Premium Essay

Theodore Roosevelt: The Most Influential Person In American History

Submitted By
Words 880
Pages 4
The most important person in American history is Theodore Roosevelt. During his life, he made a great impact on America. Roosevelt was the 26th president and fought in the Spanish-American War. He was the most influential person who supported the completion of construction of the Panama Canal. During his presidency, he inspired many. If it was not for Theodore Roosevelt, our society would not be as advanced as it is today. Theodore was born on October 27, 1858. Born in New York City on October 27, 1858, Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was governor of New York before becoming U.S. vice president (Biography.com). He was six when President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated, and he watched the funeral procession from his grandfather's house in New York …show more content…
While he attended Harvard he participated in school sports such as boxing. He ended up finishing second in the Harvard boxing championship. His father died in 1878. He took this very hard. In 1880, he graduated from Harvard, and that same year he was married to Alice Hathaway Lee. Their only child, Alice Lee Roosevelt, was born on February 12, 1884. Two days later Roosevelt's wife died, just hours after Theodore's mother died of typhoid fever. On February 14, 1884, Theodore Roosevelt received a terrible news, his wife and mother died within hours of one another in the Roosevelt house in New York City (RHP). To recuperate after his pain, Roosevelt decided to move to a cattle ranch in Dakota Territory. He earned respect from ranchers and cowhands, and returned east in …show more content…
This must had influenced him to hunt more in Africa. He was also a gentleman scholar at the time. Roosevelt became president at the age of 42 when President William McKinley was shot. “On this day in 1901, President William McKinley is shaking hands at the Pan-American Exhibition in Buffalo, New York, when a 28-year-old anarchist named Leon Czolgosz approaches him and fires two shots into his chest (History.com).” He was the youngest man to ever become president. He made the United States virtual guardian of the Western Hemisphere, was the first to understand the rise of the technological revolution, increased the regulation of business, encouraged the growth of labor unions, and helped to stimulate the rise of welfare state. Also, he dramatized the need to conserve natural resources.
One of the most remembered events that included Theodore Roosevelt was the building of the Panama Canal. Roosevelt had helped create the Republic of Panama. Aware of the strategic need for a shortcut between the Atlantic and Pacific, Roosevelt ensured the construction of the Panama Canal (White House.com). This was created on November 3,1903. The United States had to pay $10 million to take control of the Canal Zone. It took 10 years to build the canal because of disease and yellow

Similar Documents

Free Essay

Theodore Roosevelt

...Theodore Roosevelt played a very important role in society in which he achieved many goals and helped our country become a better nation for the rights of the people. For a young man that started out quite sickly due to asthma and an extremely weak heart, he was such a determined individual that didn’t allow his weaknesses to interfere with reaching his goals and acquiring such great achievements for one man. Although Theodore Roosevelt grew up in a wealthy environment, he was able to associate with not only the rich but he somehow managed to befriend and gain the utmost confidence even from those that were not so privileged. That is one of many reasons why he would be admired even today due to not only his strength in character but also how he didn’t allow wealth to define him as a person. He was an extremely hard working individual and even with a man that had such disadvantages as far as his health, he managed to become one of the most influential and triumphant men of our country. Theodore Roosevelt was born on October 27th, 1858 into a wealthy Dutch New York City family. There were four children in all, Anna, Theodore, Elliot and Corinne Roosevelt. Although he had a very wealthy childhood upbringing, he also had a series of health issues including being diagnosed at a young age with asthma and poor eyesight, but he did not let those things stop him from achieving his goals. He was a very hardworking man who believed he could do anything he set his mind to because...

