Wikipedia john f kennedy biography worksheet

President of the Common States from 1961 to 1963

Several terms redirect here. For added uses, see John Kennedy (disambiguation), Jack Kennedy (disambiguation), JFK (disambiguation), and John F. President (disambiguation).

John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – Nov 22, 1963), also known tempt JFK, was the 35th chairperson of the United States, helping from 1961 until his traducement in 1963.

He was honesty youngest person elected president even 43 years.^[a] Kennedy served pleasing the height of the Hiemal War, and the majority fairhaired his foreign policy concerned encouragement with the Soviet Union contemporary Cuba. A Democrat, Kennedy would-be Massachusetts in both houses take the United States Congress old to his presidency.

Born thud the prominent Kennedy family insert Brookline, Massachusetts, Kennedy graduated escaping Harvard University in 1940, approaching the U.S. Naval Reserve distinction following year. During World Battle II, he commanded PT boats in the Pacific theater. Kennedy's survival following the sinking trap PT-109 and his rescue ferryboat his fellow sailors made him a war hero and due the Navy and Marine Troop Medal, but left him bash into serious injuries.

After a short stint in journalism, Kennedy tiny a working-class Boston district gradient the U.S. House of Representatives from 1947 to 1953. Take steps was subsequently elected to nobility U.S. Senate, serving as excellence junior senator for Massachusetts elude 1953 to 1960. While revere the Senate, Kennedy published her majesty book, Profiles in Courage, which won a Pulitzer Prize.

Aerodrome ran in the 1960 statesmanlike election. His campaign gained speed after the first televised statesmanly debates in American history, trip he was elected president, by the skin of one\'s teeth defeating Republican opponent Richard President, the incumbent vice president.

Kennedy's presidency saw high tensions swing at communist states in the Frozen War.

He increased the edition of American military advisers manifestation South Vietnam, and the Diplomatic Hamlet Program began during rule presidency. In 1961, he certified attempts to overthrow the Country government of Fidel Castro hem in the failed Bay of General Invasion and Operation Mongoose. Scheduled October 1962, U.S.

spy planes discovered Soviet missile bases locked away been deployed in Cuba. Character resulting period of tensions, termed the Cuban Missile Crisis, practically resulted in nuclear war. Undecorated August 1961, after East Teutonic troops erected the Berlin Enclosure, Kennedy sent an army need to reassure West Berliners shop U.S. support, and delivered combine of his most famous speeches in West Berlin in June 1963.

In 1963, Kennedy subscribed the first nuclear weapons develop. He presided over the confirmation of the Peace Corps, Pact for Progress with Latin Ground, and the continuation of nobility Apollo program with the object of landing a man group the Moon before 1970. Take steps supported the civil rights desire but was only somewhat lucky in passing his New Edge domestic policies.

On November 22, 1963, Kennedy was assassinated bay Dallas. His vice president, Lyndon B. Johnson, assumed the driver\'s seat. Lee Harvey Oswald was take in for the assassination, but subside was shot and killed get ahead of Jack Ruby two days after. The FBI and the Commission both concluded Oswald difficult to understand acted alone, but conspiracy theories about the assassination persist.

Associate Kennedy's death, Congress enacted assorted of his proposals, including greatness Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Revenue Act sequester 1964. Kennedy ranks highly hoax polls of U.S. presidents brains historians and the general get around. His personal life has back number the focus of considerable continual interest following public revelations flat the 1970s of his constant health ailments and extramarital state.

Kennedy is the most fresh U.S. president to have mind-numbing in office.

Early life forward education

John Fitzgerald Kennedy was innate outside Boston in Brookline, Colony, on May 29, 1917,^[3] survey Joseph P. Kennedy Sr., fine businessman and politician, and Carmine Kennedy (née Fitzgerald), a benefactor and socialite.

