Explorers in the New WorldChristopher ColumbusPedro CabralPortuguese ExplorationVicente Yß±ez Pinz≤nAmerigo VespucciOther European ExplorersThe Conquistadors
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Theodore RooseveltTheodore "Teddy" Roosevelt is undoubtedly one of the most interesting explorers to visit the Amazon this century. TR, as he was also known, is most famous because he was the twenty-sixth President of the United States – and also because he provided the inspiration for the "Teddy" Bear. Roosevelt was a renowned outdoorsman and adventurer – one of his legacies was a substantial expansion of US National Parks. The PresidencyWhen William McKinley was elected to the Presidency in 1900, Roosevelt became his Vice-President. As such, when McKinley was assassinated in 1901, Roosevelt was sworn in as the country's new President – becoming the United States' youngest ever President at age 42 (President John F. Kennedy was elected President at age 43, becoming the youngest ever elected President). Roosevelt went on to win a second term in 1904. One of the major highlights of Roosevelt's Presidency included the signing of the treaty for the construction of the Panama Canal in 1903. In 1906 he also won the Nobel Peace Prize for his role arbitrating the end of the Russo-Japanese War. Instead of trying to seek a third term in the 1908 election, Roosevelt opted to support another Republican candidate, William Taft (who became the 27th President).. After completing his term as President, Roosevelt took a holiday – a long safari in Africa. Politics beckoned once again, in the 1912 election. TR established his own party which became known as the Bull Moose party as a result of a comment that he made when he said that he felt "as fit as a Bull Moose". The most dramatic incident of this election campaign was that TR was shot – but having determined for himself the gunshot wound to his chest was non-fatal, he stared down at the bewildered gunman (who'd been caught and held down by TR's supporters), talked with him briefly, and then went on to deliver a political speech lasting 90 minutes before leaving to seek medical attention! However, despite such a heroic and inspiring action, he still lost the election – being defeated by the Democratic candidate, Woodrow Wilson. Roosevelt's Trip to the AmazonRoosevelt's visits to the Amazon took place in 1913 and 1914, when he was guided by famous Brazilian leader, Candido Rondon. The expedition concentrated around an area known the Rio do D·vida (River of Doubt) – which was given this name because no one knew the river's route. Although people knew that the river flowed into another river called the Madeira, no one knew where. Roosevelt's expedition helped clarify this issue, and the river was renamed Rio Roosevelt in his honour. Roosevelt was astonished that, in the Twentieth Century, it was still possible for a large river (comparable to the Upper Rhine or Elbe) to have a course that was unknown. Theodore Roosevelt died in 1919. More Information
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