William McKinley

William McKinley (1843-1901) 

William McKinley was next to Abraham Lincoln and James Garfield, the third U.S. president who fell victim to an assassination during his mandate.

William McKinley, Jr. was born on January 29, 1843 in Niles, Ohio, and was one of nine children. His parents were from Scottish origin. After school, he became a teacher himself in Ohio. Following the American Civil War, McKinley studied law, to open a law office in Canton in 1867. At the same time William McKinley began to engage himself politically for the Republicans and among other things he campaigned for high protective tariffs. In 1890, as a result the “McKinley Tariff” was adopted. After retiring from the congress McKinley made a name for himself due to his labour market policy initiatives.

Wife: Ida Saxton (1847-1907), wedding on January 25, 1871

Children: Katherine McKinley, Ida McKinley

Profession: lawyer

Presidential orientation: Republican

Presidential salary: USD 50,000/year

Results of the presidential election:

Vice president: Garret A. Hobart (1897-99), Theodore Roosevelt (1901)

Presidency (1897-1901):

In 1896, William McKinley won the presidential election campaign of his own. The projection of the votes was the greatest since 1872.

Despite his domestic achievements, he mainly went down in the history books due to his successful foreign policy regarding the issue of Cuba.

In 1898, the public pressure was so high that McKinley intervened in the conflict between Cuba and Spain and started a war against Spain. After only a short time the United States emerged victorious of the Spanish-American War and annexed the Philippines, Guam, Puerto Rico and Hawaii. Whereas Cuba became independent.

In 1900 McKinley was re-elected by a large majority. His second term ended, however, all of a sudden. On September 6, 1901, McKinley was shot by the anarchist Leon F. Czolgosz in Buffalo, New York and was critically wounded. On September 14, 1901 William McKinley died from these injuries.

Point of interests:

The Mount McKinley in Alaska is with 6,194 meters the highest mountain in North America and was named after William McKinley.

Nickname: "Idol of Ohio"

"War should never be entered upon until every agency of peace has failed." (William McKinley)