Theodore Roosevelt

Explore 24 quotes by Theodore Roosevelt

Speak softly and carry a big stick.

Theodore Roosevelt

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Topic

Carrots and sticks Diplomacy International politics

Author

Theodore Roosevelt

Source

Letters of Theodore Roosevelt

Medium

Letter

Statement Type

Advice

Language

English

Time

1900 1900s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Roosevelt, Theodore, Jr. Letter to Henry L. Sprague. 26 Jan. 1900.

In life, as in a foot-ball game, the principle to follow is: Hit the line hard; don't foul and don't shirk, but hit the line hard!

Theodore Roosevelt

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Topic

Going for it

Author

Theodore Roosevelt

Language

English

Time

1900 1900s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Roosevelt, Theodore, Jr. "The American Boy." St. Nicholas Magazine, May 1900.

My position as regards the moneyed interests can be put in a few words. In every civilized society property rights must be carefully safeguarded; ordinarily, and in the great majority of cases, human rights and property rights are fundamentally and in the long run identical; but when it clearly appears that there is a real conflict between them, human rights must have the upper hand, for property belongs to man and not man to property.

Theodore Roosevelt

More information about this quote

Topic

Property rights

Speaker

Theodore Roosevelt

Medium

Speech

Genre

Political speech

Language

English

Time

1910 1910s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Roosevelt, Theodore, Jr. "Citizenship in a Republic." 23 Apr. 1910, Sorbonne University, Paris, France.

Current Citation

Roosevelt, Theodore, Jr. "Citizenship in a Republic." Theodore Roosevelt, Jr.: Letters and Speeches, edited by Louis Auchincloss. Library of America, 2004.

No man is above the law and no man is below it; nor do we ask any man's permission when we require him to obey it. Obedience to the law is demanded as a right; not asked as a favor.

Theodore Roosevelt

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Topic

Applying the law Rule of law

Speaker

Theodore Roosevelt

Genre

Political literature

Language

English

Time

1903 1900s 20th century

Authentication Score 2

Citation

Roosevelt, Theodore, Jr. "Third Annual Message to Congress." Joint session of the Senate and House of Representatives. 7 Dec. 1903, US Capitol Building, Washington, DC, USA.

I have got such a bully pulpit!

Theodore Roosevelt

Roosevelt's expressing his view of the presidency.

More information about this quote

Topic

American Presidency American politics

Author

Theodore Roosevelt

Source

The Outlook

Medium

Newspaper

Language

English

Time

1909 1900s 20th century

Authentication Score 1

Citation

Roosevelt, Theodore, Jr. The Outlook. 27 Feb. 1909.

Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat.

Theodore Roosevelt

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Topic

Taking risks Courage Success Failure

Speaker

Theodore Roosevelt

Source

The Strenuous Life (speech) Speeches of Theodore Roosevelt

Medium

Speech

Language

English

Time

1899 1890s 19th century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Roosevelt, Theodore, Jr. "The Strenuous Life." Hamilton Club of Chicago meeting. 10 Apr. 1899, Chicago, IL, USA.

Current Citation

Roosevelt, Theodore, Jr. "The Strenuous Life." Selected Speeches and Writings of Theodore Roosevelt, edited by Gordon Hutner. Vintage, 2014.

The various admirable movements in which I have been engaged have always developed among their members a large lunatic fringe.

Theodore Roosevelt

More information about this quote

Topic

Political extremism Politics

Author

Theodore Roosevelt

Medium

Letter

Language

English

Time

1913 1910s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Roosevelt, Theodore, Jr. Letter to Henry Cabot Lodge. 27 Feb. 1913.

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming.

Theodore Roosevelt

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Topic

Jumping in Taking action Taking risks Overcoming adversity Haters gonna hate

Speaker

Theodore Roosevelt

Source

Speeches of Theodore Roosevelt

Medium

Speech

Genre

Political speech

Language

English

Time

1910 1910s 20th century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Roosevelt, Theodore, Jr. "Citizenship in a Republic." 23 Apr. 1910, Sorbonne University, Paris, France.

Current Citation

Roosevelt, Theodore, Jr. "Citizenship in a Republic." Theodore Roosevelt, Jr.: Letters and Speeches, edited by Louis Auchincloss. Library of America, 2004.

The nation behaves well if it treats the natural resources as assets which it must turn over to the next generation increased, and not impaired, in value.

Theodore Roosevelt

More information about this quote

Topic

Environmental protection

Speaker

Theodore Roosevelt

Medium

Speech

Genre

Political speech

Language

English

Time

1910 1910s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Roosevelt, Theodore, Jr. Speech in Colorado. Colorado Live Stock Association meeting. 29 Aug. 1910, Denver, CO, USA.

The man who really counts in the world is the doer, not the mere critic, the man who actually does the work, even if roughly and imperfectly, not the man who only talks or writes about how it ought to be done.

Theodore Roosevelt

More information about this quote

Topic

Words vs. actions Critics

Author

Theodore Roosevelt

Language

English

Time

1891 1890s 19th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Roosevelt, Theodore, Jr. Historic Towns: New York. London and New York: Longmans, Green and Co., 1891, ch. 14.

There is no good reason why we should fear the future, but there is every reason why we should face it seriously.

Theodore Roosevelt

Second Inaugural Address of Theodore Roosevelt

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Topic

The future

Speaker

Theodore Roosevelt

Source

Second Inaugural Address of Theodore Roosevelt Presidential inaugural address

Medium

Speech

Genre

Political speech

Language

English

Time

1905 1900s 20th century

Authentication Score 2

Citation

Roosevelt, Theodore. "Second Inaugural Address." 4 Mar. 1905, East Portico, US Capitol Building, Washington, DC, USA.

