A Twentieth Century Woman
ELEANOR ROOSEVELT
(1884-1962)
"You gain strength, courage and
confidence by every experience in which you really stop
to look fear in the face. You must do the
thing you think you cannot do."
(Eleanor Roosevelt)
Eleanor Roosevelt was born into a wealthy New York
family. As a child, she was made to feel that she was an "ugly duckling," and
tended to do what those around her wanted her to do. When both of her parents
died, she went to live with her stern grandmother, who sent her to boarding
school. There she was befriended and encouraged by the headmistress.
Roosevelt "came out" into society, but instead of going to afternoon
teas and other gatherings, she preferred to help impoverished immigrants by
doing volunteer work in settlement houses.
In 1905 she married her distant cousin, Franklin Roosevelt. While
raising six children, she became more involved in political and reform work.
She worked to help women get the vote and when suffrage passed in 1920,
Roosevelt said, "I became a much more ardent citizen and feminist than anyone .
. . would have dreamed possible. I had learned that if you wanted to institute
any kind of reform you could get far more attention if you had a vote than if
you lacked one."
After Franklin Roosevelt was paralyzed by polio in 1921, his wife's
activities expanded. Eleanor Roosevelt held her own press conferences, toured
the nation, wrote newspaper columns, and spoke on radio broadcasts.
During the Great Depression Eleanor made Americans feel that someone
cared and always tried to help. After her husband's death in 1945, she was
named the U.S. Delegate to the United Nations, and worked hard for peace. After
her death, Adlai Stevenson said: "She would rather light candles than curse the
darkness, and her glow warmed the world."
1. How was Eleanor Roosevelt related to THEODORE
Roosevelt?
Click here to
find out.
2. What was Eleanor Roosevelt's real first name?
3. Read about the Great Depression and children. (Be sure to click to the forward arrow after "Contents" to see all 3 pages.) List 3 ways that children were affected.
4. Where is Eleanor Roosevelt
buried, and whom is
she buried next to?
5. Of all the things that Eleanor Roosevelt did, what do you think was the most
important?
6. During the Great Depression, thousands of young people wrote to First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt for help. They asked for clothing, money, and other forms of assistance. Read at least 4 of their letters. What kinds of people wrote her letters?
7. Read Eleanor Roosevelt's Response. What are 2 programs she established for youth?
8. Imagine that you were one of these children, now grown. Write a follow-up letter to Mrs. Roosevelt, explaining how your life unfolded since the first letter.
Resources:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/eleanor/
http://newdeal.feri.org/index.htm
http://www.fdrlibrary.marist.edu/erbio.html