In 1897 President McKinley made
Roosevelt assistant secretary of the Navy.
During the Spanish-AmericanWar in
1898 Roosevelt organized a unit of volunteer
fighters. Known as the Rough
Riders, the unit fought successfully in
Cuba.
Roosevelt was a national hero after the
war. He became governor of New York
in 1898. In 1900 he won election as vice
president under President McKinley. On
September 14, 1901, McKinley died
after being shot by an assassin. Roosevelt
became president. In 1904 he won election
to a full term.
Presidency
Roosevelt worked for peaceful relations
between businesses and workers—a program
he called the Square Deal. He also
worked to prevent big companies from
putting smaller companies out of business.
Groups of big companies were
called trusts, so Roosevelt became
known as a “trust-buster.” Roosevelt also
Theodore Roosevelt was the 26th president
of the United States.
94 Roosevelt, Theodore BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA
asked Congress to pass acts against the
sale of contaminated food and drugs.
In addition, Roosevelt wanted to protect
the country’s natural resources. He set
aside lands as national forests, which
then became off-limits to companies
looking for lumber, minerals, or water.
Congress created the Forest Service in
1905 to oversee the national forests.
In foreign affairs Roosevelt said his
policy was to “speak softly and carry a
big stick.” He meant that the United
States should deal fairly with other
countries but also be ready to protect
its interests. For example, in 1903
Roosevelt helped Panama gain
independence from Colombia. In
exchange, he demanded a piece of land.
Afterward the United States began
building the Panama Canal through
that land.
Furthermore, Roosevelt expanded the
Monroe Doctrine. In 1823 President
James Monroe had said that Europe
should not become involved in the
Americas. Roosevelt added that the
United States would police the countries
of Latin America to make sure they fulfilled
their agreements with other countries.
Later Years
After leaving office in 1909, Roosevelt
traveled to Africa and Europe. In 1912
he founded the Progressive Party and
ran for president as its candidate. Both
he and PresidentWilliam Howard Taft
lost to the Democratic candidate,WoodrowWilson.
After that defeat Roosevelt
wrote his autobiography and traveled to
Brazil. Before Republicans could nominate
him for president in 1920,
Roosevelt died in New York on January
6, 1919.
#More to explore
McKinley,William • Panama Canal
• Spanish-AmericanWar • Taft,William
Howard • United States
October 27, January 6,
1858 1898 1901 1905 1909 1912 1919
Roosevelt is
born in New
York City.
Roosevelt and
the Rough
Riders fight in
the Spanish-
American War.
Roosevelt
becomes
president after
President
William
McKinley dies.
Roosevelt
pushes
Congress to
create the
Forest Service.
Roosevelt
leaves office.
Roosevelt runs
for president
with his new
Progressive
Party but loses.
Roosevelt dies
in New York.
T I M E L I N E
BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Roosevelt, Theodore 95
Root
A root is a part of a plant that is usually
hidden underground. Roots have several
purposes. They hold the plant in the
ground and keep it upright. They take
water and food from the soil. They also
store food for the plant.
There are two main kinds of roots:
taproots and fibrous roots. A taproot is
a long, thick root that points straight
down. Smaller roots can grow out of its
sides. Plants with taproots include
carrots and dandelions. Fibrous roots
are made up of many small roots, all
about the same size. The small roots
grow out in many directions from the
base of the stem. Grasses have fibrous
root systems.
A few plants can grow roots aboveground.
Corn, for example, may grow
roots out of its lower stem. Called aerial
roots, they help to prop up the plant.
The end of a root is called the root tip.
It makes new cells so that the root can
grow. It has a cap that protects the root
as it pushes through the soil. Above the
root tip, on the outside of the root, root
hairs take in water and nutrients. The
water and nutrients move through a
layer called the cortex on their way to
the center of the root. The cortex also
stores the plant’s extra food. At the center
of the root are tissues that carry water
and food between the roots and the rest
of the plant.
Damage to the roots will harm or kill a
plant. If roots or root hairs are cut, the
plant may not be able to get enough
nutrients. Roots that dry out may never
be able to absorb water again. If the soil
is packed too tightly, roots cannot grow.
#More to explore
Carrot • Corn • Dandelion • Grass
Each part of a root has a role in keeping
the plant healthy.
Grass has fibrous roots. A sugar beet has a
fleshy taproot.
96 Root BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA
Rose
Roses are flowers with a rich scent.
There are about 100 species, or types, of
rose plant. They belong to the rose family
of plants, called Rosaceae. Most roses
grown in gardens and sold by florists are
hybrid tea roses.
Roses grow almost all over the world.
The plants grow in the form of shrubs
or vines. The stems usually have sharp
thorns.
The flowers vary in color and size. They
