THEODORE -TEDDY- ROOSEVELT ~ PRESIDENT ~ CONSERVATIONIST 1039 Plate Block of 4 x 6 US Postage Stamps

On March 1 1957; the USPS honored Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th President of the United States. He was noted for his energetic personality, range of interests and achievements, leadership of the Progressive Movement, and his "cowboy" image and robust masculinity. Prior to his presidency, he held offices at the municipal, state, and federal level of government. Roosevelt's achievements as a naturalist, explorer, hunter, author, and soldier are as much a part of his fame as any office he held as a politician. He was a leader of the Republican Party and founder of the short-lived Progressive ("Bull Moose") Party of 1912. In 1901, President William McKinley was assassinated, and Roosevelt became president at the age of 42, taking office at the youngest age of any U.S. President in history. Roosevelt coined the phrase "Square Deal" to describe his domestic agenda, emphasizing that the average citizen would get a fair share under his policies. As an outdoorsman and naturalist, he promoted the conservation movement. On the world stage, Roosevelt's policies were characterized by his slogan, "Speak softly and carry a big stick".