Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s public image has been nothing short of superb. He was the charismatic man who overcame polio and brought back America from the Great Depression and led them to victory in World War II. But, in actuality, Roosevelt was not as great as the history books make him seem. Where he succeeded in some areas, he failed in others. FDR’s lack of moral principles and abuse of federal power, as well as his inept handling of the Great Depression and failure to retain any foresight of his actions, results in an evaluation of a 3 out of 10 rating.
Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt, also known as the conservationist president, became the 26th and youngest President of the nation’s history. Roosevelt once said, “We have fallen heirs to the most glorious heritage a people ever received, and each one must do his part if we wish to show that the nation is worthy of its good fortune.” Roosevelt wanted individuals to do their part by protecting and cherishing the nation’s resources, and that led Teddy to be an important figure in American history. Roosevelt was important because he had the desire to make society more fair and equitable with economic opportunities for all Americans. America wouldn’t be the same without Roosevelt because of his dedication to conserve and make a change.
The 1912 Election and the Power of Progressivism: A Brief History with Documents by Brett Flehinger is about the four Presidential candidates during the election of 1912, their political parties and campaigns. The book shows how opposed each candidate 's platform was and which problems the candidates agreed on. The book has documents from this time to further aid in understanding what exactly was happening. None of the candidates, however, were as different as Theodore Roosevelt and his predecessor, William Howard Taft. Their platforms and ideas regarding trusts, direct democracy and courts and the constitution differed greatly, whilst they agreed on the important issue of women 's suffrage.
In any poll by historians or American citizens, Theodore Roosevelt ranks among the top five presidents of the United States. He is undoubtedly one of the two or three unique individuals who ever held the office and was an instrumental figure in shaping the nation we now know. Without his passion for education, he would have never been in the position or had the determination to be one of the youngest presidents of the United States. Without his education, he would not have been able to accomplish what he did and had the keen mind and other traits that he had. He was a keen observer of life around him and his education was very important to him. He strove to learn as much as he could in all studies, despite his obstacles. Truly, throughout
Calvin Coolidge was the 30th president of the United States. Calvin spent time with his father as a young boy and this I believe had a profound effect on Coolidge and his political views. From his father’s experience, Coolidge later wrote, “ I came to have a good working knowledge of the practical side of government. Understood that it consisted of restraints which the people had imposed upon themselves in order to promote the common welfare”(1). The stories that survive from Coolidge his upbringing paint a picture of a spry and clever lad with the core profound seriousness.(2) He is the only president to be born on the Fourth of July. This is no coincidence, for in the sense he embodied true dedication to the principles that established America.
To begin, Theodore Roosevelt wasn’t always the man you see in the white house. He was born into a family of six: his parents, a younger brother, and older sister, a younger sister, and himself. He was born a very sickly child, with asthma and all. Growing up, he loved education, even though he
It was challenging for him to fill the shadow that President Roosevelt left. With the pressure Taft faced, he definitely made some mistakes. The first was singing the “Payne-Aldrich Tariff.” This tariff was a compromise that only made high rates from the Aldrich Bill become moderate, which was better, but it was not what the people wanted. This angered many progressives that believed Taft was ignoring the liberal group of people in the nation. The president then made this challenge worse by calling the tariff “the best bill the Republican party ever passed.” The people of the United States were outraged by this tariff, but ever more infuriated by the President 's
Theodore Roosevelt is considered as one of the most active and energetic Presidents in American history. The 26th President of the United States had a reputation of bringing attention to Progressive issues at national level. His speech, “The Strenuous Life” reflects his own life experiences, efforts and hardships in life. Roosevelt gave the speech to a group of wealthy people before the Hamilton Club, Chicago on April 10, 1899 after the America Senate signed agreement with Spain that established Philippines as a colony of American state. In his speech, Roosevelt addresses the American nation to shoulder their responsibilities nationally and internationally. He believes that only the strenuous life can play great role in the prosperity and welfare of the individuals and nation as well. Practically, Roosevelt was an ardent supporter of imperialism and wanted America to play integral role in world affairs and politics. This speech also depicts his policy of interventionism and imperialism. Roosevelt defends American imperialism by taking America’s national interests into consideration. However, his imperialist approach in foreign policies raises many questions for the audience sitting outside the borders of America.
