Theodore Roosevelt was one of the most energetic and influential figures in American political history. Born in New York City on October 27, 1858, he grew up as a sickly child who suffered from severe asthma, but he pushed himself to become physically strong through exercise, boxing, and outdoor activity. That determination became part of his public image for the rest of his life. Roosevelt graduated from Harvard, entered politics at a young age, and built a reputation as a reformer who believed public office should be used aggressively and honestly.
Before becoming president, Roosevelt held a remarkable series of public positions. He served in the New York State Assembly, worked on the United States Civil Service Commission, and later helped reform the New York City Police Department. In 1897 he became assistant secretary of the Navy. When the Spanish-American War began in 1898, he resigned that post and joined the military effort in Cuba. He became lieutenant colonel of the First U.S. Volunteer Cavalry, better known as the Rough Riders, and gained national fame for his leadership during the fighting at San Juan Heights.
Roosevelt’s military fame helped propel him to higher office. He became governor of New York, then vice president under William McKinley. After McKinley was assassinated in September 1901, Roosevelt became president at age 42, the youngest person ever to assume the presidency. He quickly transformed the office into a more active center of national leadership. He believed the president should step in when necessary to protect the public interest, and he expanded federal authority more boldly than many of his predecessors had done.
Domestic policy under Roosevelt was often described by his phrase “Square Deal.” He sought a fair balance between labor and business, and he became well known for trust-busting, or using the federal government to challenge powerful corporations that violated the law. He also intervened in the 1902 coal strike, showing that a president could play a direct role in labor disputes. Roosevelt was equally committed to conservation. During his presidency, he helped preserve vast areas of land through national forests, parks, and monuments, leaving one of the strongest conservation legacies of any American president.
Roosevelt also left a major mark on foreign policy. He played a central role in advancing construction of the Panama Canal, which strengthened American commercial and military power. In 1906 he won the Nobel Peace Prize for helping mediate an end to the Russo-Japanese War, becoming the first American president to receive that honor. Even after leaving office in 1909, he remained a major political force and ran again for president in 1912 as the Progressive Party candidate. Roosevelt died on January 6, 1919, but his image as a forceful reformer, conservationist, and champion of the “strenuous life” still endures.