Near the end of his presidency, Roosevelt went on a tour around the world, with a series of ships called the Great White Fleet. It was 16 battleships divided into two sections, along with escorts. This was named the great white fleet, for the battleships flashed white.
The Fleet started at Virginia and took about 1 year and 2 months to complete. It started on December 16, 1907 and it finished February 22, 1909. Roosevelt's White Fleet visited all of the settled continents and sailed around the world. Roosevelt claimed that this fleet was to improve foreign relations. However, the Great White Fleet was made more to display the United States Military power. He sent his fleet to prove that the United States was a world power and that it had the power to influence the world. He proved that the United States was not a country to be ignored. After the Great White Fleet, he made the United States a powerful and recognized power on the world stage. |
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