The Strenuous Life

Written by Theodore Roosevelt

Narrated by John Hemilton

The speech "The Strenuous Life" by Theodore Roosevelt, is one of his most famous and enduring speeches. Delivered in Chicago on April 10, 1899, to the Hamilton Club, it served as a call to action for Americans to embrace hard work, duty, and perseverance as the foundation of a prosperous and strong nation. Roosevelt argued against a life of ease and inactivity, believing that such a life led to individual and national decay. Instead, he championed the virtues of hard work, physical strength, and moral integrity as essential to both personal fulfillment and the success of the country.

Roosevelt's speech is imbued with the spirit of American exceptionalism and manifest destiny, urging Americans to take up the "strenuous life" of active engagement in domestic and foreign affairs. He saw the challenges of his time—such as the frontier's closing, industrialization, and the United States' emergence as a world power—as opportunities for Americans to demonstrate their resilience and pioneering spirit.

The speech also reflects Roosevelt's beliefs in imperialism and American expansionism, which were influential in his advocacy for the United States' role in the Spanish-American War and its aftermath, including the annexation of territories like Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines. Roosevelt argued that the strenuous life was not only about personal achievement but also about national duty and the moral obligation to bring American values and civilization to what he considered less developed parts of the world.

"The Strenuous Life" speech is emblematic of Roosevelt's larger body of work and philosophy, combining his advocacy for personal virtue with a vision of American global leadership. It remains a touchstone for discussions on American identity, values, and foreign policy.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Release date: Mar 10, 2024
• ISBN: 9798875113321

Theodore Roosevelt

Theodore Roosevelt was an American politician, naturalist, military man, author, and the youngest president of the United States. Known for his larger-than-life persona, Roosevelt is credited with forming the Rough Riders, trust-busting large American companies including Standard Oil, expanding the system of national parks and forests, and negotiating the end of the Russo-Japanese War, for which he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1906. A prolific author, Roosevelt’s topics ranged from foreign policy to the natural world to personal memoirs. Among his most recognized works are The Rough Riders, The Winning of the West, and his Autobiography. In addition to a legacy of written works, Roosevelt is immortalized along with George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Abraham Lincoln on Mount Rushmore, was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honour by President Bill Clinton for his charge up San Juan Hill during the Spanish-American War, and was given the title of Chief Scout Citizen by the Boy Scouts of America. Roosevelt died suddenly at his home, Sagamore Hill, on January 5, 1919. Roosevelt, along with his niece Eleanor and his cousin Franklin D., is the subject of the 2014 Ken Burns documentary The Roosevelts: An Intimate History.