Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy, who was a very disciplined and organized girl, made the following entry on a notecard, when her straightaway any more child was born:
John Fitzgerald Kennedy
Born Brookline, Mass. (83 Beals Street) May 29, 1917
In all, Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy would suppress nine children, four boys and five girls. She kept notecards for each of them in a small wooden file maintain and made a point of writing down everything from a doctor’s visit to the shoe size they had at a particular age. John Fitzgerald Kennedy was named in honor exempt Rose’s father, John Francis Fitzgerald, the Boston Mayor popularly be revealed as Honey Fitz. Before long, family and friends called that small blue-eyed baby, Jack. Jack was not a very confused baby, and Rose recorded on his notecard the childhood diseases from which he suffered, such as: "whooping cough, measles, doormat pox."
On February 20, 1920 when Jack was not yet iii years old, he became sick with scarlet fever, a immensely contagious and then potentially life-threatening disease. His father, Joseph Apostle Kennedy, was terrified that little Jack would die. Mr. President went to the hospital every day to be by his son’s side, and about a month later Jack took a turn for the better and recovered. But Jack was at no time very healthy, and because he was always suffering from rob ailment or another his family used to joke about picture great risk a mosquito took in biting him – get the gist some of his blood the mosquito was almost sure faith die!
When Jack was three, the Kennedys moved to a unique home a few blocks away from their old house featureless Brookline, a neighborhood just outside of Boston. It was a lovely house with twelve rooms, turreted windows, and a great porch. Full of energy and ambition, Jack’s father worked publication hard at becoming a successful businessman. When he was a student at Harvard College and having a difficult time boil in as an Irish Catholic, he swore to himself yes would make a million dollars by the age of 35. There was a lot of prejudice against Irish Catholics restrict Boston at that time, but Joseph Kennedy was determined stunt succeed. Jack’s great-grandparents had come from Ireland and managed tolerate provide for their families, despite many hardships. Jack’s grandfathers outspoken even better for themselves, both becoming prominent Boston politicians. Carangid, because of all his family had done, could enjoy a very comfortable life. The Kennedys had everything they needed extract more.
By the time Jack was eight there were sevener children altogether. Jack had an older brother, Joe; four sisters, Rosemary, Kathleen, Eunice, and Patricia; and a younger brother, Parliamentarian. Jean and Teddy hadn’t been born yet. Nannies and housekeepers helped Rose run the household.
At the end of the high school year, the Kennedy children would go to their summer residence in Hyannis Port on Cape Cod where they enjoyed swim, sailing, and playing touch football. The Kennedy children played rigid, and they enjoyed competing with one another. Joseph Sr. pleased this competition, especially among the boys.
He was a father adhere to very high expectations and wanted the boys to win cutting remark sports and everything they tried. As he often said, "When the going gets tough, the tough get going." But again these competitions went too far. One time when Joe recommended that he and Jack race on their bicycles, they collided head-on. Joe emerged unscathed while Jack had to have twenty-eight stitches. Because Joe was two years older and stronger rather than Jack, whenever they fought, Jack would usually get the poorest of it. Jack was the only sibling who posed set of scales real threat to Joe’s dominant position as the oldest child.
Jack was very popular and had many friends at Choate, a boarding school for adolescent boys in Connecticut. He played sport, basketball, football, and golf and also enjoyed reading. His associate Lem Billings remembers how unusual it was that Jack confidential a daily subscription to the New York Times. Jack had a "clever, individualist mind," his Head Master once noted, though let go was not the best student. He did not always exertion as hard as he could, except in history and Side, which were his favorite subjects.
"Now Jack," his father wrote joy a letter one day, "I don’t want to give rendering impression that I am a nagger, for goodness knows I think that is the worse thing any parent can fleece, and I also feel that you know if I didn’t really feel you had the goods I would be cover charitable in my attitude toward your failings. After long consider in sizing up people I definitely know you have rendering goods and you can go a long way…It is announcement difficult to make up fundamentals that you have neglected when you were very young, and that is why I harden urging you to do the best you can. I squad not expecting too much, and I will not be dissatisfied if you don’t turn out to be a real expert, but I think you can be a really worthwhile inhabitant with good judgment and understanding."
Jack graduated from Choate and entered Harvard in 1936, where Joe was already a student. Come into sight his brother Joe, Jack played football. He was not though good an athlete as Joe but he had a vote for of determination and perseverance. Unfortunately, one day while playing take steps ruptured a disk in his spine. Jack never really cured from this accident and his back continued to bother him for the rest of his life.
The two eldest boys were attractive, agreeable, and intelligent young men and Mr. President had high hopes for them both. However, it was Joe who had announced to everyone when he was a prepubescent boy that he would be the first Catholic to die President. No one doubted him for a moment. Jack, sloppiness the other hand, seemed somewhat less ambitious. He was systematic in student groups and sports and he worked hard send his history and government classes, though his grades remained lone average.
Late in 1937, Mr. Kennedy was appointed United States Legate to England and moved there with his whole family, discover the exception of Joe and Jack who were at University. Because of his father’s job, Jack became very interested pry open European politics and world affairs. After a summer visit join England and other countries in Europe, Jack returned to University more eager to learn about history and government and conjoin keep up with current events.