Words: 2066 - Pages: 9

Premium Essay

Impact of the Jungle on American Society

...of The Jungle on American Society As Judith Lewis Herman exhorted in her novel, Trauma and Recovery, "The ordinary response to atrocities is to banish them from consciousness” (“Trauma and Recovery Quotes”). However, a nationwide nerve was struck when the grotesque meat- packing industry was revealed by Upton Sinclair. He blazoned to Americans across the country the lurid details of the industry though his novel, The Jungle, a novel which changed American history. [This scathing review on the meat packing industry with socialist undertones brought an advent of great social and legal change to the United States.] With its stunning entrance into American literature in 1906, The Jungle created an uproar that has endured over a century since its publication. Upton Sinclair was an ardent proponent of socialism in America and yearned to reform the ailing country (Fogel). His novel was produced as a metaphor, comparing a jungle directly to the corrupt meat packing industry based in Chicago. Sinclair sought to expose the unknown atrocities hidden in the meat packing industry, which was not forced to obey any form of regulation (Shafer). Sinclair wrote that, “It was like some horrible crime committed in a dungeon, all unseen and unheeded, buried out of sight and of memory” (Sinclair 56). This fictional piece of literature brought America to a screeching halt. Never before had such a bold statement been made about an industry that affected almost every single American. Upton’s lurid...

Words: 1435 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

New Nationalism and Teddy Roosevelt: the New Ideals of Federal Intervention, Social Justice and Economic Welfare for the Nation.

...New Nationalism and Teddy Roosevelt: The new ideals of federal intervention, social justice and economic welfare for the Nation. Abstract In 1901 when President McKinley was assassinated, Roosevelt confronted sentiment, especially from the older members of the Republican Party, that he was not the right person to lead the country, often referring to him as “His Accidency.” Roosevelt was interested in quickly changing the mood of the country and establishing his legitimacy to his new position. He did so by introducing a “New Nationalist” form of Progressivism. When Roosevelt was sworn in, the Progressive Party had already been developing and growing since the end of the 19th century. It advocated for reforms and the lead of the government in changing society’s problems in response to socio-economic and political imbalances. Such thinking was a radical change in the country’s mindset, with earlier efforts supporting private efforts to solve the nation’s ills. The Progressive party had a broad platform, but the overall goal was for government to implement and lead efforts to alter societal inequalities. The Progressives called for eliminating corruption in the federal government as well as supporting a social welfare program, the women’s vote, penal system reform, and prohibition. Although the issue of civil rights for African-Americans was of concern of some members, this issue was not formally included in any of the Progressive party’s literature. With the support of...

Words: 5710 - Pages: 23

Premium Essay

The Progressive President of United States

...The significant factor that leads the United State becomes the most powerful country actually depend on its presidency and the policy to control their society. In fact, the United States has survived from several situations that should have brought them down to the crisis, but, the national political leaders such as Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson, who intense to the social and political changes in America, have successfully raised a betterment for the United States, especially in the period of Progressive movement (1890-1920). Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson were the national political leader that regarded as the Progressive president since they introduced dramatic political reforms in the United States. They establish several legislations that considered made the condition of America during the progressive era become better; more organized government, the new banking system, more control over the big business and monopolies, development of modern presidency, were some example of the progressive actions during the presidency era of Roosevelt' and Wilson'. Particularly, T.R. elevated the importance of his presidency by understanding the importance of the press corps and promote his own image as well as to promote the press of the policies in his presidency (Bauer 8). Meanwhile, Wilson enacted the progressivism by reducing the prohibitive tariffs, creating a major transformation of the banking system, and generating new stronger of trust in order to re-establish fair...

Words: 3856 - Pages: 16

Free Essay

Progressive Era Through the Great Depression

...Progressive Era through the Great Depression History 105 The Progressive Era Around the 1910’s, most Americans were anxious about the rapid economic and social changes that confronted the United States, including industrialization, the rise of powerful corporations, the growth of cities and the mass arrivals of immigrants. This period was known as the Progressive Era. Two major historical turning points that took place during this time were (1) Women earned the right to vote and (2) Education. Women Suffrage The early 1900s saw a successful push for the vote through a coalition of suffragists, temperance groups, reform-minded politicians, and women's social-welfare organizations. Although Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton devoted 50 years to the woman's suffrage movement, neither lived to see women gain the right to vote. But their work and that of many other suffragists contributed to the ultimate passage of the 19th amendment in 1920. Two groups that contributed to the passage of the 19th amendment the women organizations the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA), founded in 1890, and the National Women’s Party (NWP), founded in 1913 and led by Alice Paul. Alice Paul and other women of the National Women's Party picketed the White House. They wanted then President Woodrow Wilson to support a Constitutional amendment giving all American women suffrage, or the right to vote. Women gained...

