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Theodore Roosevelt is born
On this day in 1858, future President Theodore Roosevelt is born in New York City to a wealthy family. Roosevelt was home-schooled and then attended Harvard University, graduating in 1880. -
Yosemite under Federal Control
an act of Congress creates Yosemite National Park, home of such natural wonders as Half Dome and the giant sequoia trees. Environmental trailblazer John Muir (1838-1914) and his colleagues campaigned for the congressional action, which was signed into law by President Benjamin Harrison and paved the way for generations of hikers, campers and nature lovers, along with countless “Don’t Feed the Bears” signs. -
Named President when McKinley was Assassinated
President William McKinley is shaking hands at the Pan-American Exhibition in Buffalo, New York, when a 28-year-old anarchist named Leon Czolgosz approaches him and fires two shots into his chest. -
Elkins Act passed
The Elkins Act authorized the Interstate Commerce Commission to impose heavy fines on railroads that offered rebates, and upon the shippers that accepted these rebates. The railroad companies were not permitted to offer rebates. Railroad corporations, their officers and employees were all made liable for discriminatory practices. -
Pelican Island, Florida named first national wildlife refuge
With the encouragement of Frank Chapman and the Florida Audubon Society, President Theodore Roosevelt established Pelican Island in the Indian River Lagoon as the first federal bird reservation giving birth to the National Wildlife Refuge System. -
Wins first full term as President
Theodore Roosevelt easily won a term of his own, thus becoming the first "accidental" president to do so. Roosevelt won 56.4% of the popular vote; this, and his popular vote margin of 18.8%, were the largest recorded between James Monroe's uncontested re-election in 1820 and the election of Warren G. Harding in 1920. Roosevelt won the election by more than 2 1/2 million popular votes. No earlier president had won by so large a margin. -
Passage of Pure Food and Drug Act
AN ACT For preventing the manufacture, sale, or transportation of adulterated or misbranded or poisonous or deleterious foods, drugs, medicines, and liquors, and for regulating traffic therein, and for other purposes. -
Devils Tower National Monument
Many millions of years ago molten lava was forced into existing hard rock formations, cooling and eroding into the the astounding formation that now today stands 1,267 feet in the air. The site is sacred to the Lakota people and many other Plains tribes, and President Theodore Roosevelt named it the nations first national monument in 1906. -
Leaves Presidency , visits Africa
President Theodore Roosevelt, his son Kermit and several others departed New York City bound for Mombasa, Kenya on what was heavily publicized as a scientific expedition. -
Runs for presidency, unsuccessfully for Bull-Moose Party
Theodore Roosevelt, the former U.S. president, is nominated for the presidency by the Progressive Party, a group of Republicans dissatisfied with the renomination of President William Howard Taft. Also known as the Bull Moose Party, the Progressive platform called for the direct election of U.S. senators, woman suffrage, reduction of the tariff, and many social reforms.
