Flashback Friday - 1906 Theodore Roosevelt Is 1st US President To Visit Another Country

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It is pretty interesting to think that the country had been founded for over 130 years before a sitting president traveled to another country on official business.  So why did he leave the country?  Well, he was heading on a 17 day trip to Panama and Puerto Rico to check on the progress for the Panama Canal.


Why did no other presidents before him travel internationally on official business? Because up until this point, it was considered socially taboo for a president to go on any international travels and exchange bows or mingle with other "Royals."  Can't say I blame this mentality, since they had not too long before won independence from such a royal overbearing government. Although I must disagree with many of Roosevelt's political views, this trip opened the door to a whole new era.


Roosevelt had spent time in central america before he had become president while he served as Secretary of the US Navy.  It was his wish to make Puerto Rico an autonomous country, but give them US citizenship.   Honestly, this seems strange to me, but it is what it is.  Today we enjoy the benefits of the canal for shipments and the people of Puerto Rico enjoy the benefits of US citizenship after they were granted citizenship in 1916.  When he finished visiting Panama and Puerto Rico, Roosevelt returned to the US on November 26, 1906 ending the first international trip of a sitting president.


If anything, he paved the way for future presidents to travel to many countries and meet with many world leaders.  So now over 100 years later, presidents of the modern age have met with all kinds of dignitaries and worked through many challenging issues.

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