Theodore Roosevelt was the first president to be conferred with the Medal of Honor in the year 2001 from President Bill Clinton for the services rendered as a military leader.Nicknamed Teddy or T.R., Theodore Roosevelt was the 26th president of the US who was generally regarded as an all-rounder for he was a politician, historian, conservationist, statesman, and writer. Theodore Roosevelt has been immortalized on Mount Rushmore.Read on for some interesting facts about Theodore Roosevelt.Fun Facts About Theodore RooseveltAre you looking for some interesting facts pertaining to the life of Theodore Roosevelt? Where did he spend his early life? Read on for some fascinating facts about Roosevelt that you didn’t know before.Theodore Roosevelt was born on October 27, 1858, in New York City.Theodore Roosevelt died on January 6, 1919, in New York City.There had been several life-threatening instances in the president’s life.An assassination attempt was made in 1912 and a dangerous military charge was also leveled against in 1898 in Cuba.Young Roosevelt had witnessed the funeral procession of former President Abraham Lincoln.There is even a photo showing the boy perching on a window to view the procession from his grandfather’s mansion in 1865, which got publicized in the ’50s.There are statements of historian and biographer Edmund Morris stating that the president had a remarkable memory and could memorize poems and other contents even after a decade or so.Theodore Roosevelt and Franklin Roosevelt, the 26th and 32nd presidents of the US respectively, were fifth cousins.Much to the amazement, the Republican leaders didn’t want Roosevelt to become president.He was nominated for the vice-presidentship in the 1900s and was ‘sidelined’ from becoming president. But fate had something else in store for him.Following the assassination of President McKinley in 1901, Theodore Roosevelt mounted the stairs to succeed.Roosevelt was the first American president to be the recipient of the Nobel Prize for peace.His foreign policy that was lenient to peace-making fetched him the title-global peacemaker.He mediated between Japan and Russia to end their prolonged conflict in 1906.He also settled the tussle between France and Germany for Morocco.These efforts were worth-praising, and they fetched him the Nobel Peace Prize.Many people don’t know the fact that Roosevelt was a prolific writer, who has penned over 35 books.The avid writer has written over 15,000 letters in his lifetime!It all doesn’t end here. He had also authored his autobiography.Theodore extremely revered the US Navy and acknowledged its incredible performance in the war of 1812 and the Cuban conflict of 1898.His immense reverence and admiration towards the US Navy fetched him the title ‘Father of the Modern US Navy’.Roosevelt was a college dropout. After completing his graduation from Harvard, he had joined the law school at Columbia.He dropped out halfway, as local politics attracted him over legal career.He was passionate about boxing and one of his eyes were blind following an injury from a bout at the White House in 1908. He dropped boxing thereafter.Roosevelt served as the president from 1901 to 1909.He also held the positions of vice-president and governor of New York before ascending to the throne of president.Roosevelt has a name for leading the Congress and the nation through a series of reforms and a well-crafted foreign policy.He passed away in 1919 when he was just 60 years old.The former president had to depart as blood began clotting in the heart.Theodore Roosevelt wrote the book The Naval War of 1812 in the year 1882.This book strengthened his reputation as a historian and popular authorAfter entering politics, Theodore Roosevelt assumed the role of the leader of the reform faction of Republicans in New York’s state legislature.After his mother and wife died on the same night he was totally devastated and then relocated to Dakota where he started a cattle ranch.For ensuring the construction of the Panama Canal, he took the diplomatic efforts of America to the next level in Latin America.This is the reason that the Panama Canal is often labeled as a result of his hard work and persistence.Despite being the youngest president, Theodore Roosevelt showed an astute political acumen to push forth with the welfare of the country.Facts About Theodore Roosevelt’s AccomplishmentsTheodore Roosevelt was a native of New York state. During his tenure in public life, Theodore Roosevelt managed to achieve some impressive accomplishments. Here are some interesting facts that you must know about Theodore Roosevelt accomplishments:Teddy Roosevelt was the recipient of the posthumous award of ‘The Medal of Honor’.He won the award for his remarkable contributions in the Cuban War of Independence, which broke out in 1898 between the US and Spain.To date, he remains the youngest president of the USA.Following the sudden death of Vice-President Garrel Hobart, he succeeded to the position.This was followed by the assassination of former President McKinley that paved the way for Roosevelt to become the president.The coal strike of workers in 1902 was of immense