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In this final bonus episode of History Vs., Erin and Mental Floss fact checker Austin Thompson discuss the challenges and delights of tracking down the truth about Theodore Roosevelt—and bust some TR myths, too.  Learn more about your ad-choices at https

Theodore Roosevelt has been in the news lately, thanks to a ship with a cargo of coronavirus and a leaked letter to the navy. But more than 100 years ago, TR—that ship's namesake—engaged in a controversial letter-writing campaign of his own, one that ince
Erin McCarthy|
In 1990, Theodore Roosevelt's double-action revolver—the one he'd used during the Battle of San Juan Heights—was stolen from Sagamore Hill National Historic Site. It wouldn't come back to the museum for another 16 years.
Erin McCarthy|
In his 1893 book The Wilderness Hunter, TR wrote about what he called "a goblin story that really impressed" him. Mental Floss Science Editor Kat Long joins Erin to discuss "The Bauman Incident." Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.co
Erin McCarthy|
Between all of his writing, ranching, and governing, Theodore Roosevelt made time to maintain close relationships with his many family members—all of whom led vibrant, adventurous lives of their own, and also helped establish TR’s legacy. From sister Bami
Ellen Gutoskey|
The Apache leader Geronimo had just one request of President Theodore Roosevelt when they met in 1905, but it was a big one.
Bess Lovejoy|
Theodore Roosevelt was a man who never stopped fighting. He grappled with his own physical deficiencies, railed against corruption, and always fought to move the nation forward in the way he thought best. One-hundred-and-one years after his death, where c
Erin McCarthy|
At age 55, Theodore Roosevelt embarked on an Amazonian jungle trek along the River of Doubt, where he very nearly lost his life. It was, in many ways, the icing on the cake of a life brimming with near-death experiences. He had close encounters with wild
Jay Serafino|
When you look back at the colorful life of the frontiersman-turned-solider-turned-president, maybe it isn’t a stretch to put Teddy Roosevelt alongside Duke, Hawk, and the rest of the G.I. Joes.
Jay Serafino|
Theodore Roosevelt loved Christmas, but the Roosevelt family never had a Christmas tree. If you believe the stories, it's because TR, an avid conservationist, had banned them—and that ban is supposedly what led his son, Archie, to sneak a tree into the Wh
Erin McCarthy|
From big cats to tiny fish, the collection of animals named for Theodore Roosevelt is eclectic—just like our adventurous 26th president.
Ellen Gutoskey|
Theodore Roosevelt was the first American to win a Nobel Prize, which he clinched in part for brokering peace between Japan and Russia in the Russo-Japanese War. During his presidency, he also paved the way for the construction of the Panama Canal. He got
Jay Serafino|
Like parents and children often do, Theodore Roosevelt and his daughter Alice butted heads in part because they were so similar—both passionate, curious, strong-willed, and intelligent. Throughout her upbringing (tag-teamed by TR’s sister and his second w
Michele Debczak|
Theodore Roosevelt revered Abraham Lincoln so much that, during his second inauguration, he wore a ring containing a lock of Lincoln’s hair. His feelings toward other presidents, however, were a little less warm and fuzzy. TR thought William Howard Taft w
Jake Rossen|
The Maltese Cross Cabin traveled to expositions across the country before settling at Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota, making it one of the most well-traveled former homes of any U.S. president.
Michele Debczak|
Long before Batman and Commissioner Gordon fought corruption under cover of darkness in Gotham, Theodore Roosevelt, president of the police commission, was prowling around New York City in plainclothes at night to make sure his policemen were doing their
Kat Long|
Shakespeare might be the most prolific English phrase-maker, but Theodore Roosevelt coined a few iconic phrases of his own, including “like nailing jelly to a wall.” He could read in French, German, Italian, and Latin, but thought English should be the on
Erin McCarthy|
Houdini once dumbfounded Roosevelt with an impromptu seance—little did he know, Houdini had been planning the ruse for weeks.
Ellen Gutoskey|
Roosevelt studied wildlife as a child, shot wildlife as a young adult, and saved wildlife as president (and beyond). How did he reconcile his passion for hunting with his deep belief in conservation as our national duty? In this episode, we’ll analyze TR’
Michele Debczak|
Theodore Roosevelt’s reputation as a bull moose didn’t exempt him from the emotional desolation of losing a family member—and he lost several. First the death of his father, then his mother and first wife on the same day, followed by his brother, and fina
Jake Rossen|
When he was president, Theodore Roosevelt could fit eight meetings in an hour—that’s 7.5 minutes for each one. By the time he entered office, Roosevelt had had a fair bit of experience racing against time and coming out ahead: From studying unde
Erin McCarthy|

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