Franklin D. Roosevelt

Franklin D. Roosevelt
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Name	Franklin D. Roosevelt
Caption	Official portrait, 1944
Order	32nd
Office	President of the United States
Term start	March 4, 1933
Term end	April 12, 1945
Vicepresident	John Nance Garner (1933–1941), Henry A. Wallace (1941–1945), Harry S. Truman (1945)
Predecessor	Herbert Hoover
Successor	Harry S. Truman
Order2	44th
Office2	Governor of New York
Term start2	January 1, 1929
Term end2	December 31, 1932
Lieutenant2	Herbert H. Lehman
Predecessor2	Al Smith
Successor2	Herbert H. Lehman
Office3	Assistant Secretary of the Navy
President3	Woodrow Wilson
Term start3	March 17, 1913
Term end3	August 26, 1920
Predecessor3	Beekman Winthrop
Successor3	Gordon Woodbury
Birth date	30 January 1882
Birth place	Hyde Park, New York
Death date	12 April 1945
Death place	Warm Springs, Georgia
Party	Democratic
Spouse	Eleanor Roosevelt, March 17, 1905
Children	6, including Anna, James, Elliott, Franklin Jr., and John
Education	Harvard University (AB), Columbia Law School (attended)
Profession	Lawyer

Franklin D. Roosevelt was the thirty-second President of the United States, serving from 1933 until his death in 1945. He led the nation through the Great Depression and World War II, implementing the transformative New Deal and forging the Allied coalition. The only president elected to four terms, his tenure fundamentally reshaped the role of the federal government in American life.

Early life and education

Born into the prominent Roosevelt family at his family's estate in Hyde Park, New York, he was educated by tutors and at Groton School. He later attended Harvard University, where he edited the Harvard Crimson and was influenced by President Theodore Roosevelt, his fifth cousin. He studied law at Columbia Law School but left after passing the New York State Bar Examination.

Political career before presidency

He entered politics, winning a seat in the New York State Senate in 1910. President Woodrow Wilson appointed him Assistant Secretary of the Navy in 1913, a role he held through World War I. In 1920, he was the Democratic nominee for Vice President of the United States on the ticket with James M. Cox, which lost to Warren G. Harding. After contracting polio in 1921, which left him paralyzed from the waist down, he returned to public life, becoming Governor of New York in 1929.

Presidency (1933–1945)

Elected in a landslide over incumbent Herbert Hoover amid the Great Depression, he took office on March 4, 1933, declaring "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself" in his first inaugural address. His presidency spanned an unprecedented four terms, guided by his Fireside chats and a close working relationship with the press. He died in office on April 12, 1945, at the Little White House in Warm Springs, Georgia, succeeded by Harry S. Truman.

New Deal programs

His administration created a vast array of federal agencies and programs known as the New Deal. Key early initiatives included the Emergency Banking Act, the Civilian Conservation Corps, and the Tennessee Valley Authority. The Second New Deal featured the Works Progress Administration, the Social Security Act, and the National Labor Relations Act. These programs aimed to provide relief, recovery, and reform, fundamentally expanding the federal government's role in the economy and social welfare.

World War II leadership

Initially promoting American neutrality, he provided material support to the Allies through policies like Lend-Lease. Following the attack on Pearl Harbor by Japan, he asked Congress for a declaration of war, leading the U.S. into World War II. He worked closely with Allied leaders like Winston Churchill and Joseph Stalin at conferences such as Casablanca, Tehran, and Yalta to shape Allied strategy and post-war plans, including the foundation of the United Nations.

Personal life and health

In 1905, he married his fifth cousin once removed, Eleanor Roosevelt, who became a globally influential figure. They had six children, though the marriage was strained by his affair with Lucy Mercer Rutherfurd. His polio diagnosis in 1921 was kept largely from the public, with careful management of his public appearances. His health declined significantly during the war, a fact concealed from the electorate during his 1944 campaign against Thomas E. Dewey.

Legacy and memorials

He is consistently ranked among the greatest U.S. presidents by historians. His legacy includes the modern American welfare state, a powerful executive branch, and victory in a global war. Major memorials include the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial in Washington, D.C., his presidential library in Hyde Park, New York, and his image on the dime. The Twenty-second Amendment to the United States Constitution, limiting presidents to two terms, was a direct reaction to his lengthy tenure.

Category:Presidents of the United States Category:1882 births Category:1945 deaths