Franklin Delano Roosevelt

Essay by EssaySwap ContributorHigh School, 11th grade February 2008

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Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the 32nd president of our United States, was a great man. Although he suffered from a debilitating disease for most of his life, he overcame it and led our nation through one of the most trying times our nation has ever faced. He was the only child of James and Sara Roosevelt, born on January 30, 1882. His privileged life began in Hyde Park, New York on his family's estate and farm. His family tree reached at least eleven presidents, whether by marriage or birth. His mother could trace her ancestry back to thirteen different passengers of the Mayflower.

Because Franklin's parents were wealthy and the American version of royalty, he was educated at the best schools. As a teenager, he was tutored at home. His parents greatly sheltered not only his education, but also his social life. The first school he attended was Groton, a prestigious private school that groomed most of its students for life in public service.

After Groton school, he attended academies in Germany. There, Franklin was instructed in the master race theories, which left him with disdain for that nation.

When he returned home to Groton, he became closer to his cousin, Theodore Roosevelt, who at the time was the governor of New York. He also started seeing Eleanor Roosevelt socially. Eleanor Roosevelt was his fifth cousin, once removed. As well as the niece of Theodore Roosevelt. Franklin reluctantly had to tell her that his education at Harvard, which he planned to finish in three years, left no room for romance.

Soon after entering Harvard in 1900, his father passed away. He received his undergraduate degree in 1903 and later returned to work on the school's newspaper, The Crimson. Theodore Roosevelt was elected president when Franklin was attending his first year at...