popularity. It took the country to an emergency-like situation.It was the timely intervention and mediation of Roosevelt with the workers, that averted a national emergency.The problem was resolved by giving a 10% hike in the wages of workers.He has the name behind important legislation that curbed the monopoly on railroads, measures to lower adulteration, and conservation of natural resources.Roosevelt has played a significant part in the construction of the Panama Canal that proved important in the economic deals, military and commercial interests.Roosevelt is the first American president to become the recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize for his noteworthy contributions to bringing about peace in the world.Facts About Theodore Roosevelt’s ChildhoodOther than being the youngest president of the US, Theodore Roosevelt experienced various important events during his life. Here are some interesting facts related to the childhood of Theodore Roosevelt:Theodore Roosevelt had a tough childhood, unlike other US presidents who held the position.Though born into a wealthy family, he had struggled to keep up good health.Teddy Roosevelt was born on October 27, 1858, in Manhattan in New York.Martha Stewart and Theodore Roosevelt Sr. were the parents of Theodore Roosevelt Jr.He had Dutch ancestry from his paternal side and also a Scottish-Irish-English, German, Welsch, and French ancestry.When his mother was a socialite, his father was a philanthropist and businessman.Though born into a wealthy family, health issues always haunted him.He suffered from asthma and experienced asthma attacks very often.However, this didn’t prevent him from being enthusiastic, energetic, and inquisitive.For a long time, Roosevelt was homeschooled. Bright in academics, he excelled in all subjects except Mathematics and classical languages.Theodore Roosevelt had a strong base in geography, French, German, History and Biology.In 1876, Theodore Roosevelt went to Harvard College.He lost his father in 1878, which came as a huge blow to him.He had become a prodigy in zoology and was a naturalist and an established ornithologist at an early age.At Harvard, he mastered boxing and rowing and never missed out on tournaments.However, he dropped his plans to pursue natural sciences further and then took to study law at Columbia.Again, he didn’t find himself there and dropped off, owing to an interest in local politics.There were several turning points in his life further.He lost his mother Mittie and wife Alice Hathaway Lee to death unprecedented on the same day.It brought him huge distress and put him under severe pressure.As a result, he decided to move to his ranch in the Dakota Territory.With the money, his father had left, he decided to back cattle ranches on Dakota territory and lived an ordinary life by grazing cattle and hunting.During a visit to London, he met his childhood friend Edith Kermit Carow.In 1886, Theodore Roosevelt remarried his childhood friend Edith Kermit Carow and moved to Oyster Bay, New York.They were parents to his first child Alice and five others; Theodore, Kermit, Ethel, Archibald, and Quentin.Facts About Theodore Roosevelt’s CareerWithout a doubt, Theodore Roosevelt enjoyed a truly happening career. Here are some important aspects related to the public life of Theodore Roosevelt:At the age of 43, Theodore became the youngest to become an American president, as he succeeded Wiliam McKinley, who got assassinated while in office.Roosevelt implemented the policy of ‘square deal’, that projected ‘Three Cs’, which were conservation of natural resources, consumer protection, and control of corporations.After he dropped out of law school, Teddy contested in the New York Assembly elections in 1882 and served for two years till 1884.In 1888, Roosevelt campaigned for Benjamin Harrison, who was the Republican Presidential candidate.After his victory, Roosevelt was appointed at the US Civil Service Commission.Grover Cleveland, the Democratic President reappointed him to the same commission in 1893.Theodore Roosevelt continued dutifully in his service till he was in charge of the New York City Police Board as president in 1895.In 1897, then-President William Mckinley appointed him as the assistant secretary of the US Navy, which turned him into a war hero.With many appraisals, Roosevelt was welcomed by the Republican leaders, who found a gubernatorial candidate in him.Theodore Roosevelt was to contest against Judge Augustus Van Wyck and had a massive victory. The journey ahead in his political career was not easy.He was blamed for not living up to the expectations of the Republican leaders and battled allegations.This was followed by his vice-presidentship and then as American president.Roosevelt ensured the construction of the Panama Canal.He also prevented the construction of any bases of foreign armies up the Caribbean.He also got the sole rights for the US to mediate in Latin America through his corollary to the Monroe Doctrine.
Theodore Roosevelt was the first president to be conferred with the Medal of Honor in the year 2001 from President Bill Clinton for the services rendered as a military leader.