William McKinley

William McKinley
McKinley c. 1900
25th President of the United States
In office
March 4, 1897 – September 14, 1901
Vice President
Preceded byGrover Cleveland
Succeeded byTheodore Roosevelt
39th Governor of Ohio
In office
January 11, 1892 – January 13, 1896
LieutenantAndrew L. Harris
Preceded byJames E. Campbell
Succeeded byAsa S. Bushnell
Member of the
U.S. House of Representatives
from Ohio
In office
March 4, 1885 – March 3, 1891
Preceded byDavid R. Paige
Succeeded byJoseph D. Taylor
Constituency
  • 20th district (1885–1887)
  • 18th district (1887–1891)
In office
March 4, 1877 – May 27, 1884
Preceded byLaurin D. Woodworth
Succeeded byJonathan H. Wallace
Constituency
  • 17th district (1877–1879)
  • 16th district (1879–1881)
  • 17th district (1881–1883)
  • 18th district (1883–1884)
Personal details
Born
William McKinley Jr.

(1843-01-29)January 29, 1843
Niles, Ohio, U.S.
DiedSeptember 14, 1901(1901-09-14) (aged 58)
Buffalo, New York, U.S.
Cause of deathGangrene due to infection in gunshot wound
Resting placeMcKinley National Memorial,
Canton, Ohio
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)
(m. 1871)
Children2
FatherWilliam McKinley Sr.
Education
  • Allegheny College
  • Mount Union College
  • Albany Law School
Profession
  • Politician
  • lawyer
Signature
Military service
Branch/serviceUnited States Army (Union Army)
Years of service1861–1865
RankBrevet major
Unit23rd Ohio Infantry
Battles/wars
See list
Other offices

William McKinley (January 29, 1843 – September 14, 1901) was an American politician who served as the 25th president of the United States from 1897 until his assassination in 1901. Before becoming president, he was the 39th governor of Ohio from 1892 to 1896.

During his presidency, he successfully led the United States in the Spanish–American War, which helped American expansionism by the annexations of Puerto Rico, Guam, the Philippines, and Hawaii.

Presidency

McKinley was inaugurated in the first presidential inauguration to be filmed.[1]

When the USS Maine was sunk, the public wanted war. Congress declared war against Spain. During the Spanish-American War, the Americans conquered Spanish colonies in Latin Ameria and Asia. That started the era of imperialism for the United States.

During his presidency, McKinley also supported higher tariffs, taxes on imports from other countries. During his term, the United States annexed Hawaii, Cuba, the Philippines, and Wake Island.

McKinley was elected to a second term as president in 1900, but it did not last very long.

Death

McKinley was shot by an anarchist, named Leon Czolgosz, on September 6, 1901. McKinley's abdominal gunshot wounds became infected and resulted in gangrene. He died eight days later, and Czolgosz said that the President had committed war crimes in the Philippines and was an enemy of the people. Czolgosz was executed by the electric chair on October 29, 1901. McKinley was the third American president to be assassinated.

After McKinley's death, he was as president by44by Vice President Theodore Roosevelt became president.

Praise

McKinley's biographer H. Wayne Morgan remarks that McKinley died the most beloved president in history.[2]

Kenneth F. Warren emphasizes the national commitment to the pro-business, industrial, and modernizing program that was represented by McKinley.[3]

Notes

  1. Vice President Hobart died in office. As this was before the adoption of the Twenty-fifth Amendment in 1967, a vacancy in the office of vice president was not filled until the next ensuing election and inauguration.

References

  1. "The First US President on Film: William McKinley's Inauguration". School Tube. Archived from the original on December 20, 2024. Retrieved December 20, 2024.
  2. Morgan, H. Wayne 2003. William McKinley and his America. Kent, Ohio: The Kent State University Press (revised ed.) ISBN 978-0-87338-765-1
  3. Kenneth F. Warren (2008). Encyclopedia of U.S. Campaigns, Elections, and Electoral Behavior. SAGE. p. 211. ISBN 978-1-4129-5489-1.

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