Facts About Theodore Roosevelt's Life

"Thrice happy is the nation that has a glorious history. Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat."

Theodore Roosevelt was one of the Presidents of the United States who shaped the country to become what it is today. He was not only a witty and extremely talented person but also one who was responsible for bringing about a huge change in the cultural, social and political scene of the country of the United States.

One of the most respected Presidents of the United States, there were many different facets to his personality that made him a fascinating and awe-inspiring man.

President Theodore Roosevelt was born in the year 1858 on 27th of October in New York. He served as President for two terms, once when he assumed the post when his predecessor was assassinated and once as an elected President. His term in office lasted from 14th of September, 1901 till 3rd of March, 1909.

President Roosevelt had a long military experience having served in the Spanish American war. President Roosevelt passed away in New York in the year 1919 on the 6th of January.

• President Roosevelt was the youngest President to ever assume the office of the President. At the age of 42, he became the President when his predecessor President McKinley was assassinated.

• It was under the presidency of Theodore Roosevelt that the US acquired the Panama Canal Rights. Also during his second term as President (his first as elected President), he won the Nobel Peace Prize for playing the role of a negotiator in the Russo-Japanese war. He was also the first President to win the Nobel Peace Prize.

• He was the first President of the United States to travel outside the country when he made a trip to Panama in 1906.
• Theodore Roosevelt was also the first President of the United States to fly in a plane, when he took a ride that lasted four minutes in a plane that had been built by the Wright brothers.

• He was one of the first Presidents to be known by his initials rather than his name as he generally introduced himself as TR.

• He held very strong beliefs about the working of the Church and the State together and believed that their functions need to be separate. In fact when he took the oath of office, he did not swear on the Bible.

• In fact a USD 20 gold coin that was designed in 1907 did not have the words In God We Trust as Roosevelt believed that it was a sign of disrespect to God to have the thought on something that was used to buy worldly goods.

• Roosevelt hardly ever went to school. In fact most of his education was conducted at home by tutors and his parents.
• While he was in office, President Roosevelt sustained a boxing injury, which left him blind in the left eye.

• He is one of the four Presidents who have been immortalized by having their faces carved into Mount Rushmore.

• The teddy bear, a soft toy we are all very familiar with, was actually named after President Roosevelt.
• Theodore Roosevelt was known to have a photographic memory. In fact it is said that he could not read an entire page by the time a normal person had read a sentence but that he could also dictate two letters to two separate secretaries while reading a book.

These were some of the most fascinating snippets of Theodore Roosevelt's life that not many people are familiar with. In fact most people tend to get carried away by his political career but even on a personal level President Roosevelt was a man who was greatly admired by the masses.