Biography of Theodore Roosevelt Essay

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26th President was also the nation's youngest; although Teddy Roosevelt was not elected to his first term, he was already a popular politician. As the White House puts it, Roosevelt "brought new excitement and power to the Presidency, as he vigorously led Congress and the American public toward progressive reforms and a strong foreign policy," ("Theodore Roosevelt"). However, Roosevelt was and is known as much for his environmentalism as for his domestic and foreign policy.

Theodore Roosevelt was born on October 27, 1858, amidst a "flurry of activity" that "disturbed the genteel quietness of East Twentieth Street, New York City," (Morris, 1979, p. 3). The Roosevelts were no Lincolns; they were urbanites and prominent philanthroposts. They had servants. Theodore Roosevelt Senior, Teddy's father, was "one of the most influential men in New York," (Morris, 1979, p. 4). The Roosevelts were came from a long line of original Dutch merchants who settled in New Amsterdam, and in his autobiography, Teddy Roosevelt describes his ancestry with detail. His mother Martha "Mittie" was as notable in the community as his father. Mittie was from Georgia, and Theodore Roosevelt has some vague memories of being in New York during the Civil War. Roosevelt (1913; 2004) understood that "the family were not one in their views about that conflict, my father being a strong Lincoln Republican," but that if his mother had scolded him that day he would fervently pray "for the success of the Union arms," (p. 11).

Given his urban upbringing, it is therefore ironic, but perhaps telling, that Teddy Roosevelt would go on to be America's first conservationist -- a political statement in an era of rapid industrialization and urbanization that was already threatening to mar the wide swathes of American wilderness.

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However, Theodore Senior used to ride his horse through Central Park, taking an "exuberant, masculine joy in life," a quality and image that his son would become famous for (Morris, 1979, p. 5). Moreover, in his autobiography, Theodore Roosevelt claimed that as a child he "disliked the city," and "loved the country beyond anything," (p. 8).

Roosevelt's childhood did not seem to be one primed for greatness, in spite of his genteel birth. He was a sickly child, who suffered from asthma. Roosevelt's physical conditions only seemed to spur him on to success. His interest in nature was evident even though he lived in the heart of Manhattan; young Teddy hunted for taxidermy in markets and called his collection the "Roosevelt Museum of Natural History," (Miller, 1992, p. 39).

In spite of having asthma, Teddy was an active young man. He traveled often with his parents, although as Miller (1992) describes, the travels were often marred due to Teddy's health problems, which were not limited to asthma but which also included frequent digestive issues. After the family spent some time in Europe, Teddy devoted himself more to school. His….....

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