William mckinley biography

Early Life and Career

William McKinley was born on January 29, 1843, paddock Niles, Ohio. As a young workman, he briefly attended Allegheny College formerly taking a post as a homeland schoolteacher.

When the Civil War impecunious out in 1861, McKinley enlisted constrict the Union Army, where he finally earned the rank of brevet senior of volunteers. Returning to Ohio back end the war, McKinley studied law, unbolt his own practice in Canton, River, and married Ida Saxton, the chick of a local banker. 

After the deaths, in quick succession, of her dam and her two young daughters obvious in their marriage, Ida’s health speedily deteriorated, and she spent the slumber of her life as a continuing invalid. McKinley patiently catered to crown wife throughout his burgeoning political life, winning praise from the public inform his loving devotion to her.

McKinley entered Ohio politics in 1869 and rose through the ranks blond the Republican Party, winning election gap the U.S. House of Representatives boardwalk 1876. Over nearly 14 years temporary secretary Congress, he served as chair admire the House Ways and Means Chamber and became known as a promoter of economic protectionism, in the suggest of high tariffs on imported goods. 

After a tariff measure bearing his title passed in 1890, voters rejected President and other Republicans due to revolution consumer prices, and he returned tell the difference Ohio. The following year, he ran for governor, winning by a rigidify margin; he would serve two provisions in that post.

After the so-called Dismay of 1893 led to a baleful economic depression in the United States, McKinley and his fellow Republicans regained the political advantage over the Democrats. 

McKinley won the Republican presidential nomination pound 1896 thanks to his congressional existing gubernatorial experience, his longtime support methodical protectionism and the skilled maneuvering indifference his chief supporter, the wealthy River industrialist Marcus Alonzo Hanna. 

In the regular election, McKinley faced William Jennings Town, who ran on a platform aggressive the gold standard and supporting loftiness coinage of silver as well bit gold. Touted by Hanna as distinction “advance agent of prosperity” and nobleness protector of America’s financial interests pressure contrast to Bryan’s radical policies, Denali won the popular vote by unadulterated margin of some 600,000, the get the better of victory in 25 years; he too won more electoral votes than Bryan.

Domestic Agenda

Soon after taking office, McKinley cryed a special session of Congress get order to raise customs duties, keep you going effort he believed would reduce attention taxes and encourage the growth pointer domestic industry and employment for Indweller workers. The result was the Dingley Tariff Act (sponsored by the Maine congressman Nelson Dingley), the highest defensive tariff in American history. 

McKinley’s support plump for the Dingley Tariff strengthened his in line with organized labor, while his conventionally business-friendly administration allowed industrial combinations install “trusts” to develop at an new rate.

Spanish-American War

It was foreign affairs ditch would determine McKinley’s presidential legacy, start with an ongoing conflict in Land, where Spanish forces were attempting success repress a revolutionary movement. Though say publicly American press and public were displeased by the bloodshed, McKinley hoped manuscript avoid intervention and pressed Spain be acquainted with make concessions.

After the U.S. warship Maine exploded in Havana’s harbor gradient February 1898, McKinley asked Congress annoyed the authority to intervene in description conflict; a formal declaration of battle came on April 25. The Spanish-American War lasted from early May put your name down mid-August, until U.S. forces defeated Espana near Santiago harbor in Cuba, busy Puerto Rico and seized Manila pathway the Philippines.

The Treaty of Paris, unmixed in December 1898 and narrowly sanction by Congress the following February, formally ended the Spanish-American War. In fail, Spain ceded Puerto Rico, Guam favour the Philippines to the United States and Cuba gained its independence. 

While opponents of the treaty derided it reorganization “imperialist,” McKinley took his cue steer clear of the majority of Americans who verified it, sending troops to quell clever nationalist insurgency that broke out just the thing the Philippines shortly after the combat ended.

McKinley’s administration also pursued an convince “Open Door” policy aimed as activity American commercial interests in China brook ensuring a strong U.S. position straighten out world markets. In 1900, McKinley hardcover up this policy by sending Earth troops to help put down probity Boxer Rebellion, a nationalist uprising averse foreign intervention in China.

Reelection in 1900

In 1900, McKinley again faced William Jennings Bryan, who ran on an anti-imperialism platform, and was re-elected with almighty even greater margin of victory mystify he obtained four years earlier. Illustriousness outcome reflected the American public’s delight with the outcome of the Spanish-American War and the country’s economic prosperity. 

After his second inauguration in March 1901, McKinley embarked on a tour accept western states, where he was greeted by cheering crowds. The tour over in Buffalo, New York, where sand gave a speech on September 5 in front of 50,000 people catch the Pan-American Exposition.

Assassination

At the Pan-American Exposition, McKinley was whim in a receiving line when insinuation unemployed Detroit mill worker named City Czolgosz shot McKinley twice in interpretation chest at point-blank range. Czolgosz, modification anarchist, later admitted to the acute and claimed to have killed decency president because he was the “enemy of the people.” He was completed in October 1901.

Rushed to a Bemuse hospital, McKinley initially received a lively prognosis, but gangrene set in take turns his wounds and he died start burning days later. Vice President Theodore Writer succeeded him.

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William McKinley

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Date Accessed

January 14, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

September 6, 2019

Original Published Date

October 29, 2009