On the whole, and in the long run, we shall go up or down together.

Theodore Roosevelt

1901 State of the Union Address

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Topic

Interconnectedness of all people Politics

Author

Theodore Roosevelt

Source

1901 State of the Union Address Presidential State of the Union addresses

Medium

Speech

Genre

Political speech

Language

English

Time

1901 1900s 20th century

Authentication Score 2

Citation

Roosevelt, Theodore, Jr. "State of the Union Address." 3 Dec. 1901, US Capitol Building, Washington, DC, USA.

Believe you can and you're halfway there.

Theodore Roosevelt

More information about this quote

Topic

Fake it 'til you make it Confidence

Author

Theodore Roosevelt

Medium

Speech

Statement Type

Advice

Language

English

Time

1905 1900s 20th century

Authentication Score 0

Citation

Roosevelt, Theodore, Jr. Commencement speech. 28 June 1905, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.

Much has been given us, and much will rightfully be expected from us. We have duties to others and duties to ourselves; and we can shirk neither. We have become a great nation, forced by the fact of its greatness into relations with the other nations of the earth, and we must behave as be seems a people with such responsibilities.

Theodore Roosevelt

Second Inaugural Address of Theodore Roosevelt

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Read this speech at UVA's Miller Center website

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Topic

Internationalism American foreign policy American power America and the world

Speaker

Theodore Roosevelt

Source

Second Inaugural Address of Theodore Roosevelt Presidential inaugural address

Medium

Speech

Genre

Political speech

Language

English

Time

1905 1900s 20th century

Authentication Score 2

Citation

Roosevelt, Theodore. "Second Inaugural Address." 4 Mar. 1905, East Portico, US Capitol Building, Washington, DC, USA.

We know that self-government is difficult. We know that no people needs such high traits of character as that people which seeks to govern its affairs aright through the freely expressed will of the freemen who compose it.

Theodore Roosevelt

Second Inaugural Address of Theodore Roosevelt

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Read this speech at UVA's Miller Center website

More information about this quote

Topic

Self-government Morality and democracy

Speaker

Theodore Roosevelt

Source

Second Inaugural Address of Theodore Roosevelt Presidential inaugural address

Medium

Speech

Genre

Political speech

Language

English

Time

1905 1900s 20th century

Authentication Score 2

Citation

Roosevelt, Theodore. "Second Inaugural Address." 4 Mar. 1905, East Portico, US Capitol Building, Washington, DC, USA.

To announce that there must be no criticism of the president, or that we are to stand by the president, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public.

Theodore Roosevelt

More information about this quote

Topic

American Presidency American politics

Author

Theodore Roosevelt

Source

Kansas City Star

Medium

Newspaper

Language

English

Time

1918 1910s 20th century

Authentication Score 1

Citation

Roosevelt, Theodore, Jr. Kansas City Star. 7 May 1918.

The men with the muckrakes are often indispensable to the well-being of society, but only if they know when to stop raking the muck, and to look upward to the celestial crown above them...if they gradually grow to feel that the whole world is nothing but muck their power of usefulness is gone.

Theodore Roosevelt

More information about this quote

Topic

Journalism

Author

Theodore Roosevelt

Medium

Speech

Language

English

Time

1906 1900s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Roosevelt, Theodore, Jr. "The Man with the Muckrake." Laying of the cornerstone of the House Office Building. 14 Apr. 1906, House Office Building, Washington, DC, USA.

Current Citation

Roosevelt, Theodore, Jr. "The Man with the Muckrake." The Muckrakers, edited by Arthur Weinberg and Lila Weinberg. University of Illinois Press, 2001.

A man who is good enough to shed his blood for his country is good enough to be given a square deal afterwards. More than that no man is entitled to, and less than that no man shall have.

Theodore Roosevelt

More information about this quote

Topic

Military veterans Soldiers

Author

Theodore Roosevelt

Medium

Speech

Genre

Political speech

Language

English

Time

1903 1900s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Roosevelt, Theodore, Jr. Speech at the Lincoln Monument. 4 July 1903, Lincoln Monument, Springfield, IL, USA.

To waste, to destroy, our natural resources, to skin and exhaust the land instead of using it so as to increase its usefulness, will result in undermining in the days of our children the very prosperity which we ought by right to hand down to them amplified and developed.

Theodore Roosevelt

More information about this quote

Topic

Environmental destruction Environmental protection

Speaker

Theodore Roosevelt

Medium

Speech

Genre

Political speech

Language

English

Time

1907 1900s 20th century

Authentication Score 2

Citation

Roosevelt, Theodore, Jr. "Seventh Annual Message." Joint session of the Senate and House of Representatives. 3 Dec. 1907, US Capitol Building, Washington, DC, USA.

There is no room in this country for hyphenated Americanism...The one absolutely certain way of bringing this nation to ruin, of preventing all possibility of its continuing to be a nation at all, would be to permit it to become a tangle of squabbling nationalities.

Theodore Roosevelt

More information about this quote

Topic

Assimilation American identity American politics

Speaker

Theodore Roosevelt

Source

Speeches of Theodore Roosevelt

Medium

Speech

Genre

Political speech

Language

English

Time

1915 1910s 20th century

Authentication Score 1

Citation

Roosevelt, Theodore, Jr. Address to the Knights of Columbus. 12 Oct. 1915, Carnegie Hall, New York, NY, USA.