Biography Of Theodore Roosevelt

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September 14, 1901, eight days after the assassination of former President William McKinley , the United States of America swore in their 26th President, Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. As his personal histories would show - a Nobel prizewinner, a physical culturalist, a naval historian, a biographer, an essayist, a paleontologist, a taxidermist, an ornithologist, a field naturalist, a conservationist, a big-game hunter, an editor, a critic, a ranchman, an orator, a country squire, a civil service reformer, a socialite, a patron of the arts, a colonel of the cavalry, a former Governor of New York, and the President of the U.S. - America had voted in one of the most varied yet influential persons of its history as a nation. Theodore Roosevelt,…show more content…
Not before he zealously prepared the coming battle as Assistant Secretary of the Navy in 1897. Roosevelt had always taken an interest in the Navy, as he suggested every good American ought to, and perhaps this is where he made his greatest impact. On the brink of the Spanish-American war, Roosevelt understood he possessed a ramshackle Navy incompetent of combating the Spanish – or any other naval power for that matter. Frustrated that upon completion of the Civil war the American people had began to sink all their energy into business and money making related matters, he felt as if society had grown short sighted and selfish. Although these men were not weak, short-sightedness had led to the popular belief that another major war would fail to transpire once again. Some of the select few held the idea, that if America was called to war again “armies and navies could be improvised”. This element of political and public opinion halted any serious effort to keep the nation in any sort of military preparedness. Roosevelt was not content with at the idea of being such a great country, yet weak in military and naval…show more content…
Known for his enthusiasm towards American politics, his Spanish War hero persona, and a dedicated reform driven governor, Roosevelt found himself taking office as vice-president of the United States on March 4, 1901 and following McKinley’s assassination President on September 14, 1901. Shortly after returning to politics, opportunity had presented itself to further satisfy America’s need for manifest destiny. The French had embarked on the idea of creating a canal that would connect the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, creating a water way to better improve transportation and drastically cut down cost. This enormous engineering feat had not only claimed countless French lives, but had proved to be too expensive to continue. Roosevelt had realized this great potential and purchased the equipment and rights from the French to pursue this project. While at the same time as the purchase, a bitter conflict between Panama and Columbia was taking place, where Roosevelt had stepped in and offered Panama independence from Columbia in exchange for exclusive rights and control of the lands surrounding the projected Panama Canal. Though the building of the Panama Canal was considered one of the greatest achievements of his administration – for it nearly doubled the efficiency of America’s navy , it has also caused conflict and severe criticism against him
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