Theodore Roosevelt – 26th President of the United States

Theodore Roosevelt was the 26th president of the United States. He took office in Buffalo, New York, after William McKinley was shot on September 6, 1901 and died eight days later on September 14, 1901. The day William died was when Theodore was sworn into office. His succession appeals Republicans, who were not in favor of his liberal leanings. He was then nominated for vice president for McKinley because it was a harmless position to republicans. Theodore was the thirty third governor of New York from 1899 to 1900. He was a driving force for the progressive era in the United States in the earth twentieth century. His face is on Mount Rushmore along with George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln. Very intelligent historians and political scientists often have Theodore Roosevelt in their top five best United States presidents.

Theodore Roosevelt loved the outdoors. He is often considered the conservationist president. Soon after the deaths of his wife and mother he escaped to a cattle ranch in the Dakotas. That was when his great love for the United States land and outdoors grew and overtook him. But he was a sportsman hunter all his life, he even got a chance to hunt the big game of north america before they disappeared. Although in his writings there are numerous successful hunting trips and kills, but they are also laced with loss of different species and habitats. The bison, elk, bighorn sheep, deer and other game species was a loss which Roosevelt felt that of society's perception of our natural resources. He saw the effects of overgrazing, and suffered the loss of his ranches because of it. While many still considered natural resources non important, he wrote, We have become great because of the lavish use of our resources. But the time has come to inquire seriously what will happen when our forests are gone, when the coal,the iron, the oil, and the gas are exhausted, when the soils have still further impoverished and washed into the streams, polluting the rivers, denuding the fields and obstructing navigation. During his presidency, Theodore Roosevelt protected approximately 230 million acres of public land. Roosevelt used his authority to protect wildlife and public lands by creating the United States Forest Service (USFS) and establishing 150 national forests, 51 federal bird reserves, 4 national game preserves, 5 national parks, and 18 national monuments. During his presidency, Conservation increasingly became one of Roosevelt's main concerns, setting aside 200 plus million acres during his presidency. Because of his impressive listening and teaching skills he saved many national monuments and wildlife. Many people valued him because of his great sense of respect and history for the country and his constitutionalism. Because of Roosevelt's saving of the land we can appreciate as americans the mysterious wilderness in our country, unlike any before.

President Roosevelt signed the Immigration act of 1907, allowing the president to restrict japanese immigration. This issue had great debates for Roosevelt. So many debates that Roosevelt gave his great speech on legal immigration, and called upon the United States Congress to discuss this matter of increasing protection for asian immigration. Proving that he has a great moral building skills in time of need for our nation. In his speech legal immigration, Roosevelt says that every immigrant must become ""an American, and nothing but an American,"" forsaking their native language for English and all other flags for the American flag. He also wrote more ideas like this in his article called ??True Americanism.?? Roosevelt was known for his strong belief on immigration and the definition of a true american citizen. Because of his strong beliefs and values, and the action he took to prove those beliefs, many people viewed him as thecause for the progressive era. In February, 1907, Congress passed a new immigration act that expanded previous immigration restrictions by prohibiting asians from entering the United States through the territory of Hawaii, and even doubled the immigration head tax to four dollars per person. Americans felt safer and even more confident in their president for taking action.

Roosevelt was known for his great action and what he did to really use and expand the values and privileges of the executive power. This was a great succession for Roosevelt. He even states, I did not usurp power, he wrote, but I did greatly broaden the use of executive power. He took the view that the President as a steward of the people should take whatever action necessary for the public good unless forbidden by law or the Constitution. Roosevelt brought new excitement and power to the Presidency, as he strongly led Congress and the American public toward progressive reforms and a strong foreign policy. Roosevelt introduced ""charisma"" into the political equation. He had a strong bond with the public and he understood how to use the media to shape public opinion. He was the first President whose election was based more on the individual than the political party. When people voted Republican in 1904, they were generally casting their vote for Roosevelt the man instead of for him as the standard-bearer of the Republican Party. The most popular President up to his time, Roosevelt used his enthusiasm to win votes, to shape issues, and to mold opinions. In the process, he changed the executive office forever.

Roosevelt was often disliked by other politicians because of his expanding the use of the executive power, his shining personality and tremendous ego. However, the public adored him. Roosevelt was elected in his own right in 1904, with the greatest popular majority ever. Roosevelt's presidency included no war to push him into the limelight, yet Roosevelt made hisimprint on history many times over. Which I have discussed previously. Although he was loved by the public he also had either been accused or did these acts that affected someone negatively, and or some people seen him this way, such as other politicians. He killed the Republican party's chances in the election of 1912. His ego was big enough that he had ran against president Taft even though Taft was his own hand picked successor. He could also be seen as a thief. When he wanted to be able to build across the Panama, he helped Panama become a independent country from Columbia. Essentially taking away part of Colombian territory. He then also signed a treaty with Bunau Varilla, who only had a claim to represent that Panamanian government. He was also disliked for his large believing in white supremacy and ?racial fitness. And lastly before Roosevelt was president, public anger against Spain was rising for its actions in Cuba. Roosevelt very badly wanted a war with Spain, so he did various things to bring forward the spanish american war. It ending up causing a large amount of deaths of many people. These are the many reasons of why his fellow party comrades and many other politicians in congress and many more disliked Roosevelt.

Theodore Roosevelt or better known as Teddy Roosevelt will always be one of our great United state Presidents in history. He will forever be remembered because of what he left us, the billions of unique nature in our country, and how he completely shaped our executive office and how it still stands today. Because of his visions, his courage and belief to stand up for what you believe in, and thrive to take action, he will always be remembered as one of our greatest presidents.

Works Cited

Bradley, James. Diplomacy That Will Live in Infamy. The New York Times, The New York Times, 5 Dec. 2009, www.nytimes.com/2009/12/06/opinion/06bradley.html.

Kane, Joseph Nathan. Facts about the Presidents: Supplement to Third Edition. 3rd ed., H.W. Wilson Co., 1975.

Keeping the Spirit Alive. Brief Biography - Theodore Roosevelt Association, www.theodoreroosevelt.org/site/c.elKSIdOWIiJ8H/b.8090799/k.C003/Home.htm.

Stevenson, Freeman. Top Scandals and Controversies of Each United States President | Deseret News. DeseretNews.com, Deseret News, 20 May 2013, 12:51pm, www.deseretnews.com/top/1512/25/Theodore-Roosevelt-Top-scandals-and-controversies-of-each-United-States-president.html.

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