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Theodore Roosevelt is born
On October 27, 1858, future President Theodore Roosevelt is born in New York City to a wealthy family. -
Named president when McKinley is assassinated
Roosevelt became president at age 42 after McKinley was assassinated. He is still the youngest person to take office as President of the United States. -
Energy Crisis
A strike in the coal fields of Pennsylvania threatened a coal famine. Roosevelt feared "untold misery . . . with the certainty of riots which might develop into social war." He begged that the operations of the coal mines started again to "meet the crying needs of the people". -
Elkins Act passed
This law was passed by the 57th Congress and signed by President Roosevelt on February 19, 1903. The Act made it a misdemeanor for a carrier to impose preferential rebates, and implicated both the carrier and the recipient of the low price. Railroads favored the act, because it prevented loss of revenue. -
Pelican Island, Florida named first wildlife refuge
On March 14, 1903, President Theodore Roosevelt established an executive order naming Pelican Island the first National wildlife refuge in the United States. It was made in order to protect birds from plume hunting. -
Wins first full term as president
In the 30th presidential election, which took place on November 8, 1904, Teddy Roosevelt defeated Democratic candidate Alton B. -
Yosemite under Federal Control
Roosevelt signed the American Antiquities Act of 1906 that transferred the Yosemite Valley back under federal protection and control. -
Passage of Pure Food and Drug Act
The Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906 prohibited the sale of mislabeled or spoiled food and drugs in interstate commerce. The act created a foundation for the nation's first consumer protection agency, the FDA. The law also provided improved medical care for people sickened by unsafe food. -
Devil's Tower, Wyoming, named first national monument
Established on September 2, 1906, by Teddy Roosevelt, Devil's Tower was the first United States national monument -
Leaves presidency, visits Africa
Roosevelt's presidency ended on March 4, 1909 and the crew for the Smithsonian-Roosevelt African Expedition set sail from NY on March 23. They landed in Mombasa, which is now Kenya. They killed/trapped around 11,397 animals, all for the Smithsonian Natural History museum, which is known now as the National Museum of Natural History -
Runs for presidency, unsuccessfully for Bull-Moose Party
Theodore Roosevelt is nominated for the presidency by the Bull Moose Party (aka Progressive Party), which was a group of Republicans upset with the renomination of President William Howard Taft. He ended up defeated by Woodrow Wilson in November
