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Who Was Franklin Roosevelt?

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Franklin Delano Roosevelt, 32nd President Of The United States, Seated In A Wheelchair Who Was Franklin Roosevelt? (Who Was?)

The Early Years

Franklin Delano Roosevelt was born on January 30, 1882, in Hyde Park, New York. He was the only child of James Roosevelt, a successful businessman, and Sara Delano Roosevelt, a prominent socialite. Roosevelt grew up in a wealthy and privileged environment, attending Groton School and Harvard University.

Who Was Franklin Roosevelt? (Who Was?)

by Margaret Frith

4.9 out of 5

Language	:	English
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After graduating from Harvard, Roosevelt studied law at Columbia Law School. He passed the bar exam in 1907 and began practicing law in New York City. In 1905, he married Eleanor Roosevelt, a distant cousin and the niece of President Theodore Roosevelt.

Political Career

Roosevelt's political career began in 1910, when he was elected to the New York State Senate. He served in the Senate for two terms, before being elected as Assistant Secretary of the Navy in 1913. In this role, he played a key role in the development of the United States Navy during World War I.

In 1920, Roosevelt was nominated for Vice President on the Democratic ticket. He ran alongside presidential candidate James M. Cox, but the pair lost the election to Warren G. Harding.

In 1921, Roosevelt was diagnosed with polio. The disease left him paralyzed from the waist down. Despite his disability, Roosevelt remained active in politics. In 1928, he was elected Governor of New York. He served as Governor for four terms, during which time he implemented a number of progressive policies, including the creation of the New York State Welfare Department.

Presidency

In 1932, Roosevelt was elected President of the United States. He took office in the midst of the Great Depression, the worst economic crisis in American history. Roosevelt responded to the crisis with a series of bold and innovative policies known as the New Deal. The New Deal included measures such as the creation of the Social Security system, the establishment of the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the construction of the Tennessee Valley Authority.

Roosevelt's New Deal policies helped to stabilize the American economy and provide relief to millions of Americans. However, his policies also drew criticism from conservatives, who argued that they were too expensive and that they gave the government too much power.

In 1941, the United States entered World War II. Roosevelt played a key role in leading the Allied Powers to victory. He met with British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Soviet leader Joseph Stalin to develop a strategy for defeating the Axis powers. Roosevelt also oversaw the development of the Manhattan Project, which led to the creation of the atomic bomb.

Roosevelt died of a cerebral hemorrhage on April 12, 1945, just a few weeks before the end of World War II. He is considered one of the greatest presidents in American history. His legacy includes the New Deal, which helped to shape the modern American welfare state, and his leadership during World War II, which helped to secure the Allied victory.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt was a complex and enigmatic figure. He was a man of contradictions: a wealthy aristocrat who championed the cause of the poor, a cripple who led a nation to war, a politician who was both admired and reviled. But there is no doubt that Roosevelt was one of the most important figures in American history. His presidency transformed the role of the federal government and helped to shape the modern world.

Who Was Franklin Roosevelt? (Who Was?)

by Margaret Frith

4.9 out of 5