Thoedore Roosevelt's Presidency

840 Words2 Pages

Theodore Roosevelt was the most active and energetic president the United States had ever seen. As well as being the most loved and popular president, Roosevelt loved being president. In 1901, Roosevelt became the nation’s youngest president. During Roosevelt’s presidency, he was able to accumulate many great accomplishments with few failures and gain the support and respect of many Americans. After spending some time in the Dakota’s after his mother and wife’s deaths, Roosevelt decided to return to New York where he earned city commission jobs. In these jobs he started to gain attention from many Republican leaders. In 1898, President McKinley appointed Roosevelt as the Assistant Secretary of the Navy. Roosevelt soon resigns as Assistant Secretary and decides to join in the war against Spain for Cuba. In the war, Roosevelt joins the Rough Riders and becomes an instant hero at the battle of San Jan Hill. Once the war is over Roosevelt returned to New York where he becomes the governor. In 1900 McKinley runs for President again with Theodore Roosevelt as his vice president. Roosevelt travels over 21,000 miles on a campaign train where they both ultimately win office. Later in 1901, President McKinley gets assassinated and Roosevelt becomes President. After he finishes his the term as president, Roosevelt decides to run again in the next two elections and wins both times. When Roosevelt ran for office he had many plans for the future using the term “bully pulpit” which allowed him to go directly to the people. The name of Roosevelt’s platform when running of office was known as the Progressive Party. Avlon explains their platform as, “giving women the right to vote, the abolition of child labor, minimum wages, social security,... ... middle of paper ... ...’s cabinet members. Taft then chose his own cabinet members after having promised to keep Roosevelt’s. Also the Secretary of Interior, Ballinger, wanted to stop conservation, but is almost stopped by Gifford Pinchot who was loyal to Roosevelt and was head of the National Commission for the Conservation of Natural Resources. Pinchot challenges Ballinger and is ultimately fired by President Taft. Roosevelt becomes furious and decides to run again in the 1912 elections after having promised to never run again. Roosevelt and Taft both ultimately lose to Democrat Woodrow Wilson. Theodore Roosevelt was greatly loved by many Americans. He used the media to shape public opinion and vowed to show fairness to all Americans not just big businesses. He used his charisma to get elected and many voted for him not because he was a Republican but because his enthusiasm and ideas.

Open Document