Franklin D. Roosevelt: The Making of America, Book 5

The fifth book in a Teri Kanefield's series of historical biographies for young readers, FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT: THE MAKING OF AMERICA follows the life and political career of the longest-serving president in U.S. history. Born into a family of wealthy and well-connected New York aristocrats, young Franklin was spoiled and coddled from a young age, especially by his mother, Sara. As he grew up and began to ponder his future, he drew inspiration from his idol and fifth cousin, Teddy Roosevelt, patterning his career trajectory almost exactly after his relative's rise to the presidency. After falling in love and marrying another cousin, Eleanor, Franklin got into politics, rising quickly from state senator to assistant secretary of the navy to governor of New York and finally Commander in Chief. Despite some rocky moments in their romantic life, Eleanor and Franklin made for a powerful dynamic duo, and after the president's death in 1945, Eleanor continued to be a vocal champion for human rights for the rest of her life. The book weaves between the Roosevelts' personal life and the political struggles of the era. Franklin took office in the midst of the Great Depression, the worst financial meltdown the country had ever known. His presidential legacy is largely defined by how he and his administration tried to deal with the economic crisis in a series of policies collectively called the New Deal. While many of the New Deal policies made a major impact on the lives of working people (and people out of work), the country quickly faced another huge challenge: the rise of fascism and another World War in Europe. Roosevelt was eventually elected to an unprecedented fourth term in office, but he didn't live to see the of his term of the end of the war. The book concludes with a brief afterword reflecting on his legacy and a selection of some of his important speeches and writings.