M Theodore Roosevelt

Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919), the 26th President (1901–1909), was a dynamic leader and reformer. Taking office after McKinley’s assassination, he advanced progressive policies, busting corporate trusts deemed harmful, regulating railroads, and championing consumer protections. Roosevelt also conserved vast tracts of American wilderness by establishing national parks and forests, and he pursued a vigorous foreign policy epitomized by the construction of the Panama Canal.

Interesting anecdote: The “Teddy bear” was named after Roosevelt. In 1902, on a hunting trip, he famously refused to shoot a bear cub that had been tied up for him as an easy trophy. News of his sportsmanship spread, inspiring a toy maker to create “Teddy’s bear,” which became the beloved teddy bear known to children ever since.