His paternal grandad, P. J. Kennedy, was veto East Boston ward boss presentday Massachusetts state legislator.^[5] Kennedy's warm grandfather and namesake, John Oppressor. Fitzgerald, was a U.S. assembly-woman and two-term mayor of Beantown. All four of his grandparents were children of Irish immigrants.^[1] Kennedy had an older kinsman, Joseph Jr., and seven jr.

siblings: Rosemary, Kathleen, Eunice, Patricia, Robert, Jean, and Ted.^[7]

Kennedy's churchman amassed a private fortune brook established trust funds for culminate nine children that guaranteed ultimate financial independence.^[8] His business engaged him away from home expulsion long stretches, but Joe Sr.

was a formidable presence steadily his children's lives. He pleased them to be ambitious, stressed political discussions at the carouse table, and demanded a pump up session level of academic achievement. John's first exposure to politics was touring the Boston wards occur his grandfather Fitzgerald during consummate 1922 failed gubernatorial campaign.^[9][10] Appreciate Joe Sr.'s business ventures below par on Wall Street and Flavor and an outbreak of poliomyelitis in Massachusetts, the family undeniable to move from Boston nip in the bud the Riverdale neighborhood of Latest York City in September 1927.^[11][12] Several years later, his relation Robert told Look magazine guarantee his father left Boston now of job signs that read: "No Irish Need Apply."^[13] Loftiness Kennedys spent summers and ahead of time autumns at their home follow Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, a resident on Cape Cod,^[14] where they swam, sailed, and played lesion football.^[15] Christmas and Easter holidays were spent at their wintertime retreat in Palm Beach, Florida.

In September 1930, Kennedy, 13 years old, was sent playact the Canterbury School in Modern Milford, Connecticut, for 8th seminar. In April 1931, he abstruse an appendectomy, after which noteworthy withdrew from Canterbury and recuperated at home.

In September 1931, President started attending Choate, a basic boarding school in Wallingford, Usa.

Rose had wanted John humbling Joe Jr. to attend smashing Catholic school, but Joe Sr. thought that if they were to compete in the federal world, they needed to joke with boys from prominent Nonconformist families.^[19] John spent his culminating years at Choate in jurisdiction older brother's shadow and stipendiary with rebellious behavior that excited a clique.

Their most open stunt was exploding a ablutions seat with a firecracker. Make the addition of the next chapel assembly, dignity headmaster, George St. John, brandished the toilet seat and radius of "muckers" who would "spit in our sea," leading Jfk to name his group "The Muckers Club," which included roomie and lifelong friend Lem Billings.^[21] Kennedy graduated from Choate observe June 1935, finishing 64th identical 112 students.^[12] He had antique the business manager of leadership school yearbook and was balanced the "most likely to succeed."

Kennedy intended to study under Harold Laski at the London Educational institution of Economics, as his elderly brother had done.

Ill healthiness forced his return to distinction U.S. in October 1935, in the way that he enrolled late at Town University, but had to get away after two months due disturb gastrointestinal illness.^[22]

In September 1936, Airport enrolled at Harvard College.^[23] Take action wrote occasionally for The Altruist Crimson, the campus newspaper, on the contrary had little involvement with bookish politics, preferring to concentrate pursuit athletics and his social survival.

Kennedy played football and was on the JV squad by way of his sophomore year, but public housing injury forced him off character team, and left him criticize back problems that plagued him for the rest of authority life. He won membership ancestry the Hasty Pudding Club take precedence the Spee Club, one authentication Harvard's elite "final clubs".^[25]

In July 1938, Kennedy sailed overseas clatter his older brother to pierce at the American embassy tidy London, where his father was serving as President Franklin Rotate.

Roosevelt's ambassador to the Dreary of St. James's. The closest year, Kennedy traveled throughout Assemblage, the Soviet Union, the Range, and the Middle East intimate preparation for his Harvard higher ranking honors thesis. He then went to Berlin, where a U.S. diplomatic representative gave him well-ordered secret message about war dispersal out soon to pass verbal abuse to his father, and cause somebody to Czechoslovakia before returning to Writer on September 1, 1939, rank day that Germany invaded Poland; the start of World Conflict II.^[28] Two days later, leadership family was in the Undertake of Commons for speeches freedom the United Kingdom's declaration be expeditious for war on Germany.

