#26 Theodore Roosevelt
1901-1909
T.R.
Born: October 27, 1858
in New York City
Parents: Theodore and
Martha (Bulloch)
Wives: Alice Hathaway
Lee and Edith Kermit
Carow
Children: Alice,
Theodore, Kermit,
Ethel, Archibald, and
Quentin
Background
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Theodore Roosevelt was born to a prominent and
wealthy family in New York City.
 The Roosevelt family was of Dutch decent and had
been in America since the 1600’s.
 Teddy’s father was a wealthy importer, merchant and
philanthropist.
 His mother was a Southern Belle, who married into
the Roosevelt family and had strong Confederate
sympathies (Teddy himself referred to her as
“unreconstructed”).
 The Roosevelt’s were a true example of an
aristocratic American family, representing both New
York wealth/high society and Southern planter
aristocracy.
Teddy’s Mom and Dad
Boyhood
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Teddy was a very sickly little boy and had
severe asthma. This asthma kept him from
attending normal elementary school and
engaging in much of a normal little boy life.
He had severe asthma attacks and was
bullied by some other boys.
 To improve his physical condition, Theodore
Sr. brought in a personal trainer to school
Teddy in sports, especially boxing. As his
health improved, Teddy became a devoted
athlete and lover of the outdoors.
 Teddy was always a serious scholar, and
especially loved nature and history.
Little Teddy
As a young Man
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The Roosevelt’s lived in the Gramercy section of
Manhattan, one of the most exclusive areas in the
city, and one that has a gated park, which Teddy
loved.
The Roosevelt’s toured Europe and the Middle East
extensively while Teddy was a teenager.
While abroad, he attended school for some time in
Dresden Germany.
Teddy became a strong young man, and learned a
great deal about the world from his travels and also
his personal experiences.
“A wonderful man.”
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Teddy Roosevelt was especially close to his father.
When he was sick as a young man his father stayed close to
him and nurtured him, but he also encouraged the boy to be
tough, and strong.
He demanded that Teddy be a perfect gentleman and held him
to high standards.
Teddy said that he never knew a man better than his father, or
one that enjoyed life as much.
Teddy’s only disappointment in his father is that he had hired a
substitute to serve in his place during the Civil War.
When Theodore Sr. died at the age of 46, Teddy was at Harvard.
Though he rushed back to New York, he missed the last
moments with his father by minutes. He was devastated.
Education
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Teddy Roosevelt attended Harvard University, and
received his bachelor’s degree, graduating magna
cum laude and 22 out of 177.
While at Harvard, Teddy was on the Rowing team
and was runner-up in the Harvard boxing
championship.
At Harvard, Teddy began researching and writing
“The Naval War of 1812”. This book is considered by
scholars to be one of the first true historical works
because Teddy used primary sources and avoided
bias. It is still studied as one of the foremost works on
the subject to this day
After leaving Harvard, Teddy attended Law School at
Columbia University in New York, but left to pursue
politics.
Early Career
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Teddy served in the New
York State assembly from
1882-1884.
In the assembly he was quite
active and wrote more bills
than any other member.
He attended the Republican
convention in this time and
became, for the first but not
the last time, disgusted with
party politics.
He left this job after one
term.
First Marriage (A Tragedy)
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While at Harvard, Teddy Roosevelt met and fell in love with Alice
Hathaway Lee, who was the sister of friends from school.
Teddy immediately fell in love and proposed after only a few
weeks. Alice did not agree until several weeks had gone by.
The two were married in 1880, she was 19 and he was 22.
She died of kidney failure shortly after giving birth to their
daughter Alice.
Teddy was so distraught by her death that he never mentioned
her publicly again, not even in his autobiography. He only
mentioned her once more in a private letter.
Teddy never spoke to his daughter about it, and referred her to
his sister when she asked.
Alice Hathaway Lee Roosevelt
Badlands
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After his wife’s death, Teddy
moved to a ranch he had
purchased in the Badlands
of North Dakota.
