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Theodore Roosevelt Late in his life, Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th president of the United States, said “No man has had a happier life than I have led… a happier life in every way.” One of his greatest sources of happiness was his family. The happy family of Roosevelt included his second wife, Edith, and their five children, Theodore Jr., Kermit, Ethel, Archie, and Quentin. Alice, Roosevelts daughter from his first wife, was also a member. As president, Roosevelt was responsible for the constructing of the Panama Canal and increasing the number of national parks and national forests. He won the Nobel Peace Prize for mediating the Russo-Japanese War. 1,The Family Pets When Roosevelt was a young boy he had been sick with asthma. In order to get well he spent a lot of time outdoors building up his strength and learning about animals.Since he loved animals, it was no surprise that his six children loved them too. While the Roosevelt family lived in the White House, the children collected many pets, including a badger, a bear, a raccoon, cats dogs, rats, guinea pigs, snakes and a calico pony named Algonquin. During the summers, the children and Mrs. Roosevelt often stayed at their home in Long Island, New York. While they were away from their father, he often sent them letters. Roosevelt wrote one to his son Theodore Jr. who had not yet learned to read. What do you think this letter was about?
President Roosevelt seemed to enjoy the familys numerous pets just as much as his children. Once people saw his son Quentin is examining a Jun bug on his hand. Roosevelt enjoyed writing letters to his friends and telling them about his childrens animals. Here is an example.
To Mrs. Elizabeth Stuart Phelps Ward White House, Oct. 20, 1902, “At this moment, my small daughter being out, I am acting as nurse to two wee guinea pigs, which she feels would not be safe save in the room with me-and if I can prevent it I do not intend to have any creature suffering inflicted.” Although Roosevelt loved animals, he also liked to go hunting. As his boys grew up they often went with their dad on hunting trips. His grown-up sons, Theodore Jr. and Kermit, were sometimes dressed for hunting. When he was no longer president, Roosevelt went on safaris to Africa and Brazil to gather natural specimens for the Smithsonian Institution. His son, Kermit, went on the African safari with him. 2，Rough Rider Roosevelt was known for his endless energy. Buffalo Bill called him “a cyclone” and Mark Twain called him “an earthquake”. As a young man he spent two years as a cowboy on his ranch in the Dakota Territory. When Spain and the U.S. went to war in 1898, he organized a Volunteer Cavalry (an army unit on horseback), which was called “the Rough Rider”. Roosevelt came back from the Spanish-American War as a national hero. He liked to say, “We had a ‘bully ’fight”. “Bully” was a slang word at the time that meant “first-rate” or “splendid”. Another phrase he like to use when facing a problem was “never around, always through”. Roosevelt was a very determined president. During his term, he forced coal mine owners to negotiate with striking miners, pushed though laws to conserve land and won the Nobel Prize for helping to end a war between Japan and Russia in 1905. Knowing what you do about Roosevelt, what other kinds of issues do you think he forced on during his year as President? Roosevelt’s love of nature and wildlife inspired him to help conserve land and create national park. While he was president, he created 51 national parks, four big- game refuges, and the first national game reserve. He also added 43 million acres of national forest. When Roosevelt believed in something he worked hard to promote it. He believed that the only thing worth doing in life was hard work for a worthy cause. 3, Teddy Bears Theodore Roosevelt was often called Teddy, and after one particular hunting trip this nickname took on a new meaning. Roosevelt was an outdoorsman and a hunter, but he also loved animals. On one occasion, he was hunting with some of his aides and a group of reporters. For several days, the newspapers reported that the president had failed to shoot any game. Finally, Roosevelt’s aides found a bear, which they cornered and presented to him as a trophy. However, Roosevelt felt compassion for the bear and refused to shoot it. This story showed Roosevelt’s kind attitude toward the bear. A Brooklyn store owner, Morris Michtom, saw the drawing of Roosevelt and the bear cub and was inspired to create a new toy. He created a little stuffed bear cub and put it in his shop window with sign that read “Teddy’s bear”. The toys were an immediate success and Michtom founded the Ideal Novelty and Toy Co. , which still exists today. Teddy bears have stood the test of time and are as popular today as ever. The teddy bear craze even inspired music. There was even a song called Teddy Bear March and Two Step from 1907. Roosevelt enjoyed spending time outdoors with his friends, such as fellow conservationist (a person who cares about protecting nature) John Muir. On camping trips with his friends, Roosevelt wrote his son Archie a letter about a camping trip when his friend John Burroughs had difficulty sleeping because of a family of flying squirrels in the cabin. “Mother and I do not mind them at all, …but one night they waked up John Burroughs and he spent a misguided hour hunting for the nest… caught two of the young squirrels and put them in a basket… The next day under mother’s direction I took them out, getting my fingers somewhat bitten in the process, and loosed them in our room…” It was just like this animal-loving man to set the creatures free, don’t you think? | 
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发表于 2008-3-6 17:47:00
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