When people ask when was Roosevelt president, they usually get a bit of a surprise because the answer isn't just one set of dates. It's two. We’re talking about a family dynasty that bookended the first half of the 20th century. You’ve got "Teddy" at the start and "FDR" during the darkest days of the Depression and World War II.
Teddy Roosevelt took the oath in 1901. He stayed until 1909.
Then his fifth cousin, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, took over in 1933. He didn't leave until he passed away in 1945. That’s a massive chunk of American history. If you count it up, a man named Roosevelt sat in the Oval Office for about 20 of the first 45 years of the 1900s. It’s wild to think about how much that shaped the world we live in today.
The Rough Rider’s Run: 1901 to 1909
The first time the question of when was Roosevelt president became relevant was after a tragedy. William McKinley was assassinated. Theodore Roosevelt, the Vice President who everyone thought was too "wild" for the top job, was sworn in on September 14, 1901. He was only 42. Still the youngest person to ever become president.
Teddy didn't just sit there. He blew the doors off the place. He was elected in his own right in 1904 and served until March 4, 1909. People loved him. Or they hated him. There wasn't much middle ground. He was the guy who broke up the big monopolies (the "trustbuster") and basically invented the idea of national parks as we know them. He believed in the "Square Deal." It was all about fairness for the common worker while keeping corporations in check.
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He actually tried to come back later, too. In 1912, he ran under the "Bull Moose" party because he was annoyed with his successor, William Howard Taft. He lost, obviously, but he split the vote so badly that the Democrats won. That’s a detail history books sometimes gloss over—Teddy was so popular he basically picked the next president by accident.
The FDR Era: 1933 to 1945
The second time the world asked when was Roosevelt president, things were much grimmer. Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) was inaugurated on March 4, 1933. The country was a mess. The Great Depression had people literally starving in the streets. Banks were folding like card tables.
FDR is the only person to ever be elected four times.
- 1932 (Inaugurated 1933)
- 1936
- 1940
- 1944
Because of him, we now have the 22nd Amendment that limits presidents to two terms. People felt he was getting a bit too powerful, even though they kept voting for him. He saw the country through the New Deal and almost the entirety of World War II. He died in office in April 1945, just months before the war ended.
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Honestly, the timeline is exhausting to look at. FDR's presidency was a marathon of crises. From the "First Hundred Days" where he pushed through a dizzying amount of legislation to the Pearl Harbor attack in 1941, his tenure was basically one long emergency.
Why the Dates Get Confusing
If you’re looking at a list of presidents, you’ll see Roosevelt at number 26 and again at number 32.
The gap between them is roughly 24 years. During that gap, the world changed. We went from horse-and-buggy days under Teddy to the nuclear age beginning under FDR. It’s a bit of a trip.
One thing people often miss is the Eleanor factor. Eleanor Roosevelt was Teddy’s niece and FDR’s wife. She was the bridge between these two eras. When you look at when was Roosevelt president, you’re really looking at a 40-year social project by one family to redefine what the government actually owes its citizens.
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What Most People Get Wrong About the Timing
A lot of folks think FDR started the New Deal the second he got into office. While he did move fast, the "Second New Deal" (which gave us Social Security) didn't even happen until 1935. Timing matters here. The recovery wasn't a straight line. It was a series of experiments.
Also, Teddy Roosevelt didn't just leave quietly in 1909. He went on a massive safari in Africa and then jumped back into politics. His influence lingered long after his official dates ended.
How to Use This History Today
Understanding these timelines helps you see patterns in how the U.S. handles big shocks.
If you want to dive deeper into the specific dates or the legislation passed during these windows, the best place to start is the Library of Congress digital archives or the National Archives. They have the actual logs of what happened on specific days during both administrations.
Next Steps for History Buffs:
- Check out the FDR Presidential Library website. They have a digitized timeline that shows exactly what he was doing during the "Day of Infamy."
- Visit Sagamore Hill. That was Teddy's home in New York. Seeing the "Summer White House" gives you a real sense of how he governed away from D.C.
- Read the 22nd Amendment. It’s short. It explains exactly why we will never have another 12-year presidency like FDR’s again.
- Compare the "Square Deal" to the "New Deal." It’s fascinating to see how the two Roosevelts used similar language but faced very different economic realities.
Knowing when was Roosevelt president is just the start. The "why" and "how" are what actually make the history stick. Both men redefined the office, and the dates they served act as the boundaries for the modern American state.