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Theodore Roosevelt Is Born
Roosevelt was born in New York City to a wealthy family. Roosevelt was later on home-schooled and then attended Harvard University, graduating in 1880. He served in the New York state legislature from 1881 to 1884. -
Named President when McKinley is assassinated
President William McKinley, Jr. was shot twice by Leon Czolgosz. McKinley eventually died eight days later from gangrene. On this day, Roosevelt was inaugurated for his first term as the twenty-sixth president of the United States. During this process, Roosevelt went through phases of hope and fear. -
The Coal Strike of 1902
President Teddy Roosevelt summoned Pennsylvania miners and coal field operators to the White House in a bid to settle a strike. Roosevelt became the first president to personally intervene in a labor dispute. The union accepted the commission and ended the anthracite strike on October 20. The anthracite-coal commission recommended in March 1903 increasing miners' pay by ten percent (one-half of their demand), reducing the working day from ten to nine hours, and other concessions. -
Elkins Act Passed
The Elkins Act amended the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887. It authorized the Interstate Commerce Commission to impose heavy fines on railroads that offered rebates, and upon the shippers that accepted these rebates. Railroad companies were not permitted to offer rebates. Railroad corporations, officers, and employees were made liable for discriminatory practices. -
Pelican Island, Florida Named First National Wildlife Refuge
President Theodore Roosevelt (with the support of Frank Chapman and the Florida Audubon Society) established Pelican Island, in the Indian River Lagoon, as the first federal bird reservation giving start to the National Wildlife Refuge System. Paul Kroegel was hired as the first warden of Pelican Island. -
Wins First Full Term as President
Roosevelt was elected to a full term in 1904 and continued to promote progressive policies, many of which were passed in Congress. Republican incumbent Pres. Theodore Roosevelt defeated Democrat Alton B. Parker. Roosevelt’s win marked the first time that a president not originally elected to the office succeeded in retaining the presidency. -
Yosemite Becomes Under Federal Control
In 1903, President Theodore Roosevelt camped in the park with naturalist John Muir for three days. On the trip, Muir persuaded Roosevelt to remove control of the nearby valley and grove from California and return it to the federal government. The American Antiquities Act of 1906 allowed the Yosemite Valley and the Mariposa Grove to become under federal protection and control. -
Passage of Pure Food and Drug Act
The act banned manufacturers from selling mislabeled products, including unacceptable ingredients, and from misleading consumers with false claims. This changed the ways in which foods and drugs were prepared, packaged, labeled, sold, and advertised in the United States. -
Devil's Tower, Wyoming, Named First National Monument
With its interesting geologic silhouette against the Wyoming Sky, Devils Tower became the first national monument President Roosevelt established. It was established under the Antiquities Act in 1906. The name came from an expedition led by Colonel Richard Irving Dodge. His interpreter misinterpreted a native name to mean "Bad God's Tower" -
Leaves Presidency, Visits Africa
Smithsonian–Roosevelt African Expedition -Theodore Roosevelt led this expedition to Africa an expedition to Africa in order to collect specimens for the Smithsonian's new Natural History Museum, now known as the National Museum of Natural History. Roosevelt and his son killed about 512 animals while on Safari. -
Roosevelt Runs For Presidency, Unsuccessfully For Bull Moose Party
Bull Moose Party is a nickname for the new Progressive Party, which was formed to support Roosevelt in the election of 1912, The Republicans were badly split in the 1912 election, so Roosevelt broke away forming his own Progressive Party because he was as "fit as a bull moose...". Roosevelt formed this party after he lost the presidential nomination of the Republican Party to William Taft.
