Theodore’s Love of Nature
1 A child was born on October 27, 1858, in New York City. Perhaps no one at that time realized what a great asset this boy would be to the United States of America. Although the boy struggled with a respiratory condition, he would grow to possess a great deal of physical strength. He would also help to preserve those things that were important to him and important to future generations. This boy’s name was Theodore Roosevelt, and he would become the 26th President of the United States of America.
2 Theodore’s parents encouraged their children to be interested in and curious about the world around them. However, Theodore had been born with asthma, an illness that limited his childhood activities. Because his asthma kept him indoors most of the time, Theodore read from any book that he could obtain.
3 Theodore, however, did not view his situation as a problem. Even though he enjoyed the time he was able to spend outside and developed a love of nature, he found a way to bring his love of nature inside by reading about the outside world. He enjoyed being studious and thought that he would probably study nature as an adult. Theodore made good use of his time, both inside and outside, keeping a detailed notebook of the observations he made of different insects and animals. He eventually turned a room in his home into a museum that he called “The Roosevelt Museum of Natural History.” Here, Theodore would study and display various specimens of live animals.
4 One summer as Theodore’s family was vacationing outside of the busy city, Theodore learned different birdcalls. He would call out to a bird, and it would fly to him. One day, 75 swallows that were migrating through the area flew right into the Roosevelt country house.
5 Although Theodore’s mind was quite active, his asthma concerned his father, who wanted his son to lead an active life. One day, Theodore’s father talked privately to his son. He told young Theodore that he needed to build his body to match his mind. After that, Theodore worked hard at making his body strong. He lifted weights and watched as his body slowly became stronger.
6 As Theodore matured into a man, he combined his love of nature with his desire to keep his body physically strong. He proved to himself how strong he had become when he climbed Mount Marcy, the highest peak in the Adirondack mountain range in Vermont. Later in life, he completed another amazing physical feat when he discovered where a river called the River of Doubt in Brazil originated. Because of this discovery, the Brazilians renamed the river Rio Teodoro, after Theodore.
7 As President of the United States, Theodore’s love of nature led him to contribute greatly to conservation efforts. One of his contributions included increasing the national forests by 40 million acres. He also created five national parks and several national monuments and bird shelters.
8 Theodore Roosevelt lived to be 60 years old. He lived a full and happy life by challenging himself and by being true to the causes that he knew were important for future generations.