Austin 1
Franklin Delano Roosevelt: President of the United States
“I call for effort, courage, sacrifice, devotion. Granting the love of freedom, all of these are possible. And the love of freedom is still fierce and steady in the nation today.” (Roosevelt,
65) Such are the words of Franklin Delano Roosevelt who, through his strong yet caring leadership, left a huge impact on our society. It is known that he helped to pull the United States from the depths of the Great Depression, and that he led the nation towards war. It can easily be argued that he was one of the greatest presidents the United States has seen, and many find that
FDR was one of the most powerful leaders in history. Though suffering from a crippling disease called Polio, Roosevelt held, for twelve years, a presidency which “was unparalleled, not only in length but in scope.” (Miller Center, 1) He was a man capable of great things, even when facing the hardest of times himself. This was shown through his political genius, caring spirit, and complete determination.
Roosevelt was a mastermind in his time. Through near perfection in even the smallest of utterances, the President “taught us about the need for clarity in mass communication.”
(Faucheux, 2) Few could draft such powerful statements, yet keep them simple enough for every man and woman to understand. This masterful command of language was seen in his Fireside
Chats. His true strength was seen most openly, however, in his New Deal. One man’s ability to
“begin the end” of the worst depression the country has seen is a notable task. Many tasks were completed, and many jobs were created. Laws were passed to reform banks, form emergency and work relief programs, and to boost agriculture.
Even with such power, FDR still cared about the people. He did as much as he could to help everyone out, and with great success. As part of his Second Inaugural address, Roosevelt said, “The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have

Austin 2 much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little.” (3) During the Depression, many Americans were without jobs. Commissioning new projects for states, such as bridge construction and reforestation, solved this tragedy. President Roosevelt also made charitable contributions. He gave thirty three acres of land for the construction of a library, and made cash donations to such places as the Burning Tree golf club (though he never played a game of golf during his presidency). (Van Natta, 109) One of his most notable examples of charity was his creation of the Warm Springs facility, a rehabilitation center located in Georgia, and still in operation.
The President was always determined to do what was needed, no matter how difficult.
However, having to make the decision to declare war cannot be done without long, deep thought.
Though the Japanese had made the first move, declaring war meant there was no turning back.
The nation would have to face anything it came up against. “We must be the great arsenal of
Democracy,” is the message FDR sent to the nation. (8) This was a bold move (eventually leading the U.S. to glory), but one whose consequences were never fully estimated. Being able to find strength in himself to make such a choice demonstrates just how determined one person can truly be.
Many have lead the United States, and many more will, but few will ever have to face such events as those seen in the thirties and forties. Those four terms comprised of some of the hardest times in the history of the U.S., leading to what could have been the end. However, we overcame those troubling times under the lead of an avant-garde man. Not only was Roosevelt the President of the United States, he was the leader of a reborn nation, full of new hopes and dreams, and he helped to fulfill them one step at a time, creating one of the greatest legacies known to man.

Austin 3
"American President: Franklin Delano Roosevelt: A Life in Brief." Miller Center of Public
Affairs. 20 May 2008
<http://millercenter.org/academic/americanpresident/fdroosevelt/essays/biography/1>.
Faucheux, Ron. "FDR's winning ways." Campaigns & Elections . 20 May 2008
<http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m2519/is_n9_v17/ai_18792748>.
Jr., Don Van Natta. First Off the Tee: Presidential Hackers, Duffers, and Cheaters from Taft to
Bush. New York, NY: PublicAffairs, 2003.
Roosevelt, Franklin. "Address at the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Va., June 10, 1940 ." ibiblio. 10 June 1940. 20 May 2008 <http://www.ibiblio.org/pha/7-2-188/188-17.html>.
Roosevelt, Franklin. "FDR Chat 16." MHRIC Home Page. 29 Dec. 1940. 20 May 2008
<http://www.mhrcc.org/fdr/chat16.html>.
Roosevelt, Franklin. "Franklin D. Roosevelt: Second Inaugural Address. U.S. Inaugural
Addresses. 1989." Bartleby. 20 Jan. 1937. 20 May 2008
<http://www.bartleby.com/124/pres50.html>.