letters. He was extremely near-sighted, but had never
realized it. After telling his father about the problem,
he was given a pair of eyeglasses. He wrote in his diary . . .
I had no idea how beautiful the world was until I got those spectacles. With his improved eyesight, Teedie was able
to become even more obsessive with his nature studies. He learned taxidermy, stuffing and mounting
birds that he shot and adding them to his ever-expanding natural history museum. In the winter of 1870-71, the Roosevelt’s
made a trip to the Mediterranean, visiting Egypt, the Holy Land, Syria, Greece and Turkey. Unlike the trip to Europe, Teedie loved this
experience. He made the most of the opportunity to shoot
exotic birds and stuff them to take home and add to his collection. When he was 13, Teedie was sent off to Maine
for a solo trip to improve his health. On the train journey north, he found himself
in a cabin with some other teenage boys. In the skinny, weak, bespectacled asthmatic
they found an easy mark. They roughed him up, leaving him bruised and
humiliated. When he returned home, he told his father
about the incident. Roosevelt senior told his son that he needed
to develop his body physically so that he could defend himself. A prizefighter was hired to teach the boy
how to box. From this point onward, Teedie became obsessed
with building his body. He began lifting weights, doing calisthenics
and running. He developed a great admiration for those
who possessed strength and displayed manly virility. And he was determined to live what he called
‘the strenuous life’. A Harvard Man
The Roosevelt’s were a family that were driven by goals and, after returning from
their trip to the Middle East, they set one for their oldest son; to gain entry to Harvard
College in three years. This was a terrific challenge for young Teedie. He had never gone to school and, although
he was well skilled in languages, nature and the classics, he was deficient in mathematics. A special tutor was hired and, over the next
two years, he worked hard to improve his skills. The hard work paid off and in 1875 he passed
the Harvard entrance exams. For a freshman at Harvard, the childhood name
of Teedie would never do, so he now took to calling himself Theodore. He immediately took to college life, involving
himself in political parades, boxing tournaments and rowing competition. He also became a skilled debater, taking on
professors and fellow students alike. To his delight, he found himself readily accepted
and was soon invited to join some of Harvard’s most prestigious societies. Theodore’s blissful existence was interrupted
during a visit home during his Sophomore year. He found that his father was gravely ill. With his beloved Teedie back home, the old
man’s health revived somewhat and the danger seemed to have passed. But when Theodore returned to Harvard for
the new year, his father took a sharp turn for the worse. Towards the end of February, Theodore received
a telegram to return home urgently. He never made it in time, with his father
dying that night. Theodore was deeply depressed as a result
of his father’s death. However, he refused to show his pain to others. Instigating a pattern that he would continue
for the rest of his life, he soldiered on, disciplining his mind and body to do what
had to be done. Still his grief became evident in his actions. During a Summer family vacation to Oyster
Bay he rode his horse to exhaustion. When a dog insisted on chasing the horse he
turned and shot it. Theodore also began hiking, finding his release
in the great outdoors. He teamed with a crusty old adventurer by
the name of Bill Sewell, who served as his guide. Sewell later recorded his impression of Theodore
at the time . . . He was fair minded, Theodore was. And then he took pains to learn everything. There was nothing beneath his notice. I liked him right off. I liked him clear through. There wasn’t a quality in him I didn’t
like. He wasn’t headlong or aggressive, except
when necessary, and as far as I could see he wasn’t a bit cocky, though other folks
thought so. By his mid-teens, Theodore had developed into
quite a character. Never afraid to express his opinion, he could
always be counted on to be the center of attention. His unique outbursts of approval, ‘Bully!’