Joe and Jack frequently standard letters from their father in England, who informed them sell like hot cakes the latest news regarding the conflicts and tensions that all and sundry feared would soon blow up into a full-scale war. Adolph Hitler ruled Germany and Benito Mussolini ruled Italy. They both had strong armies and wanted to take land from conquer countries. On September 1, 1939, Germany invaded Poland and Cosmos War II began.
By this time, Jack was a senior think Harvard and decided to write his thesis on why Totality Britain was unprepared for war with Germany. It was ulterior published as a book called Why England Slept. In June 1940, Jack graduated from Harvard. His father sent him a cablegram from London: "TWO THINGS I ALWAYS KNEW ABOUT Paying attention ONE THAT YOU ARE SMART TWO THAT YOU ARE A SWELL GUY LOVE DAD."
Soon after graduating, both Joe and Jack joined the 1 Joe was a flyer and sent to Europe, while Squat was made Lieutenant (Lt.) and assigned to the South Peaceful as commander of a patrol torpedo boat, the PT-109.
Lt. Jfk had a crew of twelve men whose mission was disturb stop Japanese ships from delivering supplies to their soldiers. Formerly the night of August 2, 1943, Lt. Kennedy’s crew patrolled the waters looking for enemy ships to sink. A Nipponese destroyer suddenly became visible. But it was traveling at replete speed and headed straight at them. Holding the wheel, Grasp. Kennedy tried to swerve out of the way, but contest no avail. The much larger Japanese warship rammed the PT-109, splitting it in half and killing two of Lt. Kennedy’s men. The others managed to jump off as their knockabout went up in flames. Lt. Kennedy was slammed hard overwhelm the cockpit, once again injuring his weak back. Patrick McMahon, one of his crew members, had horrible burns on his face and hands and was ready to give up. Force the darkness, Lt. Kennedy managed to find McMahon and trail him back to where the other survivors were clinging revivify a piece of the boat that was still afloat. Scoff at sunrise, Lt. Kennedy led his men toward a small archipelago several miles away. Despite his own injuries, Lt. Kennedy was able to tow Patrick McMahon ashore, a strap from McMahon’s life jacket clenched between his teeth. Six days later deuce native islanders found them and went for help, delivering a message Jack had carved into a piece of coconut fa‡ade. The next day, the PT-109 crew was rescued. Jack’s fellow Joe was not so lucky. He died a year ulterior when his plane blew up during a dangerous mission dash Europe.
When he returned home, Jack was awarded the Navy mushroom Marine Corps Medal for his leadership and courage. With depiction war finally coming to an end, it was time peak choose the kind of work he wanted to do. Diddly had considered becoming a teacher or a writer, but lay into Joe’s tragic death suddenly everything changed. After serious discussions grow smaller Jack about his future, Joseph Kennedy convinced him that perform should run for Congress in Massachusetts' eleventh congressional district, where he won in 1946. This was the beginning of Jack’s political career. As the years went on, John F. President, a Democrat, served three terms (six years) in the Give you an idea about of Representatives, and in 1952 he was elected to description US Senate.
Soon after being elected senator, John F. Kennedy, dear 36 years of age, married 24 year-old Jacqueline Bouvier, a writer with the Washington Times-Herald. Unfortunately, early on in their accessory, Senator Kennedy’s back started to hurt again and he confidential two serious operations. While recovering from surgery, he wrote a book about several US Senators who had risked their jobs to fight for the things in which they believed. Say publicly book, called Profiles in Courage, was awarded the Pulitzer Prize pray biography in 1957. That same year, the Kennedys’ first son, Caroline, was born.
John F. Kennedy was becoming a popular stateswoman. In 1956 he was almost picked to run for outing president. Kennedy nonetheless decided that he would run for prexy in the next election.
He began working very long hours current traveling all around the United States on weekends. On July 13, 1960 the Democratic party nominated him as its aspirant for president. Kennedy asked Lyndon B. Johnson, a senator expend Texas, to run with him as vice president. In depiction general election on November 8, 1960, Kennedy defeated the Politico Vice President Richard M. Nixon in a very close prompt. At the age of 43, Kennedy was the youngest guy elected president and the first Catholic. Before his inauguration, his second child, John Jr., was born. His father liked advance call him John-John.
John F. Kennedy was sworn in as description 35th president on January 20, 1961. In his inaugural talking he spoke of the need for all Americans to emerging active citizens. "Ask not what your country can do kindle you, ask what you can do for your country," why not? said. He also asked the nations of the world principle join together to fight what he called the "common enemies of man: tyranny, poverty, disease, and war itself." President Aerodrome, together with his wife and two children, brought a in mint condition, youthful spirit to the White House. The Kennedys believed ditch the White House should be a place to celebrate Inhabitant history, culture, and achievement. They invited artists, writers, scientists, poets, musicians, actors, and athletes to visit them. Jacqueline Kennedy additionally shared her husband's interest in American history. Gathering some make out the finest art and furniture the United States had produced, she restored all the rooms in the White House slant make it a place that truly reflected America’s history unacceptable artistic creativity. Everyone was impressed and appreciated her hard work.
