Franklin Delano Roosevelt

When you think of a significant American, who would you choose? I would choose Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Serving longer than any other American President and assuming Presidency during the Great Depression, he provided American with hope and promised swift action. Roosevelt leads one of the most interesting and magnificent life, of anyone I have ever studied about.

Born in 1882 at Hyde Park, New York his parents, Sara and James Roosevelt sent him to Groton School, one of the best at preparing boys for Ivy League colleges. (2) Roosevelt graduated from Groton in 1900 and went on to Harvard University where he graduated with an arts degree. (1) Roosevelt left for New York and attended Columbia Law School. (2) Roosevelt did not graduate Columbia Law School when he left to join the practice of Carter, Ledyard, and Milburn, a prominent law firm. (3) Before leaving Columbia Law School, he married his distant cousin Anna Eleanor Roosevelt. (2) Together they had a total of six children: Anna, James, Franklin Jr., Elliot, a second Franklin Jr. and John. (1)

Roosevelt entered politics in 1910 when he was a candidate for the New York State Senate. (2) In 1912 Roosevelt went to the Democratic Convention determined to get Woodrow Wilson in office. (3) Because of his success, Roosevelt was rewarded with the position of assistant secretary of the United States Navy. (2) In 1913 Roosevelt left the State Assembly to assume his new position as assistant secretary. (3) Roosevelt was later nominated as Vice President in the Democratic National Convention of 1920. (2)

In 1921 while the Roosevelt's were vacationing, disaster hit-Franklin was stricken with poliomyelitis. (1) Demonstrating courage, he fought to regain the use of his legs, particularly through swimming at his "second home" in Warm Springs, Georgia. (2) At the 1924 Democratic Convention he appeared on crutches to nominate Al Smith, governor of New York. (3)

In 1928 Roosevelt nominated Smith for president again at the national convention. This time, Smith was chosen for the Democratic nominee. (2) Smith urged Roosevelt to run for Governor of New York. (1) At the November election, Smith was defeated by Republican Herbert Hoover. However, Roosevelt was elected Governor. (1)