Roosevelt, Theodore

A political leader of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Roosevelt was president from 1901 to 1909. He became governor of New York in 1899, soon after leading a group of volunteer cavalrymen, the Rough Riders , in the Spanish-American War . A Republican , Roosevelt was elected vice president in 1900 under President William McKinley and became president when McKinley was assassinated; he was reelected on his own in 1904. As president, he upheld many of the interests of the Progressive movement . His accomplishments include the breaking up of large monopolies ( see trust busting ), better federal inspection of food, closer federal regulation of railroads, and more conservation of natural resources . Roosevelt summarized his foreign policy as “ Speak softly and carry a big stick .” He received the Nobel Prize for peace in 1906, after he brought the opponents in the Russo-Japanese War to an agreement. Construction of the Panama Canal was begun during his presidency. He did not seek reelection in 1908, but ran unsuccessfully for the presidency in 1912 as the candidate of the Progressive party.

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Notes

Roosevelt once said that he was “as strong as a bull moose.” Accordingly, the Progressive party of 1912, which nominated him for president, was commonly called the Bull Moose party.

“Teddy” Roosevelt was a man of hearty enthusiasms, devoted to physical fitness (“the strenuous life”) and big-game hunting. He supposedly exclaimed “Bully!” when he was pleased.

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Example Sentences

Starting under Theodore Roosevelt and Howard Taft, embassies headed by career diplomats increased in number.

From The Daily Beast

President Theodore Roosevelt negotiated an end to the 1904-1905 Russo-Japanese War in 1906 after Japan won.

From The Daily Beast

Later, the White House passed from McKinley to Theodore Roosevelt to Taft, and then from Harding to Coolidge to Hoover.

From The Daily Beast

As American president Theodore Roosevelt found, paring down language can go too far.

From The Daily Beast

Secretary of State under Presidents William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt.

From The Daily Beast

Theodore Roosevelt was a failure as a cowboy in North Dakota and gave up his frontiering because of it.

From Project Gutenberg

Theodore Roosevelt, who gave this matter very careful study, says that at least 20,000 American seamen were impressed.

From Project Gutenberg

Theodore Roosevelt's physician made this disconcerting announcement to his patient a few weeks before his death.

From Project Gutenberg

Theodore Roosevelt, who reflects so much of America, has very definitely cast down this idol.

From Project Gutenberg

For it is Theodore Roosevelt who is actually attempting to make himself and his admirers the heroes of a new social myth.

From Project Gutenberg

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