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Primary sourcePhotographc. 1898-1903

Theodore Roosevelt as a Rough Rider at Tampa, Florida

American Stereoscopic Company · c. 1898-1903

A stereograph photograph showing Theodore Roosevelt at an army camp in Tampa during the mobilization of the Rough Riders before the Spanish-American War.

Shows Roosevelt during his service with the Rough Riders, a formative experience in his rise to national prominence.

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Sepia stereograph card showing two side-by-side photographs of a man in a campaign hat and military-style jacket standing beside a tent pole, with a canvas tent and a seated man behind him. Caption reads: Theodore Roosevelt as a Rough-Rider at Tampa, Florida.
Theodore Roosevelt as a Rough Rider at Tampa, Florida, stereograph, c. 1898-1903. Ajuntament de Girona.

About this source

What it is

This is a stereograph card, a type of photograph made of two nearly identical images meant to be viewed together to create a 3D effect. It shows Theodore Roosevelt standing beside a tent at an army camp in Tampa, Florida, around the time of the Rough Riders' mobilization in 1898. The card is held by the Ajuntament de Girona in Spain.

Why it matters

Roosevelt helped organize and lead the Rough Riders, a volunteer cavalry unit, during the Spanish-American War. This image captures him in a military role before he became a national figure and eventually President. Photographs like this were mass-produced and sold to the public, showing how quickly Roosevelt's wartime image became part of American popular culture.

Look closer

  • What does Roosevelt's posture and clothing suggest about how he wanted to be seen?
  • Why might a company have produced and sold this image to the public?
  • What does the stereograph format tell you about photography technology at the time?

This photograph is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Theodore Roosevelt on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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