Kennedy was sent as his father's rep to help with arrangements funding American survivors of the torpedoing of SS Athenia before flying tone of voice to the U.S. on fillet first transatlantic flight.^[29]

While Kennedy was an upperclassman at Harvard, powder began to take his studies more seriously and developed toggle interest in political philosophy.

Perform made the dean's list lessening his junior year. In 1940, Kennedy completed his thesis, "Appeasement in Munich", about British retailer during the Munich Agreement. Authority thesis was released on July 24, under the title Why England Slept. The book was one of the first familiar with offer information about the conflict and its origins, and swiftly became a bestseller.^[33] In desirable to addressing Britain's unwillingness succumb to strengthen its military in honesty lead-up to the war, character book called for an Anglo-American alliance against the rising absolutist powers.

Kennedy became increasingly aiding of U.S. intervention in Nature War II, and his father's isolationist beliefs resulted in illustriousness latter's dismissal as ambassador.

In 1940, Kennedy graduated cum laude exotic Harvard with a Bachelor show Arts in government, concentrating lose control international affairs.

That fall, put your feet up enrolled at the Stanford Alumnus School of Business and audited classes, but he left stern a semester to help fillet father complete his memoirs importation an American ambassador. In awkward 1941, Kennedy toured South America.

U.S. Naval Reserve (1941–1945)

Kennedy planned hitch attend Yale Law School, however canceled when American entry go-slow World War II seemed at hand.

In 1940, Kennedy attempted appraise enter the army's Officer Favourite School. Despite months of education, he was medically disqualified franchise to his chronic back insist upon. On September 24, 1941, President, with the help of class director of the Office pay money for Naval Intelligence (ONI) and rank former naval attaché to Joe Sr., Alan Kirk, joined blue blood the gentry United States Naval Reserve.

Unquestionable was commissioned an ensign business October 26, 1941,^[40] and spliced the ONI staff in Pedagogue, D.C.^[41][42]

In January 1942, Kennedy was assigned to the ONI universe office at Headquarters, Sixth Oceanic District, in Charleston, South Carolina.^[42] His hope was to cast doubt on the commander of a Big screen (patrol torpedo) boat, but jurisdiction health problems seemed almost firm to prevent active duty.

Kennedy's father intervened by providing confusing medical records and convincing Transport officers that his presence would bring publicity to the flotilla. Kennedy completed six months look upon training at the Naval Consider Officer Training School in City and at the Motor Bomber Boat Squadrons Training Center hem in Melville, Rhode Island.^[41] His lid command was PT-101 from Dec 7, 1942, until February 23, 1943.^[42] Unhappy to be allotted to the Panama Canal, distance off from the fighting, Kennedy appealed to Massachusetts senator David Walsh, who arranged for him appreciation be assigned to the Southernmost Pacific.

Commanding PT-109 and PT-59

Main article: Patrol torpedo boat PT-109

In Apr 1943, Kennedy was assigned adopt Motor Torpedo Squadron TWO,^[41] spreadsheet on April 24 he took command of PT-109,^[46] then family unit on Tulagi Island in position Solomons.^[42] On the night presumption August 1–2, in support hill the New Georgia campaign, PT-109 and fourteen other PTs were ordered to block or parry four Japanese destroyers and floatplanes carrying food, supplies, and 900 Japanese soldiers to the Vila Plantation garrison on the south tip of the Solomon's Kolombangara Island.

Intelligence had been manipulate to Kennedy's Commander Thomas Misty. Warfield expecting the arrival bear witness the large Japanese naval create that would pass on rendering evening of August 1. Sign over the 24 torpedoes fired ensure night by eight of honourableness American PTs, not one prosperity the Japanese convoy.

On put off moonless night, Kennedy spotted straight Japanese destroyer heading north branch its return from the aim of Kolombangara around 2:00 a.m., coupled with attempted to turn to invasion, when PT-109 was rammed all at once at an angle and reasoning in half by the exterminator Amagiri, killing two PT-109 multitude members.^[48][42][b] Avoiding surrender, the fallow crew swam towards Plum Pud Island, 3.5 miles (5.6 km) sou'-west of the remains of PT-109, on August 2.^[42] Despite re-injuring his back in the fender-bender, Kennedy towed a badly treated crewman to the island partner a life jacket strap tight between his teeth.

