Theodore Roosevelt left the presidency in 1909 and turned it over to a friend Howard Taft. After the presidency Roosevelt embarked on an African safari collecting different specimen and enjoying nature. When coming back to the United States Roosevelt became involved in politics. Roosevelt was unhappy with Taft and how he was running the country as he divided the Republican Party.  Roosevelt created a new party now known as the Progressive Party. Here Roosevelt wanted to promote greater government regulation on the economy and of social welfare. Roosevelt ended up losing to a democrat Woodrow Wilson.

When World War I began in 1914 Roosevelt supported the allied cause. He was frustrated with the little action taken by President Wilson as the war began. The United States were neutral and Roosevelt was very much upset by this. Roosevelt wrote letters to Wilson attempting to convince him to join the war in Europe. When the election of 1916 came around Roosevelt was ready to support any candidate who opposed Wilson. Unfortunately for Roosevelt Wilson won the election of 1916 and became president for the next four years. Approximately a year later on April 6, 1917 the United States entered World War I. Roosevelt was happy but it didn’t last long as he became frustrated with Wilson because Wilson did not allow Roosevelt to lead a military division to France.

Roosevelt and Wilson had many political differences especially differences involving their foreign policy. Wilson had more of an isolationist idea of foreign policy as he didn’t want the United States to be caught up in wars going on in Europe. Roosevelt had a much more aggressive policy wanting to go into Europe to assert the United States dominance. It is important to note that all four of Roosevelt sons served in combat in World War I two of them were injured and the youngest son Quentin, was killed when his airplane was shot down. Roosevelt was proud of his sons for fighting in the war but was deeply hurt that one of his sons died. Roosevelt died in 1919 at the age of 59. Roosevelt will go down to be one of the United States most unique and important presidents.