Theodore Roosevelt’s Birthday is today! TR was a pretty incredible individual. I’d argue he possibly lived one of the most interesting lives ever lived.
The dude did so much more than what we give him credit for today. From Child Labor Laws to Women’s rights, to starting the FBI, Food and Drug Laws, and even had the idea for the league of nations far before anyone thought it would be a good idea.
He was a smart naval tactician, an amazing police chief (who we still look to and implement practices he developed), an amazingly prolific writer, and rancher, a deputy sheriff in the Badlands, a Vigilante at two points (not kidding) . On top of all that he was a crazy conservationist and protect nearly 198 million acres of land.
He did scores of other stuff too, like trust-busting of course, winning the Nobel Peace Prize for stopping a war between Russia and Japan, refused a commander position in the army and volunteered as a front-line colonel fought in Cuba and cared dearly for his troops. He immediately, at 51, asked to lead another squadron in WWI on the front lines. He wrote over 30 full-length books. You name it, he did it.
Here is a brief timeline of this dude’s crazy life:
Age 23 he was elected to the senate of New York State. Minority leader after only two years in the state assembly.
At 24 He publishes his book ‘The Naval War of 1812’ which was used as the primary historical reference for the next 50 years
At 31 he was appointed, by President Harrison, Civil Service Commission
At 37 he was appointed by the Mayor of NYC to Police Commissioner
At 39 McKinley appointed him as assistant secretary of the Navy (actually to run the Navy because the true secretary didn’t really care for and would vacation often it.)
At 39 offered to run a regiment of men in the war – declines – signs up for the army
At 39 Became a colonel of the US Army – the first volunteer cavalry.
At 40 Governor of NY
At 41 Became Vice President (TR presided over active congress for only 3 days – was already bored)
At 42 Became President (1901 – Youngest President in US history still to this day – JFK is youngest elected pres)
At 51 Travels to Africa returns with the most noteworthy collection of specimens to come out of the continent, given to the Smithsonian Institute
At 55 Travels to Brazil to explore an unmapped tributary of the Amazon River, known as The River of Doubt
At 61 Dies (1919) of a pulmonary embolism, stemming from complications of a fever picked up from the Amazon trip, and stress from the loss of his youngest son, Quentin, in WWI.
slade797
I’m reading “The Bully Pulpit,” by Doris Kerns Goodwin, and I highly recommend it.
Ace_of_Clubs
Theodore Roosevelt’s Birthday is today! TR was a pretty incredible individual. I’d argue he possibly lived one of the most interesting lives ever lived.
The dude did so much more than what we give him credit for today. From Child Labor Laws to Women’s rights, to starting the FBI, Food and Drug Laws, and even had the idea for the league of nations far before anyone thought it would be a good idea.
He was a smart naval tactician, an amazing police chief (who we still look to and implement practices he developed), an amazingly prolific writer, and rancher, a deputy sheriff in the Badlands, a Vigilante at two points (not kidding) . On top of all that he was a crazy conservationist and protect nearly 198 million acres of land.
He did scores of other stuff too, like trust-busting of course, winning the Nobel Peace Prize for stopping a war between Russia and Japan, refused a commander position in the army and volunteered as a front-line colonel fought in Cuba and cared dearly for his troops. He immediately, at 51, asked to lead another squadron in WWI on the front lines. He wrote over 30 full-length books. You name it, he did it.
Here is a brief timeline of this dude’s crazy life:
Age 23 he was elected to the senate of New York State. Minority leader after only two years in the state assembly.
At 24 He publishes his book ‘The Naval War of 1812’ which was used as the primary historical reference for the next 50 years
At 31 he was appointed, by President Harrison, Civil Service Commission
At 37 he was appointed by the Mayor of NYC to Police Commissioner
At 39 McKinley appointed him as assistant secretary of the Navy (actually to run the Navy because the true secretary didn’t really care for and would vacation often it.)
At 39 offered to run a regiment of men in the war – declines – signs up for the army
At 39 Became a colonel of the US Army – the first volunteer cavalry.
At 40 Governor of NY
At 41 Became Vice President (TR presided over active congress for only 3 days – was already bored)
At 42 Became President (1901 – Youngest President in US history still to this day – JFK is youngest elected pres)
At 51 Travels to Africa returns with the most noteworthy collection of specimens to come out of the continent, given to the Smithsonian Institute
At 55 Travels to Brazil to explore an unmapped tributary of the Amazon River, known as The River of Doubt
At 61 Dies (1919) of a pulmonary embolism, stemming from complications of a fever picked up from the Amazon trip, and stress from the loss of his youngest son, Quentin, in WWI.
slade797
I’m reading “The Bully Pulpit,” by Doris Kerns Goodwin, and I highly recommend it.