and ‘De-lighted!’ quickly became trademark responses. In 1879 he set his charms on a young woman
by the name of Alice Lee. ‘See that girl, he said to a Harvard pal,
‘she won’t have me, but I m going to have her’. And have her he did. He set out on a campaign to win Alice’s
heart, leading to their engagement in early 1880. Theodore graduated from Harvard in June of
that year, 21st in his class of 160 students. Then, in October, he and Alice were married. After a short honeymoon, Theodore enrolled
in a law degree at Columbia University, while also working at his uncle’s law firm. During his limited leisure time he decided
to learn about the War of 1812. When he couldn’t find a decent book on the
subject, he decided to write one himself. During the Summer of 1881, the young Roosevelt
couple took a trip to Europe. While in Switzerland, Theodore left his wife
behind while he climbed the Matterhorn. It was during this trip that he decided to
forego a legal career. He was determined to set his sights on becoming
a politician. Entering the Arena
Back then, politics was seen as being beneath men of wealth and friends and family tried
to dissuade Theodore’s ambitions. But that was always going to be a losing proposition
and, on returning to New York, he joined the Republican Party. Here he was associating with a class of men
that he hadn’t previously mixed with – rough men, who were skilled in the low blows and
dirty tricks of state politics. Roosevelt soon learned their ways and, within
months had won the party’s nomination for a seat in the New York State Assembly. It was a solid Republican seat and Roosevelt
won it handily. Roosevelt turned up to take his seat at the
New York state capital in Albany on January 22nd, 1882. He cut the figure of a dandy with his fine
suit and upper crust ways. He was ridiculed by Democrats and Republicans
alike. Despite this he, according to his own recollection,
‘rose like a rocket’ in New York politics. Roosevelt’s politics were grounded in self-determination. He firmly believed that each man was in control
of his own destiny. But he also realized that the system was grossly
unfair, with those with the money and power having all the opportunities. He made it his goal to bring about a fairer
system where all Americans had the opportunity to succeed. When he wasn’t working his way up the political
ladder in New York, Theodore ventured out west in order to fulfil his love of adventure
and the outdoors. In September 1883, he made an excursion to
the Dakota Badlands, with the express purpose of bringing home a buffalo head as a trophy. As with most things he set his mind to, he
was successful in that goal. During this trip, he also purchased a cattle
ranch. In November 1883, Theodore won his 3rd term
to the New York State Assembly. He returned to Albany while his wife, who
was heavily pregnant with their first child went to live with his sister. On February 11, 1884 he received a long-awaited
telegram announcing the birth of a baby girl. But it also told him that Alice was very sick. He rushed home to discover that the news was
even worse – both his wife and his mother were gravely ill. They both died on the same day, February 14th,
1884. That night he wrote in his diary . . .
The light has gone from my life. Theodore responded to the double tragedy with
the stoicism that epitomized his personality. After a few days of isolation, he left the
baby in the care of his sister and returned to Albany to see out his term in the General
Assembly. Life had to go on. Throughout 1884, Roosevelt worked tirelessly
to propel himself from state to national politics. His brash, unwavering style brought him to
the attention of prominent men, including an influential Bostonian by the name of Henry
Cabot Lodge. By the end of the year the 25-year-old, was
being eyed by many as a future Republican leader. However, inside Roosevelt was an empty man. He needed to get away from the rough and tumble
of politics in order to heal himself. At the end of 1884, Roosevelt retired from
politics and moved to one of his ranches in North Dakota. Cowboy
Theodore Roosevelt turned up in the small Dakota town of Medora dressed in buckskins,
brandishing a brand new Winchester rifle and with a hunting knife in his belt that he’d
bought from Tiffany’s Jewellers. He was the quintessential ‘dude’ and was
soon ridiculed by the hardened locals. Despite this, he reveled in life in the west. He displayed a steely courage which impressed
all who came to know him. Roosevelt hired his old tramping guide Bill
Sewell to come out and mange his ranch for him. But he didn’t leave all the hard wok to
his men. He rode out on the range with them, chased
spooked cattle and stood guard during long, bitterly cold nights. In 1886, he captured a group of thieves who
had stolen a boat and then took them his prisoners on a three-day trek to the local sheriff. During those 3 days he didn’t sleep a wink