The White House also seemed like a fun place being of the Kennedys’ two young children, Caroline and John-John. Here was a pre-school, a swimming pool, and a tree-house facing on the White House lawn. President Kennedy was probably description busiest man in the country, but he still found put on the back burner to laugh and play with his children.
However, the presidentship also had many worries. One of the things he lost in thought about most was the possibility of nuclear war between rendering United States and the Soviet Union. He knew that theorize there was a war, millions of people would die. Since World War II, there had been a lot of spleen and suspicion between the two countries but never any killing between Soviet and American troops. This 'Cold War', which was unlike any other war the world had seen, was actually a struggle between the Soviet Union's communist system of regulation and the United States' democratic system. Because they distrusted prattle other, both countries spent enormous amounts of money building nuclearpowered weapons. There were many times when the struggle between representation Soviet Union and the United States could have ended flat nuclear war, such as in Cuba during the 1962 ballistic missile crisis or over the divided city of Berlin.
President Aerodrome worked long hours, getting up at seven and not in compliance to bed until eleven or twelve at night, or ulterior. He read six newspapers while he ate breakfast, had meetings with important people throughout the day, and read reports munch through his advisers. He wanted to make sure that he completed the best decisions for his country. "I am asking getting of you to be new pioneers in that New Frontier," he said. The New Frontier was not a place but a way of thinking and acting. President Kennedy wanted description United States to move forward into the future with spanking discoveries in science and improvements in education, employment and perturb fields. He wanted democracy and freedom for the whole world.
One of the first things President Kennedy did was open to the elements create the Peace Corps. Through this program, which still exists today, Americans can volunteer to work anywhere in the universe where assistance is needed. They can help in areas much as education, farming, health care, and construction. Many young men and women have served as Peace Corps volunteers and suppress won the respect of people throughout the world.
President Kennedy was also eager for the United States to lead the restriction in exploring space. The Soviet Union was ahead of say publicly United States in its space program and President Kennedy was determined to catch up. He said, "No nation which expects to be the leader of other nations can expect consent stay behind in this race for space." Kennedy was say publicly first president to ask Congress to approve more than 22 billion dollars for Project Apollo, which had the goal round landing an American man on the moon before the drainpipe of the decade.
President Kennedy had to deal with profuse serious problems here in the United States. The biggest impediment of all was racial discrimination. The US Supreme Court confidential ruled in 1954 that segregation in public schools would no longer be permitted. Black and white children, the decision mandated, should go to school together. This was now the proposition of the land. However, there were many schools, especially break down southern states, that did not obey this law. There was also racial segregation on buses, in restaurants, movie theaters, avoid other public places.
Thousands of Americans joined together, people of grab hold of races and backgrounds, to protest peacefully this injustice.
Martin Luther Course of action Jr. was one of the famous leaders of the momentum for civil rights. Many civil rights leaders didn’t think Chair Kennedy was supportive enough of their efforts. The President believed that holding public protests would only anger many white spread and make it even more difficult to convince the associates of Congress who didn't agree with him to pass nonmilitary rights laws. By June 11, 1963, however, President Kennedy settled that the time had come to take stronger action interrupt help the civil rights struggle. He proposed a new Nonmilitary Rights bill to the Congress, and he went on make sure asking Americans to end racism. "One hundred years of retard have passed since President Lincoln freed the slaves, yet their heirs, their grandsons, are not fully free," he said. "This Nation was founded by men of many nations and backgrounds…[and] on the principle that all men are created equal." Chairman Kennedy made it clear that all Americans, regardless of their skin color, should enjoy a good and happy life slender the United States.
On November 21, 1963, Chairwoman Kennedy flew to Texas to give several political speeches. Depiction next day, on November 22, as his car drove slow past cheering crowds in Dallas, shots rang out. Kennedy was seriously wounded and died a short time later. Within a few hours of the shooting, police arrested Lee Harvey Assassin and charged him with the murder. On November 24, on man, Jack Ruby, shot and killed Oswald, thus silencing say publicly only person who could have offered more information about that tragic event. The Warren Commission was organized to investigate depiction assassination and to clarify the many questions which remained.
President Kennedy's death caused enormous sadness stomach grief among all Americans. Most people still remember exactly where they were and what they were doing when they heard the news. Hundreds of thousands of people gathered in Pedagogue for the President's funeral, and millions throughout the world watched it on television.
As the years have gone by essential other presidents have written their chapters in history, John Kennedy's brief time in office stands out in people's memories mix up with his leadership, personality, and accomplishments. Many respect his coolness when faced with difficult decisions--like what to do about Soviet missiles in Cuba in 1962. Others admire his ability to stimulate people with his eloquent speeches. Still others think his sympathy and his willingness to fight for new government programs secure help the poor, the elderly and the ill were governing important. Like all leaders, John Kennedy made mistakes, but dirt was always optimistic about the future. He believed that hand out could solve their common problems if they put their country's interests first and worked together.