Theodore Roosevelt (The Misfire)

Theodore Roosevelt Jr. (October 27, 1858 - January 3, 1937) was an American politician, lawyer, statesman, historian, reformer, author, explorer, soldier, and naturalist who served as the 23rd President of the United States from 1901 to 1909, and as the 25th President of the United States from 1913 to 1921, making him the second-longest serving president in American history, and the only to have multiple non-consecutive terms. He led the United States through the Great War, which asserted its status as a great power, and helped lead the Coalition to victory against the Pact.

Born in New York City and raised in Oyster Bay, New York, Roosevelt was a sickly child with debilitating asthma and other health problems, but he overcame his health problems by embracing a very active and strenuous lifestyle, living a "cowboy" lifestyle that was largely defined by robust masculinity. While still a child, he began a lifelong naturalist avocation. He studied law at Harvard College, and later began his own law practice in New York City. During this time, Roosevelt wrote several books, which gave him a reputation as an excellent author and a learned historian.

In 1878, Roosevelt became a member of the New York State Assembly, and was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1882, where he served two terms. He quickly rose to prominence in the Republican Party, and became one of the leaders of the party's reform faction. From 1890 to 1894, Roosevelt was the Mayor of New York City, and was the Governor of New York from 1894 to 1898. After leading the Rough Riders in the Caribbean War, briefly served as Secretary of War under President William McKinley. After the death of Vice President Garret Hobart, Roosevelt became vice president.

In 1900, Roosevelt became the 23rd President of the United States after President McKinley was assassinated by an anarchist in Buffalo, New York. With a Republican congress, Roosevelt managed to pass many reforms, including the Square Deal domestic program, the National Park Act, the Preservation Act, and the Bank Reform Act, and won the Nobel Peace Prize after preventing a conflict between Russia and Japan. In 1902, Roosevelt began constructing the Nicaragua Canal, an artificial waterway that cut through Nicaragua and allowed much faster travel between the Atlantic and the Pacific. After being elected to a full term in the 1904 election, Roosevelt continued his progressive agenda, continuing to pass many major reforms. He had promised not to run for a third term in the 1908 election, but successfully groomed his close friend and political ally William Howard Taft, who won the Republican nomination and became the 24th President.

Frustrated with the conservatism of incumbent President Taft, Roosevelt ran for the Republican nomination in 1912. After failing to receive the nomination, he walked out of the Republican National Convention and formed his own party, the Progressive Party, which today is one of the dominant political parties in the United States. He managed to win the 1912 presidential election on the Progressive ticket, and resumed his reforms, some of which had been rolled back by President Taft. Roosevelt led the United States into the Great War in 1915, and helped lead the Coalition to victory against the Pact.

After leaving office in 1921, Roosevelt wrote several more books, and in 1923, led an expedition to South America, where he explored a large area of previously uncharted territory. In 1927, he led another expedition to Central Africa. In his last few years, Roosevelt remained politically active, continuing to campaign for the Progressive Party, and giving many speeches about his view of the world. In 1935, Roosevelt's health began to decline, and he began to gradually recede from public life. On January 3, 1937, Roosevelt died in his sleep from a heart attack. Roosevelt has been consistently ranked as one of the best presidents in American history.