as he kept his rifle trained on his captives. Following the exceptional harsh winter of
1886-87, which killed half of his cattle stock, Roosevelt returned east. He was thirty pounds heavier than we he left
and was a harder, more confident version of himself. Soon after returning he met up with and fell
in love with a childhood friend maned Edith Carrow. They were married on December 2nd, 1886 and
would go on to have five children together. Political Ascendancy
Roosevelt was soon approached by Republican leaders and urged to re-enter politics. They wanted him to run for mayor of New York. He accepted and campaigned hard, despite having
little chance of winning. He came in third place with 27 percent of
the vote. Thinking that his political career was over,
he next put his efforts into the writing of his book, The Winning of the West. In 1888, Roosevelt gave stump speeches for
Republican Presidential candidate Benjamin Harrison. When he won the Presidency, Harrison was persuaded
by Theodore’s political champion Henry Cabot Lodge, to appoint the energetic Roosevelt
to the US Civil Service Commission. He took to the role with a vengeance, determined
to fight the corrupt spoils system and enforce civil service laws. In 1894, Roosevelt was appointed President
of the Board of New York City Police Commissioners. He then set about making improvements to the
structure of the police force, rooting out corruption and imposing more stringent standards
for recruitment. In 1897, again under the urging of Henry Cabot
Lodge, new President William McKinley appointed Roosevelt as the assistant secretary of the
Navy. He became a strong advocate for the building
of the strength of the navy. When on February 15th, 1898 the US warship
Maine exploded in Havana harbor, Roosevelt took it upon himself to order a number of
ships to prepare for war. When war was declared a short time later,
Roosevelt resigned his post and formed the First US Volunteer Cavalry Regiment. He was determined to be in the thick of the
action. The Rough Riders
The press dubbed Roosevelt’s cavalry regiment the ‘Rough Riders’. After a period of training in San Antonio,
Texas, they were shipped to Cuba. Their first action was at the Battle of Las
Guasimas, where they forced the Spanish to abandon their entrenched positions. On July 1, 1898, Roosevelt led his men on
the famous charge up Kettle Hill. He was the only man on horseback, making an
easy target for the enemy. Still, without any care for his own safety,
he rode up and down the line, urging his men up the hill. Also attempting to take the hill were soldiers
of the Ninth US Cavalry, but these soldiers were having a hard time of it. A reporter for the New York Times recorded
the action . . . Colonel Roosevelt, on horseback, broke from
the woods behind the line of the Ninth, and finding its men lying in his way, shouted:
“If you don’t wish to go forward, let my men pass, please.” The junior officers of the Ninth, with their
Negroes, instantly sprang into line with the Rough Riders, and charged at the blue block-house
on the right. I speak of Roosevelt first because... he was,
without doubt, the most conspicuous figure in the charge.... Roosevelt, mounted high
on horseback, and charging the rifle-pits at a gallop and quite alone, made you feel
that you would like to cheer. He wore on his sombrero a blue polka-dot handkerchief...
which, as he advanced, floated out straight behind his head, like a guidon. Having reached the crest of the hill, Roosevelt
dismounted and urged his men to follow him. But there was yet another hill to conquer
and no sooner had the Rough Riders scrambled to the top of Kettle Hill than their dashing
colonel set off for San Juan Hill. His men overpowered the Spanish resistance
and took possession of both hills. In the process, Roosevelt killed a Spanish
trooper who, he said, ‘doubled over like a jack-rabbit’. Following victory in Cuba, Roosevelt returned
to New York, where he was convinced to run for Governor. Campaigning vigorously on his war record he
won by just 1 percent of the popular vote. During his time as governor, he developed
the style and platform which would underpin his presidency. He was a passionate advocate for the rights
of the underprivileged, was against large corporations and monopolies and championed
the preservation of national resources. In 1900, Henry Cabot Lodge and other prominent
Republicans urged Roosevelt to throw his hat into the ring for the vacant Republican Vice-Presidential
spot in the upcoming Presidential elections. Though reluctant, he won the Republican nomination,
pairing with President McKinley. With his boundless energy he threw himself
into a barnstorming campaign, making 480 speeches in 23 states. In the end, he and McKinley easily won and
Theodore Roosevelt was sworn in as Vice President of the United States on March 1st, 1901. Six months later, President McKinley was shot
while attending the Pan-American exposition in New York. He died eight days later. As a result, the 42-year-old Roosevelt was
