Elihu Root was born on February 15, 1845, in Clinton, Oneida County, New York, to Oren Root and Nancy Whitney Buttrick, both of English descent. His father was a professor of mathematics at Hamilton College See more

Root's retirement from public office was brief, but he remained active in public life, delivering speeches in defense of Roosevelt's See more

At the outbreak of World War I in 1914, Root opposed neutrality. Root promoted the Preparedness Movement to get the United States ready for actual participation in the war. He was … See more

Upon his admission to the bar, Root completed a year of unpaid apprenticeship at the leading New York City firm Mann and Parsons. In 1868, he and several other young lawyers … See more

In July 1899, President William McKinley offered Root a position in his cabinet as Secretary of War. The offer came on the heels of the See more

Overview
In January 1909, Root was elected by the legislature as a U.S. Senator from New York, … See more

In the Senate fight in 1919 over American membership in the League of Nations, Root supported Henry Cabot Lodge's proposal of … See more