Franklin Delanore Roosevelt-Our Greatest American President
History 181
Julie Wilderman
Assistant Professor Patrick McGarrity
April 20, 2009
Our Greatest American President
Franklin Delano Roosevelt became our thirty-second President in one of the most critical times in the history of the United States since the Civil War. Born to wealth, FDR held a sense of social importance at an early age. This attribute would soon become an important part of his political career. He was also faced with the despair of a devastating disease. Roosevelt was forced to view himself in a different perspective, however he took his illness and turned it into a way of helping others that were stricken with the same misfortune. This showed tremendous integrity in Roosevelt not only as a man but as a great President.
During his tenure as Vice President, Roosevelt contracted the disease poliomyelitis and became completely paralyzed. This was one of the greatest obstacles that he had to face in his life, but he quickly overcame this hurdle and worked diligently to establish a foundation known as the March of Dimes to help other polio victims. Eventually, an effective vaccination was introduced.
Roosevelt had married a distant cousin, Anna Eleanor Roosevelt, who was able to provide much support in both his personal and political lives. The United States at the time was going through a critical period and the American family was important to everyone. Having a supportive first lady Roosevelt quickly gained the admiration of many Americans.
The Great Depression had been present for almost three years and FDR had his work cut out for him. He had used the Great Depression as the back drop of his Presidential campaign and when he took office, he quickly set out to reform the economy and “undertook immediate actions to initiate his New Deal.”(fdrlibrary.marist.edu) There were some critics, but the majority of Americans welcomed Roosevelt’s policies. He set up a special session of congress that lasted 100 days and was geared...