Words: 1506 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

History

...U.S. History U.S. History Unit One Pre-Columbian & Colonial America (Ch. 1-5) * Years- 33,000 B.C.-1763 * Presidents-none * Foreign Policies/Key Events: People migrated from Eurasia across Beringia to Alaska and spread south to the Americas. * Domestic Policies/Key Events 1) Various European settlements were established in the Americas. 2) 16th century, Europeans brougth new staples to the Americas and vice-versa. 3) Spanish exploreres were first Europeans to arrive with Christopher Columbus' second expedition to Puerto Rico on November 19, 1493. 4) First successful English colony was established in 1607, on the James River at Jamestown. 5) The Pilgrims established at Plymouth Colony. 6) Mayflower Compact was established for people to govern themselves. 7) Colonies characterized by religious diversity many congregatinalists in the Middle colonies. 8) First Great Awakening in the 1740s led by Jonathan Edwards. 9) French and Indian War (1754-1763) was a watershed event in the political development of the colonies. 10) Stamp Acts of 1765 was enforced and imposed a tax on the colonies following the Seven Years War. 11) Boston Tea Party in 1773 protest against British taxes and government. * Key Court Cases: Witchcraft trials (1480-1750) executions of innocent people that were accused of being witches or involving with any witchcraft. * Important Documents 1) Mayflower Compact ...

Words: 2557 - Pages: 11

Premium Essay

Histoy

...U.S. History U.S. History Unit One Pre-Columbian & Colonial America (Ch. 1-5) * Years- 33,000 B.C.-1763 * Presidents-none * Foreign Policies/Key Events: People migrated from Eurasia across Beringia to Alaska and spread south to the Americas. * Domestic Policies/Key Events 1) Various European settlements were established in the Americas. 2) 16th century, Europeans brougth new staples to the Americas and vice-versa. 3) Spanish exploreres were first Europeans to arrive with Christopher Columbus' second expedition to Puerto Rico on November 19, 1493. 4) First successful English colony was established in 1607, on the James River at Jamestown. 5) The Pilgrims established at Plymouth Colony. 6) Mayflower Compact was established for people to govern themselves. 7) Colonies characterized by religious diversity many congregatinalists in the Middle colonies. 8) First Great Awakening in the 1740s led by Jonathan Edwards. 9) French and Indian War (1754-1763) was a watershed event in the political development of the colonies. 10) Stamp Acts of 1765 was enforced and imposed a tax on the colonies following the Seven Years War. 11) Boston Tea Party in 1773 protest against British taxes and government. * Key Court Cases: Witchcraft trials (1480-1750) executions of innocent people that were accused of being witches or involving with any witchcraft. * Important Documents 1) Mayflower...

Words: 2567 - Pages: 11

Premium Essay

History

...U.S. History U.S. History Unit One Pre-Columbian & Colonial America (Ch. 1-5) * Years- 33,000 B.C.-1763 * Presidents-none * Foreign Policies/Key Events: People migrated from Eurasia across Beringia to Alaska and spread south to the Americas. * Domestic Policies/Key Events 1) Various European settlements were established in the Americas. 2) 16th century, Europeans brougth new staples to the Americas and vice-versa. 3) Spanish exploreres were first Europeans to arrive with Christopher Columbus' second expedition to Puerto Rico on November 19, 1493. 4) First successful English colony was established in 1607, on the James River at Jamestown. 5) The Pilgrims established at Plymouth Colony. 6) Mayflower Compact was established for people to govern themselves. 7) Colonies characterized by religious diversity many congregatinalists in the Middle colonies. 8) First Great Awakening in the 1740s led by Jonathan Edwards. 9) French and Indian War (1754-1763) was a watershed event in the political development of the colonies. 10) Stamp Acts of 1765 was enforced and imposed a tax on the colonies following the Seven Years War. 11) Boston Tea Party in 1773 protest against British taxes and government. * Key Court Cases: Witchcraft trials (1480-1750) executions of innocent people that were accused of being witches or involving with any witchcraft. * Important Documents 1) Mayflower...

