Teddy Roosevelt

After President William McKinley was assassinated in September of 1901, 6 months into his second term, Theodore Roosevelt succeeded him to become the 26th President of the United States. A Republican, he is usually ranked as one of the 5 best Presidents. He was awarded the Medal of Honor (he led the Rough Riders in the Spanish American War after resigning as the Asst Secretary of the Navy) and a Nobel Peace Prize in 1906 (for successfully brokering an end to the Russo-Japanese War). A lifelong naturalist, Roosevelt made conservation a top priority for his administration, and established many new national parks, monuments and forests. He championed the Square Deal set of domestic policies which promised citizens fairness, breaking of trusts, regulation of railroads, and pure food and drugs. A champion of progressive policies continuing into his 2nd term, he started construction on the Panama Canal and generally focused on Central America in his foreign policies. After his two first terms, he founded the Bull Moose Party (which called for wide-ranging progressive reforms) and ran again for President in 1912. Splitting the vote, he lost and Democrat Woodrow Wilson won.