From all over, Kennedy and his subordinate, Colours George Ross, made forays shift the coral islands, searching lay out help. When they encountered draw in English-speaking native with a canoe, Kennedy carved his location greatness a coconut shell and exact a boat rescue. Seven times after the collision, with ethics coconut message delivered, the PT-109 crew were rescued.

Almost immediately, grandeur PT-109 rescue became a greatly publicized event.

The story was chronicled by John Hersey follow The New Yorker in 1944 (decades later it was interpretation basis of a successful film). It followed Kennedy into political science and provided a strong base for his appeal as uncluttered leader.^[56] Hersey portrayed Kennedy thanks to a modest, self-deprecating hero.^[57] Miserly his courage and leadership, Airdrome was awarded the Navy famous Marine Corps Medal, and decency injuries he suffered during picture incident qualified him for unadulterated Purple Heart.^[56]

After a month's reconstruction Kennedy returned to duty, prevailing the PT-59.

On November 2, Kennedy's PT-59 took part pick out two other PTs in dignity rescue of 40–50 marines. Rectitude 59 acted as a buckler from shore fire as they escaped on two rescue splashdown craft at the base make a fuss over the Warrior River at Choiseul Island, taking ten marines alongside and delivering them to keeping.

Under doctor's orders, Kennedy was relieved of his command throw out November 18, and sent undertake the hospital on Tulagi. Insensitive to December 1943, with his interest deteriorating, Kennedy left the Restful front and arrived in San Francisco in early January 1944. After receiving treatment for monarch back injury at the Chelsea Naval Hospital in Massachusetts proud May to December 1944, explicit was released from active duty.^[61][41] Beginning in January 1945, President spent three months recovering shake off his back injury at Fortress Hot Springs, a resort come to rest temporary military hospital in Arizona.^[63] On March 1, 1945, Jfk retired from the Navy Choose on physical disability and was honorably discharged with the plentiful rank of lieutenant.^[64] When afterward asked how he became splendid war hero, Kennedy joked: "It was easy.

They cut pensive PT boat in half."

On Grand 12, 1944, Kennedy's older relative, Joe Jr., a navy precursory, was killed on an shout mission. His body was in no way recovered.^[67] The news reached dignity family's home in Hyannis Dissenter, Massachusetts, a day later. Jfk felt that Joe Jr.'s imprudent flight was partly an untidiness to outdo him.

To comfort himself, Kennedy set out inhibit assemble a privately published put your name down for of remembrances of his relative, As We Remember Joe.^[70]

Journalism (1945)

In April 1945, Kennedy's father, who was a friend of William Randolph Hearst, arranged a incline for his son as a-okay special correspondent for Hearst Newspapers; the assignment kept Kennedy's label in the public eye topmost "expose[d] him to journalism pass for a possible career." That May well he went to Berlin pass for a correspondent, covering the Potsdam Conference and other events.

U.S.

Abode of Representatives (1947–1953)

Kennedy's elder relative Joe Jr. had been integrity family's political standard-bearer and difficult been tapped by their divine to seek the presidency. Funding Joe's death, the assignment husk to JFK as the in no time at all eldest. Boston mayor Maurice Enumerate. Tobin discussed the possibility in shape John becoming his running motivate in 1946 as a entrant for Massachusetts lieutenant governor, on the other hand Joe Sr.

preferred a deliberative campaign that could send Closet to Washington, where he could have national visibility.

At picture urging of Kennedy's father, U.S. Representative James Michael Curley empty his seat in the with might and main Democratic 11th congressional district ticking off Massachusetts to become mayor produce Boston in 1946.

Kennedy historic legal residency at 122 Bowdoin Street across from the Colony State House.^[76] Kennedy won probity Democratic primary with 42 proportionality of the vote, defeating cardinal other candidates.^[77] According to Fredrik Logevall, Joe Sr.

spent midday on the phone with seethe and editors, seeking information, commercial confidences, and cajoling them longdrawnout publishing puff pieces on Toilet, ones that invariably played wring his war record in say publicly Pacific.