Roosevelt’s personal life shaped him into the progressive president he was. His childhood illnesses were thought to give him a life expectancy of five years, but after extensive physical training, Roosevelt was more than healthy (Theodore Roosevelt). This environment during his childhood transformed him into a man who fought for change and only received validation through personal achievement; his mentality gave the United States the change it
The ascension of Theodore Roosevelt to the presidency marked a dramatic turning point in bringing meaningful reform in America because he was the first ever president to lead hands on and believed that the government should serve as an agent of reform for the people. Roosevelt abandoned his Republican counterparts’ ideals of a ‘laissez-faire’ economy and turned to helping the American people through welfare programs and minimum wage laws. Above all, Theodore Roosevelt served as a voice for the masses and implemented what they had long desired.
In 1883, Theodore Roosevelt, gave his “Duties of American Citizenship” speech. The speech took place around the same time that the Civil Service Reform Act was passed. It was passed to prohibit government officials from soliciting campaign donations from yard workers. So, the overall purpose of Roosevelt 's speech was to persuade people to fulfill their duty as a citizen in the United States. He wanted them to stand up for their country, to be involved in politics, and to want to go the extra mile just to help others and the country as a whole. As I read this speech, there were five main points that stood out. They, along with the rest of the speech, explained what Roosevelt thought the ideal American citizen should look like.
Because of their position in the government, Americans have such high standards for presidents. However, a lot of the time presidents are criticized more for their mistakes rather than their accomplishments. As Michael Siegel shows in his book President as Leader “presidential leadership is exercised by real, flawed human beings, and not by superheroes or philosopher-kings beyond the reach of scrutiny or critique.” Franklin D. Roosevelt (U.S. President 1882–1945) and Lyndon B. Johnson (U.S. President 1963–1969) are two examples of this. While both had an eye in developing a larger Federal government and supplying food, work, and medical care for those that could not afford them on their own, they are often criticized for the cons that came with the programs that they implemented. FDR’s and LBJ’s presidencies occurred during different economic challenges and social issues but they ultimately handled them in similar ways.
His ability to recognize and appreciate those around him played a large part in his prosperity in both law and politics. “[G]ood influences” had a habit of walking into his life and therefore he always let the ideal that “good predominates” guide his actions and influence his beliefs (Coolidge 52). Throughout his career in public service, Calvin Coolidge focused predominantly on establishing peace rather than initiating conflict. The effects of his advocation for tranquility are apparent in both his actions and his relations. His involvement in the “World Peace Treaty” and his positive relationships with his comrades, family, and ordinary citizens highlighted his desire for concord (Coolidge 152). Although life as the president can be overwhelming with constant work flooding through the doors of the White House, he never took little deeds of kindness for granted. Calvin cherished the memories of the stupendous instructing of his college faculty, the friendliness of skilled lawyers like Hammond and Field, and even the simple affection of his father. Calvin Coolidge found good people wherever his life led him and he never failed to recognize the kindness of those around him, a characteristic that will never die as time
In September 1901 Theodore Roosevelt became president when William McKinley was assassinated. He thought that the presidency was basically a “bully pulpit”. Roosevelt was “a steward of the people bound actively and affirmatively to all he could for the people” (Divine 2013, p. 546). Roosevelt tried to bridge the gap between the African Americans and the whites but most southerners believed that what he was trying to do was a crime that was equal to treason. Eventually Roosevelt backed down. In 1903, Roosevelt wanted Congress to create a Department of Commerce and Labor to investigate corporations engaged in interstate commerce. When Congress did not want to do it, he took measures to ensure that they would pass it and they did in the end. Through these things in the reading along with the other things he did we see that Roosevelt while progressive went about it differently than Wilson did. While Roosevelt was able to get
The best way to describe Theodore Roosevelt is an “Original”, a man like no other helping shape and influence American history for the better. Mostly known for serving two terms as president and being one of the youngest president’s to serve in history, but he was more than that. What made Theodore Roosevelt special was that he believed in peace but just because he wanted peace did not mean he would be a coward and be bullied by others. He has even won a noble peace prize for helping end the Russo-Japanese war. Being one of the few faces found on Mount Rushmore he has earned his right to be remembered throughout history. He was a man that would not back down for anything. He stood up for what he believed in and what he thought the American people wanted.