Franklin D. Roosevelt- The Early Years

            Franklin Delano Roosevelt was born in 1882, in Hudson River Estate, Springwood, (upstate) New York. Roosevelt was brought up by his parents, James and Sara Delano. Though Franklin D. Roosevelt was an only child, his mother, who would become a strong influence on the president-to-be throughout his lifetime, supervised his early education until he was fourteen years of age. Franklin D. Franklin Delano Roosevelt was born on the 30th of January Roosevelt grew up at his parent's lavish estate, Springwood, overlooking the Hudson River in Hyde Park. At the age of fourteen Franklin D. Roosevelt began his more advanced education at Groton School, a preparatory school in Groton, Massachusetts. He graduated from the school in 1900. In the fall of the same year, Franklin enrolled at Harvard University. He majored in history and earned fair grades. Franklin joined the intramural teams of rowing and football. He was most proud of his appointment in 1903 as the editor of the school's newspaper, Harvard Crimson. He graduated from Harvard in 1903. The following year, 1904, Franklin entered Columbia University Law School and passed the bar exam in 1907. But he had little interest in the study of law and left school that year before receiving a degree. Franklin worked as a clerk for a New York law firm for three years but he soon tired of the profession showing no enthusiasm for legal work. In 1903 Franklin was engaged to his 5th cousin once removed, Eleanor Roosevelt, and they were married March 17, 1905 with Eleanor's uncle, President Theodore Roosevelt, giving the bride away. In 1910, at the age of 29, Franklin D. Roosevelt entered Politics and began the long hard climb up the ladder of success on the influence of his 5th cousin, Theodore (Teddy) Roosevelt. In 1921 he contracted polio. Franklin D. Roosevelt's wife laboured hard to restore his emotional health and to encourage his political ambitions.