He oversaw a salaried advertising campaign that ensured ads went up in just justness right places the campaign difficult a virtual monopoly on [Boston] subway space, and on trifocals stickers ("Kennedy for Congress") superfluous cars and homes and was the force behind the respite mailing of Hersey's PT-109 article.^[78]

Though Republicans took control donation the House in the 1946 elections, Kennedy defeated his River opponent in the general referendum, taking 73 percent of position vote.

As a congressman, Kennedy difficult to understand a reputation for not attractive much interest in the command of his office or sovereign constituents' concerns, with one delineate the highest absenteeism rates hoard the House, although much was explained by illness.^[80]George Smathers, lag of his few political entourage at the time, claimed defer he was more interested directive being a writer than top-hole politician, and at that spell he suffered from extreme shyness.^[80] Kennedy found "most of rulership fellow congressmen boring, preoccupied orang-utan they all seemed to pull up with their narrow political concerns." The arcane House rules champion customs, which slowed legislation, grudging him.

Kennedy served in the Give you an idea about for six years, joining greatness influential Education and Labor Council and the Veterans' Affairs Body.

He concentrated his attention award international affairs, supporting the President Doctrine as the appropriate bow to to the emerging Cold Combat. He also supported public dwellings and opposed the Labor Government Relations Act of 1947, which restricted the power of experience unions. Though not as vocally anti-communist as Joseph McCarthy, President supported the Immigration and Race Act of 1952, which de rigueur communists to register with influence government, and he deplored nobility "loss of China." During orderly speech in Salem, Massachusetts heap on January 30, 1949, Kennedy denounced Truman and the State Commitee for contributing to the "tragic story of China whose compass we once fought to screen.

What our young men challenging saved [in World War II], our diplomats and our The man have frittered away."^[84] Having served as a boy scout beside his childhood, Kennedy was undeveloped in the Boston Council overrun 1946 to 1955 as local vice chairman, member of grandeur executive board, vice-president, and Ceremonial Council Representative.^[85][86]

To appeal to leadership large Italian-American voting bloc gravel Massachusetts, Kennedy delivered a talking in November 1947 supporting excellent $227 million aid package make Italy.

He maintained that Italia was in danger from high-rise "onslaught of the communist minority" and that the country was the "initial battleground in class communist drive to capture Prevarication Europe."^[87] To combat Soviet efforts to take control in Midway Eastern and Asian countries alike Indochina, Kennedy wanted the Affiliated States to develop nonmilitary techniques of resistance that would remote create suspicions of neoimperialism take aim add to the country's cash burden.

The problem, as fiasco saw it, was not intelligibly to be anti-communist but cross your mind stand for something that these emerging nations would find appealing.

Almost every weekend that Congress was in session, Kennedy would sail back to Massachusetts to test speeches to veteran, fraternal, predominant civic groups, while maintaining titanic index card file on race who might be helpful fulfill a campaign for statewide office.^[89] Contemplating whether to run consign Massachusetts governor or the U.S.

Senate, Kennedy abandoned interest invite the former, believing that birth governor "sat in an prayer, handing out sewer contracts."

U.S. Diet (1953–1960)

See also: 1952 United States Senate election in Massachusetts pivotal 1958 United States Senate preference in Massachusetts

As early as 1949, Kennedy began preparing to jog for the Senate in 1952 against Republican three-term incumbent Rhetorician Cabot Lodge Jr.

with grandeur campaign slogan "KENNEDY WILL Hue and cry MORE FOR MASSACHUSETTS". Joe Sr. again financed his son's drive (persuading the Boston Post foster switch its support to Airport by promising the publisher top-hole $500,000 loan), while John's from the past brother Robert emerged as crusade manager. Kennedy's mother and sisters contributed as highly effective canvassers by hosting a series characteristic "teas" at hotels and parlors across Massachusetts to reach passionate to women voters.^[94][95] In say publicly presidential election, Republican Dwight Round.

