Little-Known Facts about Teddy Roosevelt (war, general, interesting facts, Washington)
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I find Teddy Roosevelt to be one of the most fascinating presidents of all time. He led the Rough Riders, dismantled monopolies as a trust buster, and spearheaded the building of the Panama Canal. I can't learn enough about this guy.
But I'm sure this article is missing interesting facts not covered in the history books. Can any of you guys share something noteworthy about T.R. that even history buffs might not know? If you know an interesting if little known fact about any of the other presidents, feel free to share those as well.
He was an extremely interesting man. He had loved a girl since childhood and everyone expected Teedy, yes that's what they called him, anyway everyone expected him to marry Edith but he didn't. He married another dear charmer. His wife and his mother died on the same day leaving Roosevelt with an infant daughter Alice. He left everything behind and up and left for the Dakotas where he became the "Dude" rancher. He proved to the local boys who thought he was just a city poof that he was tougher, stronger,smarter and more driven than they could ever hope to be. After he returned to the east he married Edith and carried on with his political and literary life.
He discovered a unique species of elk in the west which is named after him. The Roosevelt Elk.
His Presidency was a good way to start off the Twentieth Century or what some historians now call "The American Century".
I tell you some other facts about Teddy Roosevelt:
1. He personally mediated a peace treaty between Russia and Japan that ended the Russo-Japanese War which helped establish America's reputation as a great power.
2. He obtained passage of the Pure Food and Drug Act which mandated production of sanitary foods and beverages. It also created the "FDA" or the Food and Drug Administration.
3. He obtained passage of the Hepburn Act which was the first national regulation of rates charged by railroads. This had been an abuse that farmers and groups in small states had fought for years to correct.
4. He pursued anti-trust prosecutions under the Sherman Anti Trust Act with a vigor. TR got his Attorney General, Philander Knox, to make this a priority. Knox brought successful prosecutions against companies in industries all throughout the country that sought to monopolize industries and prevent the free market from working in all of our interests.
5. He obtained passage of the "Antiquities Act" which allows a President to designate federally-owned land as a national monument. One of his first uses of this act was to protect the Grand Canyon in this fashion. Scores of monuments have later been made into national parks by Congress.
6. He promoted the building of a world class navy.
7. After being shot while campaigning for President (a second time) in 1912, he insisted on completing his speech before going to the hospital.
8. He lost the sight in one of his eyes while boxing with an opponent in a special exercise ring at the White House.
9. He explored a remote section of the Amazon jungle in Brazil after he left office. A river in Brazil is named the "Roosevelt River" after him.
10. His presidential carriage was struck by street car during one of his excursions as President. TR injured his leg badly and another person riding in the carriage with him was killed.
The best book available about Teddy Roosevelt is "Theodore Rex" by Edmund Morris. If you want to read all kinds of things about TR, I highly recommend that book.
Teddy Roosevelt is also credited with saving (or least dramatically changing) football.
Early in the 20th century, football, as played on college gridirons, was something close to a street fight. The rules were lax at best, and were routinely ignored. During the 1905 season alone, 18 college and amateur players died. Harvard's president, Charles W. Eliot, was leading the charge to abolish football, and it looked likely that he would succeed in banning the sport.
Roosevelt convened a meeting in the White House of the most influential men in college football. Present were Walter Camp, the leading figure in the formative years of the game, as well as representatives from Harvard, Princeton and Yale. TR impressed on them that genuine, substantive changes must be instituted. As a result of his meeting, the following changes were made: 1. gang tackling was outlawed. 2. the distance needed for a first down was changed from five yards to ten (which made it essential to come up with plays that didn't necessarily go straight through the center of the line) 3. a neutral zone was instituted at the line of scrimmage. 4. A play, the forward pass, was created.
His Presidency was a good way to start off the Twentieth Century or what some historians now call "The American Century".
I tell you some other facts about Teddy Roosevelt:
The best book available about Teddy Roosevelt is "Theodore Rex" by Edmund Morris. If you want to read all kinds of things about TR, I highly recommend that book.
I agree that this is just a great book to read. Everyone interested in American history should make it a priority to read this one! This is the second book of a trilogy. The other two books are also great and should be read too in order to get the full picture of this great man's life.
The thing I have always admired about TR is that the "hype" and stories of his exploits were all real and well documented. We hear so many stories of men like Washington that paint them as larger then life characters with all of these amazing accomplishments, yet most of the stories are just that, stories and often no more real then Paul Bunyan. With "The Colonel" he simply was a remarkable man.
Until recently, like Ulysses S. Grant, Roosevelt record of achievements with regards to Civil Rights has been largely under-recognized or appreciated by the general public. Both Presidents were way a head of their times and deserve as much recognition as any president other than Lincoln himself and that includes FDR, Truman, Kennedy or Johnson.
His Presidency was a good way to start off the Twentieth Century or what some historians now call "The American Century".
I tell you some other facts about Teddy Roosevelt:
1. He personally mediated a peace treaty between Russia and Japan that ended the Russo-Japanese War which helped establish America's reputation as a great power.
2. He obtained passage of the Pure Food and Drug Act which mandated production of sanitary foods and beverages. It also created the "FDA" or the Food and Drug Administration.
3. He obtained passage of the Hepburn Act which was the first national regulation of rates charged by railroads. This had been an abuse that farmers and groups in small states had fought for years to correct.
4. He pursued anti-trust prosecutions under the Sherman Anti Trust Act with a vigor. TR got his Attorney General, Philander Knox, to make this a priority. Knox brought successful prosecutions against companies in industries all throughout the country that sought to monopolize industries and prevent the free market from working in all of our interests.
5. He obtained passage of the "Antiquities Act" which allows a President to designate federally-owned land as a national monument. One of his first uses of this act was to protect the Grand Canyon in this fashion. Scores of monuments have later been made into national parks by Congress.
6. He promoted the building of a world class navy.
7. After being shot while campaigning for President (a second time) in 1912, he insisted on completing his speech before going to the hospital.
8. He lost the sight in one of his eyes while boxing with an opponent in a special exercise ring at the White House.
9. He explored a remote section of the Amazon jungle in Brazil after he left office. A river in Brazil is named the "Roosevelt River" after him.
10. His presidential carriage was struck by street car during one of his excursions as President. TR injured his leg badly and another person riding in the carriage with him was killed.
The best book available about Teddy Roosevelt is "Theodore Rex" by Edmund Morris. If you want to read all kinds of things about TR, I highly recommend that book.
A very nice list of notable accomplishments. Some of these are touched upon in the article, but I couldn't possibly incorporate all of Teddy's feats into it. I will definitely check out the book you referenced.
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