Franklin Delano Roosevelt was born on January 30, 1882, in Hyde Park, New York, to businessman James Roosevelt I and his second wife, Sara Ann Delano. His parents, who were sixth cousins, came from wealthy, es… See more

Roosevelt cared little for the practice of law and told friends he planned to enter politics. Despite his admiration for cousin Theodore, Franklin shared his father's bond with the Democratic Party, and in preparation for the … See more

Roosevelt sought to build support for a political comeback in the 1922 elections, but his career was derailed by an illness. It began while the Roosevelts were vacationing at Campobello Island in August 1921. His … See more

Smith, the Democratic presidential nominee in the 1928 presidential election, asked Roosevelt to run for governor of New York in the 1928 state election. Roosevelt initially resisted, as he was reluctant to leave Warm Springs an… See more