“The only thing to fear is fear itself” Amidst a nation riddled with unemployment and poverty, a 51-year-old man shines as a beacon of hope. A symbol for success, a man who was loved to such an extent that he served his country twice if any other president. This description will strike remembrance for the citizens of the United States, to a man by the name Franklin Delano Roosevelt. He was a man who pulled a nation from a crisis that could cripple others. He was man so loved by his people that he served 4 terms by their choice. He gave people hope in an era when the public was fearful, which is why we will always remember Franklin Delano Roosevelt as one our greatest presidents and most iconic leaders in the world.
On the fateful day of January 30th, 1882 Franklin Delano Roosevelt was born in Hyde Park, New York to Sara Roosevelt and James Roosevelt 1. Born to a relatively wealthy family, Franklin had many privileges in life. He was raised as an only child, yet his father had a child the year franklin’s mother was born. The Roosevelt’s legacy was blooming for several decades, as the family dabbled in real estate and the stock market with notable success. Franklin’s lavish lifestyle had an entire household dedicated to him. He was educated through multiple tutors leading up to age 14. He had developed an extremely strong bond to his mother in these years.
His upbringing was perceivably different in contrast to his major political achievements regarding Americans. Proceeding the age of 14, Franklin attended Groton School, an all-boys preparatory school in Massachusetts. Although Franklin did not excel in athletics, he strived to please the teachers at this athletic school. Graduating from Groton school in 1900, Franklin attended Harvard, ready to prove himself. He was an average student yet received his degree in just 3 years. Franklin then attended Columbia University for law and passed his bar exam. He practiced law for three years in New York, living an upper-class lifestyle. He found this era of his life confining and boring and set his sights on politics.
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In his years of leadership, Franklin’s education played a huge role in his success. Examining his education, his opportunities were the opposite of those he helped. From a younger age, he was tutored at his home, with many resources at his disposal. An individual with teachers dedicated to him will undoubtedly consume information if they had the desire. He had an added privilege of going to a private preparatory school which was established as an extremely prestigious school. He took this opportunity, striving to please his teachers. His leadership skills were tested for the first time, and developed at this school, which helped him later in life. In a flash, Franklin graduated to Harvard, where he spent time as an average student there.
Established as one of the finest colleges around the word, Harvard unquestionably refined his talents. At 28 years of age, Franklin started his career in politics. Roosevelt ran in an uphill election in New York. He won over the minds of voters that had voted republican for 35 years in a row as a democrat. As a state senator, he opposed some democrat ideals, which gained him valuable clout and notoriety. He was reelected to the state senate, worked in the agricultural sector, and passed bills on small matters, such as labor bills. The next Democratic convention was an essential turning point for Franklin Roosevelt. He supported future president Woodrow Wilson, which gained him a significant following.
Kennedy claims that Roosevelt had a curious mind and was always keen to learn more. The president was an excellent communicator and learned much through conversations and interactions with the outside world. This thirst for knowledge and ability to absorb information made him a quick study, which helped him become an authority on issues with speed and confidence. Early in his career, FDR was an imposing figure – standing 6-foot 2-inches tall – however he is probably best known for his ‘fireside chats’. Radio was a new-fangled technology during his time in office, but the president used it to good effect and he became one of the best orators of the 20th century.
Before his tenure, the White House mailroom was staffed by one mailperson, but within a week of his first radio appearance 70 people were needed to cope with almost 500,000 letters of appreciation. FDR was known to be extremely confident in his own opinions and decisions. It was this characteristic that led him to ignore his closest advisors on major issues, including US involvement in World War II. His confidants opposed the early support of the British in the war, but FDR threw his weight behind the Allied forces in what many people consider a defining moment that swung the balance of power away from the Axis nations. Not only was Roosevelt’s time in office marked by some of the most eventful years in American history, he also had to overcome significant personal adversity. The president contracted polio in 1921 – 12 years before he was elected as president – which left him paralyzed from the waist down.
Despite this, FDR refused to be seen in public in a wheelchair, instead using a combination of canes and mechanical braces to stand upright and even walk short distances. While FDR is considered one of the greatest US presidents, some historians claim that he was also fortunate enough to receive some good luck during his time in office. Often in ranking systems, the best presidents are those that guide the country through troubled times, such as Washington during the first years of the unstable republic and Lincoln through the Civil War. Many of the peacekeeping presidents tend to blend into the background, and so the onset of World War II helped FDR stake his claim as one of the greats.
