Theodore Roosevelt never found himself to be at ease when he wasn't moving. Born on October 27, 1858 in New York City to a prosperous family, Roosevelt used fighting childhood asthma through exercise such as boxing, hiking and rowing as training that would ultimately become the foundation of "the strenuous life."
Roosevelt earned his B.A. from Harvard University in 1880. By age 23 he had been elected to the New York State Assembly where he gained recognition for his attacks on corruption. His personal tragedy began in early February 1884, when both his wife Alice and his mother passed away. During this grieving period, he traveled to the Dakota Territory to ranch, hunt, and work as a deputy sheriff. This time in the west allowed him to develop a lasting image of a rugged cowhand. While in the west he met his old school chum Edith Carow, whom he married in 1886; they would eventually raise their six children together at Sagamore Hill, on Long Island.
Upon returning to the East Coast, Roosevelt held two key positions - United States Civil Service Commissioner and New York City Police Commissioner (he became known for walking the beat during nighttime hours to make sure his officers were doing their jobs). In addition, while working as Assistant Secretary of the Navy under President William McKinley, he prepared America for its impending conflict with Spain. When he resigned in late 1898, he formed the First Volunteer Cavalry, which came to be known as the Rough Riders. He also led them in the Battle of San Juan Heights. Upon returning to the states, Roosevelt's heroic status grew as newspapers portrayed him as a hero.
This newfound fame provided Roosevelt with success in politics - winning the New York Governorship in 1898 and becoming Vice-President of the United States in 1900. On September 6, 1901, Leon Czolgosz assassinated President William McKinley in Buffalo. McKinley died nine days later (September 14) and Roosevelt took the oath of office on that date at the age of 42 - making him the youngest President in U.S. History.
As part of his campaign platform Roosevelt referred to his policies as the "Square Deal" stating that government needed to find a way to balance the rights of workers and those of businesses. In 1902 he filed suit against the Northern Securities railroad trust, initiating over forty anti-trust cases. In 1903 and again in 1906 he secured passage of legislation regulating railroads - specifically the Elkins Act and the Hepburn Act. Additionally, after reading Upton Sinclair's book The Jungle, Roosevelt signed both the Pure Food and Drug Act and the Meat Inspection Act in June of 1906.
His greatest legacy may have been conservation. Working with Gifford Pinchot he saved approximately 230 million acres of land and established five national parks and eighteen national monuments (including Devils Tower), as well as establishing 150 national forests. Roosevelt believed that these areas should remain intact forever to preserve them for future generations.
Domestically, Roosevelt balanced negotiations with force. In 1905 he acted as mediator for the Russo-Japanese War, meeting in Portsmouth, NH. For this service, he received the 1906 Nobel Peace Prize - the first person from America to receive such an honor. He also supported Panama's separation from Colombia in 1903 and worked toward completion of the Panama Canal. In essence, he defined his foreign policy philosophy as speaking softly but carrying a big stick.
At the end of his second term in 1909 Roosevelt left office for William Howard Taft, however their relationship quickly soured. In 1912 Roosevelt ran for President under the banner of the Progressive Party (also known as the Bull Moose party), and during a stop in Milwaukee on October 14th of that year he was shot by John Schrank. However, instead of stopping his speech to seek medical attention, Roosevelt continued talking for 84 minutes with a bullet lodged inside his chest. Eventually he did go to a hospital where he recovered. Ultimately, due to this split within the republican party, Woodrow Wilson was able to win election as President.
From 1913-1914 Roosevelt embarked on an ill-fated trip down the Brazilian River of Doubt, which severely harmed his physical health. He spent much of his remaining years writing books and advocating for American involvement in World War I. He died at Sagamore Hill on January 6, 1919.
In many ways Theodore Roosevelt was a paradoxical individual - an aristocrat who sang the praises of the frontiersman, a warrior who earned a peace prize, a reformer who enjoyed exercising authority. It is this internal conflict that continues to define how Americans remember him today.