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 wifeís 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."
A.) Read an article about
Eleanor Rooseveltís life.
B.) Answer these questions:
1. How was Eleanor Roosevelt related to THEODORE Roosevelt?
2. What was Eleanor Rooseveltís real first name?
3. Name three things that Eleanor Roosevelt did while her husband was governor and president.
4. Of all the things that Eleanor Roosevelt did, what do you think was the most important?
C.) Read even more about
Eleanor Roosevelt.
D.) Answer these questions.
1.
After she had been married for awhile. Roosevelt said,
"I suppose I was fitting pretty well into
the pattern of a fairly conventional, quiet,
young society
matron." What do you think Roosevelt
meant by this? How did she later change her life?
2.
The article says that Eleanor became the ìeyes and earsîí
for President Franklin Roosevelt.
What do you think this means?
3.
Eleanor Roosevelt expressed her opinions by writing a daily newspaper
column. What happened
because of this?
4.
Where is Eleanor Roosevelt buried, and whom is she buried next
to?