FDR BIOGRAPHY

Early Life and Education Years

Franklin Delano Roosevelt was born January 30, 1882 at his parent's lavish estate, Springwood, overlooking the Hudson River in Hyde Park, New York. He was the only child born to James Roosevelt and Sara Delano Roosevelt. His mother, who would become a strong influence on the president-to-be throughout his lifetime, supervised his early education until he was fourteen years of age. Young Franklin developed expertise in both French and German languages through the teachings of personal tutors. He developed a particular fondness for adventure tales and especially those associated with the sea. Young Franklin grew to love outdoor sports and became an expert swimmer as well as a fine sailor.

At the age of 14, Roosevelt entered the Groton School, a preparatory school in Groton, Massachusetts. He graduated from the school in 1900. In the fall of the same year, Franklin enrolled at Harvard University. He majored in history and earned fair grades. Franklin joined the intramural teams of rowing and football. He was most proud of his appointment in 1903 as the editor of the school's newspaper, Harvard Crimson. He graduated from Harvard in 1903. The following year, 1904, Franklin entered Columbia University Law School and passed the bar exam in 1907. But he had little interest in the study of law and left school that year before receiving a degree. Franklin worked as a clerk for a New York law firm for three years but he soon tired of the profession showing no enthusiasm for legal work.

Marriage and Enters Politics

In 1903 Franklin was engaged to a distant cousin, Eleanor Roosevelt, and they were married March 17, 1905 with Eleanor's uncle, President Theodore Roosevelt, giving the bride away. In 1910, at the age of 29, Franklin entered politics as the New York State senator. Much to his credit and work performance, he was appointed the Assistant Secretary of the Navy in 1913. Running as a Democrat in 1920, Franklin was nominated as the vice-presidential nominee alongside Governor James M. Cox of Ohio. Warren G. Harding and Calvin Coolidge of the Republican Party defeated the two. At only 38 years of age, the defeat did little harm to Mr. Roosevelt. It did establish himself as a leader among progressive Democrats.

Disaster Strikes the Future President

On August 9, 1921 while sailing near his summer home on Campobello Island, off New Brunswick, Canada he fell into the cool waters. The feeling of chills would be misdiagnosed and the future president had been stricken with polio, never to walk unaided again. Following a tremendous physical battle to regain movement in his legs through the use of heavy leg braces and crutches, Franklin would reenter politics and in 1928 become the Governor of New York State. The victory proved again Mr. Roosevelt's popularity with the voters and led to his seeking the 1932 Democratic Party nomination for President.

Elected President and Death

Franklin Delano Roosevelt would not only accept the nomination and be sworn in as the 32nd President of The United States in 1933 but, be relected as President in 1936, 1940 and 1944.