The most important person in American history is Theodore Roosevelt. During his lifetime, he had a great impact on America. Roosevelt was the 26th president and fought in the Spanish-American War, also known as the Cuban War. He was the most influential person who supported the completion of the construction of the Panama Canal. One of the first and most important national parks, Theodore Roosevelt National Park in western North Dakota, was also named after him. During his presidency, he inspired many. If it were not for Theodore Roosevelt, our society would not be as advanced as it is today. (A1) Theodore was born on October 27, 1858. He was six years old when President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated and watched the funeral procession from his grandfather's home in New York City. As a child he was sickly and weak and suffered from dangerous asthma. (A1) Part of the fourth generation of Roosevelts in this country, his childhood nickname was "Teedie.". (A1) (A2) Teedie spent most of his free time collecting dead animals or animal skeletons trying to set up a small museum that he had set up in a nursery with his cousins. This was around the time he became interested in science. Zoology was his favorite science subject.(A2) He leaves for Europe for a few years. (A2) Bored with the trip, Theodore decided to play with his brothers. Unfortunately he played rough and had some minor accidents. (A3) After a while, he noticed that it was harder for him to see. At the age of 13 he and his family discovered that he had terrible eyesight. A few years later he had a severe asthma attack and had to travel to Maine for a few months. (A3) Theodore's father had left the family while his mother had moved to the city of Carlsbad for health reasons. Theodore attended Harvard College from 1876 to 1880. (A4) Since he suffered from such dangerous asthma and being around dust would have been dangerous, he had to live in his private home while he attended college. (A4) He was active in many extracurricular activities, but excelled at boxing, finishing second in the Harvard boxing championship. (B1) His father died in 1878, and Roosevelt took it very hard.