Some American History:

On this date in history (November 9, 1906), President Theodore Roosevelt did something no American president before him had ever dared to do: he left the United States while in office.

For over a century, it was an unbroken tradition that the sitting President of the United States would not travel abroad. To do so was seen as a major disruption and potentially risky.

But Roosevelt was a man of action, not just words. He boarded the battleship USS Louisiana on this day, bound for Panama.

His mission was personal and direct. He wanted to see the construction of the Panama Canal with his own eyes and to boost the morale of the American workers toiling in difficult conditions.

This was not a vacation. Roosevelt marched through mud and rain, spoke with engineers and laborers, and inspected the massive project firsthand.

The trip produced one of the most iconic images of his presidency: Roosevelt himself at the controls of a giant steam shovel, a perfect picture of his energetic, hands-on leadership.

By breaking with tradition, Roosevelt reshaped the presidency for the modern age, establishing that a commander-in-chief could and should engage directly with American interests anywhere in the world.

His journey set a new precedent, and today, international travel is a routine and essential part of a president's duties, a standard started by Teddy Roosevelt's bold trip to Panama.

Sources: Theodore Roosevelt Center, Major Roosevelt biographies