Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt, Jr. was the 26th president of the United States, and one of the most influential men in shaping the history of the country. Establishing a timeline of Theodore Roosevelt is no difficult task. From birth to death, he hardly ever held still, passionately determined to make the best use of his time and to encourage others to do the same.
- October 27, 1858:Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt, Jr. was born in New York City, New York
- 1867:Established the ‘Roosevelt Museum of Natural History’ with two cousins (using a seal’s head)
- 1867:Wrote a paper entitled, “The Natural History of Insects” about his observations on insects
- 1868:Began exercising as a way to strengthen his lungs against his recurring asthma
- 1869-70:Tour of Europe with his family
- 1871:Diagnosed with severe myopia (near-sightedness); learned to shoot a rifle
- 1872-73:Tour of Egypt with his family
- 1876:Started attending Harvard College
- 1878:Theodore, Sr. (Teddy’s father) dies
- 1880:Received A.B. degree from Harvard, graduating Phi Beta Kappa and manga cum laude
- 1880:Married first wife, Alice Hathaway Lee, who mothered one child (Alice, born 1884)
- 1882-84:Elected to the New York Assembly
- February 12, 1884:Daughter (Alice) is born
- February 14, 1884:First wife dies; mother dies
- 1884-85:Lived in Badlands of North Dakota; deputy sheriff.
- 1885:Sagamore Hill is built
- 1886:Ran for mayor of New York City (unsuccessful)
- December 2, 1886:Married second wife, Edith Kermit Carow, who mothered five children
- 1895:President of the board of New York City Police Commissioners; reformed NYPD.
- 1897-98:Assistant Secretary of the Navy; orchestrated beginning of Spanish-American War
- May-July 1898: Colonel of Rough Riders, fighting in Cuba
- July 1898:Heroic actions in Battle of San Juan Hill (leading to Medal of Honor, in 2001)
- 1899:Published his book, The Strenuous Life
- 1899-1900:33rd Governor of New York
- March-September 1901:25th Vice President of the U.S., for President William McKinley
- September 2, 1901:”Big Stick” speech at Minnesota State Fair
- September 6, 1901:President McKinley is shot by Leon Czolgosz in Buffalo, New York
- September 14, 1901:Sworn in as President, following McKinley’s death from assassination
- September 1901-March 1909:26th President of the U.S.
- November 1902:Refused to kill a helpless bear tied to a tree; “Teddy’s bear” invented
- 1905:Negotiated successful Portsmouth Treaty, ending Russo-Japan War
- 1906:Awarded Nobel Peace Prize
- March 1909:African safari
- August 1910:”Square Deal” speech
- October 14, 1912:Survived assassination attempt by John Schrank (shot in chest, Milwaukee, WI)
- 1912:Formation of Progressive (or “Bull Moose”) Party; lost bid for re-election to U.S. president
- 1913-14: Expedition to South America
- 1914-18:Helped Republicans running for election; assisted in war efforts
- January 6, 1919:Died in his sleep, of coronary thrombosis (heart attack) at Sagamore Hill
- 2001:Posthumous award of Medal of Honor for actions in Battle of San Juan Hill (1898)