Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Eleanor Roosevelt … These names have echoed through the last century of American history. Without a doubt these three figures defined the 20th century more than anyone else and paved the way for the America of the 21st century. Firstly the most senior of the three is former President Theodore Roosevelt. Being admired by and not limited to grizzly macho men, environmentalists, and stuffed bear factories around the world isn’t his only call to fame. He was one of the farmost environmentalists of his time. After his time spent in his ranch in North Dakota now known as Theodore Roosevelt National Park he gained a vast and undying love of the outdoors. Theodore Roosevelt along with Gifford Pinchot and John Muir paved the way for the modern day American national park system. Besides his natural conservatism he was one of the most successful progressives of his age. He famously was a trust buster by destroying large and corrupt monopolies, and along with that he introduced the Square Deal, giving laborers better conditions. Due to his thinking he split the Republican Party in two. He left his former Vice President William Howard Taft along with the Republican Party and founded the American Progressive Party, more commonly known as the “Bull Moose Party'' named after his political nickname. Then Roosevelt “the Younger'' appeared on the political scene.  Former President Franklin Delano Roosevelt was elected during the Great Depression along with the rise of Nazism and facism in Europe. Despite the horrific odds FDR persisted on his mission for democracy. Firstly when he took office after former President Herbert Hoover's horrid administration he was straight to work forging a worthy successor to his uncle Theodore Roosevelt’s Square Deal. He crafted along with his cabinet the New Deal as the name presents it was the newer and improved version of the elder Roosevelt's administration. It greatly brought the American people out of the Great Depression, and due to the New Deal the introduction of Social Security and other governmental programs caused American to flourish after World War II during the great Baby Boom. Roosevelt’s foremost achievement had to be his achievements in World War II. After the bombing at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on December 8, 1941 he gave the infamous “Day of Infamy Speech” which started America's involvement in World War II. Under FDR’s administration he led the Allied Powers along with Sir Winston Churchhill of the British Empire and Joseph Stalin of the USSR to crush the Axis Powers. But, sadly before the Japanese surrendered, Roosevelt died. Despite that following his death his successor Harry S. Truman ended the war officially by using the most deadly and horrific weapon known to man — the atomic bomb — on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagisaki. The Allies were victorious. The Roosevelt era did not die with the death of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and his wife and as some say his better half took on the family mission. First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt was not only famous for her achievements as a first lady but as a politician herself. Eleanor Roosevelt before her marriage to Franklin Delano Roosevelt was extremely visible in the political scene in the state of New York, but after getting married and having kids her visible influence diminished greatly. Despite that she still held influence over her husband's administrations and had influence on his actions. After Roosevelt's death she was appointed by Truman to the U.N., spreading Rooseveltian ideals to the international level along with education for all.

   Despite these great achievements many people argue against the influence of the Roosevelt administration. To these people I ask if the Roosevelts were just a footnote in history why are you so protective of Social Security Number, and why do you have that free public education? Also why have you visited Mount Rushmore and other national parks? It is quite obvious that the Roosevelts had a massive influence on American politics and culture. Their accomplishments are seen, but have also persisted through the 20th century and survived into the 21st century. 

  The Roosevelt family was the leading political dynasty of the United States of America in the early to mid half of the 20th century, but despite leaving the political spotlight the works of all three of the major Roosevelts continue till this day. Theodore Roosevelt’s fervid conservation efforts along with his personal influence on pop culture and public life as a whole. He was a living personification of the American virtue of standing your ground. Despite the high risk of the presidency he left the increasingly two-party system, and founded his own progresive, “Bull Moose'' Party. Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s fighting spirit that not only led us through the economic hardship, but also crushed the serpent that was the monstrosity that was Nazi Germany. After the horrors of World War II the works of Eleanor Roosevelt as a humanitarian and advocate for education in the U.N. helped the people of the world recover. The 20th century was forged by the Roosevelts.

Sources:

Encyclopaedia Britannica, Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Achievements

Encyclopaedia Britannica, Theodore Roosevelt’s Achievements

Caroli Betty Boyd, Eleanor Roosevelt