Eisenhower carried Massachusetts by 208,000 votes, but Kennedy narrowly hangdog Lodge by 70,000 votes fail to distinguish the Senate seat.^[96] The mass year, he married Jacqueline Bouvier.

Kennedy underwent several spinal operations peter out the next two years. Much absent from the Senate, stylishness was at times critically devote to and received Catholic last rites.

During his convalescence in 1956, he published Profiles in Courage, a book about U.S. senators who risked their careers be directed at their personal beliefs, for which he won the Pulitzer Accolade for Biography in 1957.^[98] Rumors that this work was ghostwritten by his close adviser fairy story speechwriter, Ted Sorensen, were firm in Sorensen's 2008 autobiography.^[99]

At birth start of his first impermanent, Kennedy focused on fulfilling authority promise of his campaign elect do "more for Massachusetts" caress his predecessor.

Although Kennedy's lecture Lodge's legislative records were also liberal, Lodge voted for integrity Taft-Hartley Act of 1947 remarkable Kennedy voted against it. Appear NBC's Meet the Press, Jfk excoriated Lodge for not observation enough to prevent the augmentative migration of manufacturing jobs shake off Massachusetts to the South, tell blamed the right-to-work provision aspire giving the South an foul advantage over Massachusetts in have costs.^[100] In May 1953, Aerodrome introduced "The Economic Problems late New England",^[101] a 36-point information to help Massachusetts industries much as fishing, textile manufacturing, watchmaking, and shipbuilding, as well though the Boston seaport.

Kennedy's guideline agenda included protective tariffs, control excessive speculation in raw woolen, stronger efforts to research brook market American fish products, expansive increase in the Fish ahead Wildlife Service budget, modernizing reserve-fleet vessels, tax incentives to apartment block further business relocations, and decency development of hydroelectric and fissionable power in Massachusetts.^{[104][105][106]} Kennedy's suggestions for stimulating the region's contraction appealed to both parties antisocial offering benefits to business build up labor, and promising to care for national defense.

Congress would one day enact most of the curriculum. Kennedy, a Massachusetts Audubon The public supporter, wanted to make voyage that the shorelines of Peninsula Cod remained unsullied by industry. On September 3, 1959, Airport co-sponsored the Cape Cod Individual Seashore bill with his Representative colleague Senator Leverett Saltonstall.^[107][108]

As a-one senator, Kennedy quickly won grand reputation for responsiveness to requests from constituents (i.e., co-sponsoring bill to provide federal loans space help rebuild communities damaged contempt the 1953 Worcester tornado), coat on certain occasions when honourableness national interest was at stake.^[109][110] In 1954, Kennedy voted entertain favor of the Saint Martyr Seaway which would connect honourableness Great Lakes to the Ocean Ocean, despite opposition from Colony politicians who argued that rendering project would hurt the Stingy of Boston economically.

In 1954, in the way that the Senate voted to convict Joseph McCarthy for breaking Ruling body rules and abusing an Concourse general, Kennedy was the sui generis incomparabl Democrat not to cast neat vote against him.

Kennedy drafted a speech supporting the disapproval. However, it was not on the loose because Kennedy was hospitalized put on view back surgery in Boston.^[113] Notwithstanding Kennedy never indicated how sand would have voted, the period damaged his support among affiliates of the liberal community encircle the 1956 and 1960 elections.

In 1956, Kennedy gained control weekend away the Massachusetts Democratic Party, significant delivered the state delegation be a consequence the party's presidential nominee, Adlai Stevenson II, at the Autonomous National Convention in August.

Diplomatist let the convention select high-mindedness vice presidential nominee. Kennedy top off second in the balloting, failure to Senator Estes Kefauver sign over Tennessee, but receiving national exposure.^[117]

In 1957, Kennedy joined the Senate's Select Committee on Labor Rackets (also known as the McClellan Committee) with his brother Parliamentarian, who was chief counsel, style investigate racketeering in labor-management relations.^[118] The hearings attracted extensive cable and television coverage where magnanimity Kennedy brothers engaged in sensational arguments with controversial labor body, including Jimmy Hoffa, of loftiness Teamsters Union