Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural

National Historic Site

Theodore Roosevelt Facts

Theodore Roosevelt was. . .

• the youngest President in American history when he succeeded to the office at age 42 in 1901 upon McKinley's death.
• the first President born and raised in a big city (New York). ¨
• the only President who lived the life of a cowboy and rancher in the Old West.
• the first President to make a trip abroad while in office (to Panama to observe work on the canal).
• the first American to receive the Nobel Peace Prize (for negotiating the end of the Russo-Japanese War in 1905).
• the first President to use the name "White House" officially. (Previously, "Executive Mansion" was the official name and "White House" was a nickname).
• the first President to go down in a submarine.
• the first President to fly in an airplane (with the Wright Brothers).
• the first President to personally negotiate a labor dispute (the coal strike of l902).
• the only President to have a river named in his honor (Rio Roosevelt in Brazil), a species of elk (Cervus Roosevelti), and a child's toy (the Teddy bear).

Family Facts

Theodore Roosevelt was related to both Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) and FDR's wife, Anna Eleanor Roosevelt. Franklin D. Roosevelt was a fifth cousin to Theodore and a fifth cousin once removed to his wife Eleanor, for whom "Roosevelt" was both a maiden and a married name. Eleanor Roosevelt, FDR's wife, was Theodore's niece, the daughter of his brother Elliott. They were all descended from Claus Martenszen Van Rosenvelt, who emigrated from Holland to New Amsterdam (New York) in the l640's.

Theodore Roosevelt was married twice, first to Alice Lee (1860-1884) and then to Edith Carow (1861-1948) and had six children: Alice (1884-1980), Ted, Jr. (1887-1944), Kermit (1889-1943), Ethel (1891-1977), Archie (1894-1979) and Quentin (1897-1918).

Return to Education Resource Page

Return to Education Page

Return to In-depth Page