Words: 2567 - Pages: 11

Premium Essay

Booker T Washington Research Paper

...A Lifetime in Black America 1900 Booker T. Washington During Spring Break of 2017, my History class inspired a road trip with my twelve-year-old daughter. We toured great sites such as Rosa Parks Museum, Dr. Kings Floating Grave and both Spelman and Morehouse College. Along the way, we talked about how each visit resonated a profound sense of vision within us. Consequently, I chose six core black Americans figures to express how each individual story helped to shape the United States of America. Beginning in the early 20th century, President Theodore Roosevelt invited Booker T. Washington (a former slave and prominent black leader) to dinner. Washington, who founded the Tuskegee Institute, was one of the most influential intellectuals of the era. Roosevelt, known for his impulsiveness, respected Washington, who also advised President William Howard Taft. Though Booker was not the first African American to advise a...

Words: 1862 - Pages: 8

Free Essay

Butt Nuggets in Terminal Procedual Conteracts

...Bush's popularity began to fall. All this changed dramatically after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the U.S.A. With great skill and determination, Bush rallied the nation together, taking swift action against perceived terrorist threats, building an international coalition against terrorism, and taking the war to the perpetrators of the acts in Afghanistan. His job approval ratings soared to record levels, and he gained new respect from leaders and the public. The opening vignette thus illustrates how external events influence the presidential office. Especially during times of war and national crisis, the natural capacities of the institution are enhanced, as the public looks to the President during emergencies, and the person holding it has their power increased, more easily overcoming the constraints placed upon it by the Constitution and other structural and political factors. In wartime, presidents generally have their way with Congress on defense and foreign policy matters, and are tempted to govern by executive orders and agreements, with minimal...

Words: 2712 - Pages: 11

Premium Essay

Assassination of Jfk

...Exchange Commission and, later, an ambassador to London. John is the second son of four boys born to Joseph and Rose. Rose is the eldest child to, John "Honey Fitz" Fitzgerald, a prominent Boston political figure, who was the city's mayor, and a three-term member of Congress. During John’s childhood, he had been very ill, and had been given the last rights, five times; the first time, was when he was a newborn. He was born to an Irish-Catholic family, to which had nine children; Joseph Jr., John, Robert F. Kennedy (called Bobby), and Ted Kennedy (born Edward). The daughters’ names were; Rosemary, Kathleen, Eunice, Patricia, and Jean. When John was young, the family moved from Boston to New York. John went to Choate, a private school. During most of this time though, he was too sick to attend. In the late 1930’s, Joseph became the ambassador of England. He took...

Words: 1297 - Pages: 6

Free Essay

America's Wealthy

...TO: Paul Welch, Vice President of Research FROM: Colten Harris, Jackson Wallace, Easton Heigley, Daniel Gift DATE: March 10, 2015 SUBJECT: America’s Wealthy Introduction Since America’s conception, new pioneers have walked this country not with a goal to finish a map like Lewis and Clark, but to strive for “The American Dream” and never settle for less than absolute success. Each man researched is from a different time period, with different circumstances surrounding them. With different presidents, different rules and regulations, even with different life expectancies. However, all men had one dream, to make America a better place. From oil pipelines to windows operating systems, these men truly did create things that changed the lives of all Americans for the better. They are the unspoken heroes. Not of war or battle, but of ingenuity, hard work and of sound mind. These are America’s Wealthy. Findings John D Rockefeller was born on July 8, 1836. He began with humble beginnings and is a perfect definition of a rags to riches dream that many Americans that try to live by. His life at home was somewhat shaky. His father was never at home very much because he was a traveling salesmen who sold elixirs. In his early teens his family moved to a suburb of Cleveland, there he took a 10 week business course that would help him later in his life as the richest man in America. His first job was with a bookkeeper at a commission firm. He excelled at keeping track of...