He built a ranch and served
as a deputy sheriff, even
hunting down outlaws a few
times.
He hunted avidly, and his
ranch was a success until
the terrible winter of 18861887.
Back in the East
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Teddy moved back to the
East after more than two
years away.
He unsuccessfully ran for
mayor of New York in 1886.
Shortly after the election he
was married in London to his
second wife, Edith Kermit
Carow, who had been his
childhood friend and next
door neighbor.
Their marriage was by all
accounts a happy one, and
they had five children
together.
Sagamore Hill, T.R.’s home.
Back into Politics
1889-1895 Teddy served on the U.S.
Civil Service Commission, pursuing
corruption in politics at a vigorous rate.
 1895-1897 Teddy served as Police
Commissioner of New York City,
working diligently to eliminate
corruption. He established intelligence
and physical fitness standards for
policemen, established a bicycle unit,
and standardized the use of pistols.
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Assistant Secretary of the Navy
Always interested in the navy, Teddy
was appointed Assistant Secretary of
the Navy by McKinley.
 Because the real secretary was
uninterested, Teddy ran the show and
worked hard to improve the U.S. Navy.
 He even insisted that the U.S. send aid
to help the Cubans against the Spanish.
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Rough Riders
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Immediately following the Declaration of War on the Spanish in
1898, Teddy resigned his duty with the Navy, and helped
establish the First U.S. Volunteer Cavalry, AKA, the Rough
Riders.
This group was made up of former ranchers from the west, Ivy
League rowers and football players, and other tough people he
could find or knew.
He led a charge up Kettle Hill (San Juan Hill was a nearby
shoulder, which they also took).
Teddy was the only man with a horse that day, but he too
reached the top of the hill on foot due to barbed wire and his
horse being tired.
The experience made him a war hero, and made up for the
shame he experienced from his father’s situation.
Spanish American War
Vice President
McKinley chose Roosevelt for his Vice
Presidential candidate for the election of
1900.
 Teddy was a valuable running mate,
and made many speeches on behalf of
the president, most famously, “Speak
softly and carry a big stick, and you will
go far.”
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Presidency
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Teddy became president when McKinley was killed.
He kept McKinley’s cabinet and promised to follow his policies,
which he did not actually do.
Right away Teddy got active in attacking trusts (monopolies and
business interests), using the almost forgotten Sherman AntiTrust Act. The case was not settled until 1904, but it resulted in
a victory for the government.
He used his presidential authority to end a coal strike in
Pennsylvania, which ended in increased wages for employees
and decreased hours.
He signed a law making federal funds available for irrigation.
He issued the Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine,
which made it possible for the U.S. to “influence” Latin America.
Presidency Continued
Teddy “supported” the Panamanians in their revolt
against Columbia, and began the construction of the
Panama Canal, which the U.S. controlled.
 He issued the Pure Food and Drug Act, to ensure
sanitation in the food and drug industry.
 He sent the “Great White Fleet” to tour the world and
to send a message.
 Teddy made the “gentlemen’s” agreement to halt
Japanese immigration to the U.S.
 Teddy had the first White House Conference on
Conservation, setting aside land for the first national
parks.
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Post Presidency
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Roosevelt paved the way for his protégé
William Howard Taft to become president.
 When Taft did not act progressively enough
for Roosevelt, he formed his own party called
the Progressive Party or Bull Moose Party,
and ran against him in 1912.
 This third party split the Republicans, and
gave the election to Woodrow Wilson.
 Roosevelt never reconciled with Taft.
Post Presidency Activities
Roosevelt toured much of the world
after his presidency.
 He went on extended safari’s in Africa,
hunting exotic animals.
 When WWI broke out, Roosevelt asked
Wilson for permission to raise another
Volunteer Regiment like the Rough
Riders, but Wilson wisely refused.
 Teddy’s son Quentin was killed in the
war, causing him immense grief.
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Legacy
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Popular, active presidency.
Trust Buster
Imperialist
Reformer
Environmentalist
Tireless personality
Wide Range of Interests
Great President (in the Jackson mold)