Quick pre-show announcement here. In response to the curiosity slash demand on who the next Giants of History series is on,

we placed a mild riddle at the end of episode six, simply to see if anyone could crack it before we formally announce it after the final Roosevelt episode.

There were numerous guesses submitted, but none who got it right, so we'll state the same riddle here at the beginning of this show as a challenge to the broader audience.

And again, anyone who is able to guess correctly will get their name announced in the intro of one of the next shows. So submit your responses via email to go history podcast at gmail.com or via

Twitter by visiting go history podcast dot com and clicking on Twitterbird at the top of the page.

The riddle is as follows.

If you want it all, try being eight heads tall.

Now on to the show.

Giants of History presents Theodore Roosevelt, episode number seven. Welcome to Giants of History and thank you for joining us.

I took the I took the canal zone and let Congress debate and while the debate goes on the

canal does also. Theodore Roosevelt, on his decision to move forward with the building of the Panama Canal.

In the early days of November 1902, Roosevelt's boot stepped off a train and landed in Mississippi

dirt. He was near Vicksburg, where he would then travel a short distance to hunt bear

near the little Sunflower River.

He had shed the suit and waistcoat that had now become his uniform as president for leather

leggings and a corduroy jacket.

He had a cartridge belt around his waist, in addition to an ivory-handled hunting knife.

And in his hand was his favorite custom-made Winchester rifle,

the butt of which still showed the teeth marks from a fight with a cougar he had won back in Colorado a few years prior.

But Roosevelt, despite all his preparation for the outing, would have one of the worst hunting

trips of his life as absolutely no bear could be found in the area.

For five days Roosevelt and his hunting party saw absolutely nothing,

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