Words: 2482 - Pages: 10

Premium Essay

The Sat Essay

...fairly open-ended, so that anyone with a highschool education and life experiences common to all teenagers can respond to them. Most of them deal with basic philosophical, psychological, moral, or social issues. In my experience as a teacher, I’ve seen that the biggest challenge students face in writing the SAT essay is coming up with rich and relevant examples to discuss within the twenty-five minutes you’re given for the essay section. Quite often, students end up using examples that are inappropriate or superficial, or they don’t know enough about the examples they’ve chosen to write about them in detail. The way to combat this problem is to create your own repertoire of examples that you are well prepared to write detailed paragraphs about. Then, when you read the prompt you’re given on the day of the test, you can simply choose the examples from your repertoire that are most relevant to that particular topic. (Of course, this method isn’t fullproof; it may happen that you are unfortunate enough to get a topic that your prepared examples aren’t really appropriate for. If that’s the case, don’t try to force your examples to fit the topic. The process of coming up with these examples and writing several practice essays will also help you learn how to come up with new examples on the fly.) As you create your list, think of people and events from history, literature, current events, and your own experiences and observations. Choose things that you either already know a lot about...

Words: 3449 - Pages: 14

Premium Essay

Agrarian Discontent

...riGild- to cover boring base metal with a nice precious metal “gilded age” credited to mark twain The great leap forward- the prosperous economic times @ end of gilded age. The great leap forward was mainly concentrated in the north. The main cause of the GLF was the industrialization Throughout the gilded age the north accounted for 80precent of the industrial advancements. Until the 1800’s the only 2 components of the American economy was agriculture and overseas commerce. Then during the war of 1812 that began to change. The north started to do more manufacturing. 3 industries at the core of GLF steel industry railroad industry coal industry steel industry- over 400 steel companies. But only produced 200,000 tons of steel In 1900 – fewer than 80 steel companies But they produce 10million tons of steel Railroad industry – customers of steel coal and timber industry Government realized that railroad was so important So they gave it a lot of land. Coal Industry – Saudi Arabia of coal More here than anyone in the world. The Working People of The Gilded Age. Category A workers – white collar people. Had higher status Doctors Lawyers Ministers Journalists Needed higher education. **category A&B =Middle Class Category B workers – Skilled workers Worked with hands Did not dress nicely to work Got paid very well due to their skills Sometimes more than category A’s Carpenters Plumbers ...

Words: 4054 - Pages: 17

Premium Essay

The Great Debate

...During the late 1930’s the United States was in a state of increased unrest as the Great Depression was ravaging the nation. Distress in Europe was causing pressure to build on the government to begin thinking about the next decade as one that would decide quite a bit about world affairs for decades to come. In 1933 Adolf Hitler had become chancellor of Germany and as he began to consolidate his power he was rapidly developing an environment that would sustain his plans for the Third Reich. He viewed the treatment of Germans after World War I as unnecessarily drastic and used this in his emphatic speeches to convince the German people to stand up against the sanctions imposed on them by the Treaty of Versailles. He viewed the treaty as a continuation of French aggression by diplomatic means through occupation and war indemnity. The ensuing war reparations had effectively crippled the German economy and after Black Tuesday and the collapse of the United States economic system the Germans could no longer rely on loans provided by the US and rapid inflation caused their currency to skyrocket to nearly four billion Reichsmarks for every one US dollar. The German government had been struggling to find a leader and after repeated votes of non-confidence towards the existing system the Nazi party, and it’s radical agenda perpetrated by Adolf Hitler, gained complete control of the German government. He preached that the German people were the rightful race to rule the...

Words: 4630 - Pages: 19