1. The Strenuous Life by Theodore Roosevelt
In Roosevelt's speech before the Hamilton Club of Chicago, he stated, "A life of slothful ease, a life of that peace which springs merely from lack either of desire or of power to strive after great things, is as little worthy of a nation as of an individual (Theodore Roosevelt, "The Strenuous Life").... In the Victorian Era, life simply wasn't exciting for Americans. ... Roosevelt was trying to help Americans to understand that there was more to life than Victorian thinking and that taking advantage of the simple pleasures in life shouldn't be looked down upon. ....
- Word Count: 861
- Approx Pages: 3
- Grade Level: Undergraduate