Theodore D. Roosevelt* By Joseph Meert * See slide 2

Names Theodore Roosevelt actually did not have a middle name but contemporary sources record his middle initial as A., B., D., F., N., R., and S with the most used being D. His family and close friends called him Teedie, but he hated to be called Teddy. Theodore Roosevelt was born on October 27, 1858,in New York City He died on January 6, 1919, at age 60

 Roosevelt was a sickly child with a severe case of asthma and had to be home schooled  In his early years he was rarely allowed outside.  In his pre-teens he really started to become interested in nature.  He studied natural history and loved to stuff, preserve, and display animals  He collected exotic birds on a trip to Africa when he was 14, he killed the animals himself.  In the 19 th century it was the only way to get detailed and accurate observations of animals.

 Home-Schooled  He graduated from Harvard studying natural history with a magna cum laude  Studied law at the Columbia Law school for two years ( ) then dropped out without a degree

 He acted in his free adult life like a young boy his second wife once called him her 7 th son.  He loved to exercise in his adult life to make up for his weakness as a child. He rode horses, lifted weights, did gymnastics, swam, and hiked. He studied judo, boxing, and wrestling.  He was a big game hunter  He moved to North Dakota, studied cattle ranching, and was taught by locals how to ranch. He left his home in New York just to ranch.

 Fought as a Rough Rider in the Spanish- American war  President for 1 term (26 th president)  Wrote 35 books  First president to leave the country during a term (visited Panama to see construction of the Panama Canal)  Received a magna cum laude at Harvard

 Roosevelt and the other people in his party killed more than 11,000 animals, from insects to elephants. More than 500 were big game animals, including six white rhinos. Lots of salted animals were shipped to Washington; there were so many animals were sent to the Smithsonian that it took years to prepare and display them all, and the Smithsonian shared duplicates with other museums.

 "Speak softly and carry a big stick.”  “A vote is like a rifle; its usefulness depends upon the character of the user.”  “Absence and death are the same - only that in death there is no suffering. “  “Believe you can and you're halfway there.”  “Don't hit at all if it is honorably possible to avoid hitting; but never hit soft.”  “A man who has never gone to school may steal from a freight car; but if he has a university education, he may steal the whole railroad. ”