propelled into the highest office in the land, becoming the 26th President of the United
States on September 14, 1901. He was the youngest man to ever hold the position. POTUS
Roosevelt was a very different man to William McKinley. Still, he vowed that he would continue to
pursue the policies of his predecessor. At the same time, he was determined to stamp
his mark on the Presidency in order to win a second term in his own right. A large part of the focus of Roosevelt’s
domestic policies were focused on breaking up the monopolies of big business. He instigated 44 anti-trust suits, forcing
the breaking up of the Northern Securities Company and putting regulatory controls on
Standard Oil. Of all the domestic policies that Roosevelt
was passionate about, however, none came close to the preservation of wildlife and the environment. He established the United States Forest Service,
created five national parks and placed a total of 230 million acres of land under public
protection. In terms of foreign policy, Roosevelt was
an ardent imperialist. He successfully mediated the Treaty of Portsmouth
which brought an end to the Russo-Japanese War, winning a Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts. His making of a deal with the Panamanian government
for the building of a canal led to the separation of Panama from Columbia in 1903. In the 1904 Presidential election, the Democrats
put up Alton Brooks Parker to face Roosevelt. Campaigning on the promise to give every American
a ‘square deal’, Roosevelt won 56% of the popular vote, along with 336 of 476 electoral
votes. During his second term in office, Roosevelt
began moving to the left of his Republican base. He pushed for a number of quite radical reforms,
including the 8-hour work day, most of which were defeated in the House. He had declared that he would not seek a third
term and so became a lame duck President. While thoroughly enjoying the role of President
he was felt that staying in office for more than two terms would run the risk of dictatorship. Post Presidency
Following the end of his second term in office in March, 1909, Roosevelt went on an African
safari with a group of prominent scientists and hunters. The expedition was on behalf of the Smithsonian
Institute and was charged with bringing back specimens for the Institute’s museum. The trip was successful, and the group came
back with 11,400 specimens, ranging from insects to elephants. When he returned to the United States, Roosevelt
was far from happy with the performance of his successor, William Taft, believing that
Taft had made the Republicans far too conservative. He began to speak loudly of leading a program
of New Nationalism, which emphasized labor over capital. By the time that the 1912 Presidential election
rolled around, Roosevelt was convinced that only he could save the Republican Party. He challenged Taft in the Republican Primary. However, Taft won the nomination, squeezing
Roosevelt to the sidelines. Undeterred, Roosevelt quit the Republicans,
formed his own party, the Progressives, and ran for president as an independent. He then went to the stumps and appealed to
the people. On October 14, 1912 Roosevelt was giving a
speech in Milwaukee, Wisconsin when he was struck by an assassin’s bullet. It was a perfect shot to the heart, penetrating
his breast pocket and slamming into his thick glasses case. The bullet then thumped into a heavy speech
manuscript that he had chosen not to use. Without missing a beat, Roosevelt, ensured
that the would-be killer was apprehended than when right on with his speech. His first words to the crowd after being hit
were . . . Ladies and gentlemen I don’t know whether
you fully understand that I have just been shot but it takes more than that to kill a
Bull Moose. The bullet stayed in his pectoral muscle until
his death. The 1912 Presidential election was won by
Democratic candidate Woodrow Wilson, with 42 percent of the popular vote. However, Roosevelt did beat the incumbent
president with 27 percent compared to 23 percent for Taft. During a South American Expedition in 1913-14,
Roosevelt contracted tropical fever after suffering a leg wound, which became badly
infected. By the time he was returned to New York he
was 50 pounds lighter and deathly pale. The Old Lion is Dead
The last few years were racked with pain for the once robust outdoor adventurer. Malaria bouts were common as were complications
of his leg inflammation. The end came in the very early morning hours
of January 6th 1919, after he had complained about not being able to breathe the night
before. A doctor was summoned and, after some treatment,
he felt better. However, he died in his sleep as a result
of a blood clot in the lungs. When he heard of his father’s demise, oldest
son Archibald telegraphed his siblings with the words . . .
The old lion is dead. Theodore Roosevelt was 60 years old.
