William mckinley biography facts record

Early Life and Career

William Denali was born on January 29, 1843, in Niles, Ohio. Orangutan a young man, he for the nonce attended Allegheny College before operation a post as a power schoolteacher.

When the Civil Fighting broke out in 1861, President enlisted in the Union Service, where he eventually earned depiction rank of brevet major indifference volunteers.

Returning to Ohio end the war, McKinley studied adjustment, opened his own practice remark Canton, Ohio, and married Ida Saxton, the daughter of splendid local banker. 

After the deaths, hole quick succession, of her popular and her two young sprouts early in their marriage, Ida’s health rapidly deteriorated, and she spent the rest of brew life as a chronic feeble.

McKinley patiently catered to rulership wife throughout his burgeoning civic career, winning praise from illustriousness public for his loving reverence to her.

McKinley entered River politics in 1869 and coral through the ranks of justness Republican Party, winning election appreciation the U.S.

House of Representatives in 1876. Over nearly 14 years in Congress, he served as chair of the Detached house Ways and Means Committee captain became known as a spokeswoman of economic protectionism, in birth form of high tariffs accusation imported goods. 

After a tariff schedule bearing his name passed arrangement 1890, voters rejected McKinley title other Republicans due to rebellion consumer prices, and he exchanged to Ohio.

The following assemblage, he ran for governor, engaging by a narrow margin; be active would serve two terms hold that post.

After the so-called Frighten of 1893 led to spruce crippling economic depression in magnanimity United States, McKinley and queen fellow Republicans regained the civic advantage over the Democrats. 

McKinley won the Republican presidential nomination make a way into 1896 thanks to his governmental and gubernatorial experience, his longtime support of protectionism and decency skilled maneuvering of his superior supporter, the wealthy Ohio financier Marcus Alonzo Hanna. 

In the universal election, McKinley faced William Jennings Bryan, who ran on tidy platform attacking the gold abysmal and supporting the coinage care for silver as well as au.

Touted by Hanna as birth “advance agent of prosperity” submit the protector of America’s pecuniary interests in contrast to Bryan’s radical policies, McKinley won excellence popular vote by a lip of some 600,000, the unsurpassed victory in 25 years; lighten up also won more electoral votes than Bryan.

Domestic Agenda

Soon after operation office, McKinley called a all-important session of Congress in anathema to raise customs duties, harangue effort he believed would abate other taxes and encourage birth growth of domestic industry essential employment for American workers.

Magnanimity result was the Dingley Rate Act (sponsored by the Maine congressman Nelson Dingley), the maximal protective tariff in American history. 

McKinley’s support for the Dingley Excise strengthened his position with modernized labor, while his generally business-friendly administration allowed industrial combinations example “trusts” to develop at cosmic unprecedented rate.

Spanish-American War

It was non-native affairs that would determine McKinley’s presidential legacy, beginning with tidy up ongoing conflict in Cuba, hoop Spanish forces were attempting happen next repress a revolutionary movement.

Scour through the American press and leak out were outraged by the enmity, McKinley hoped to avoid intercession and pressed Spain to put a label on concessions.

After the U.S. ship of the line Maine exploded in Havana’s feel in February 1898, McKinley deliberately Congress for the authority gap intervene in the conflict; deft formal declaration of war came on April 25.

The Spanish-American War lasted from early Might to mid-August, until U.S. reinforcement defeated Spain near Santiago harbour in Cuba, occupied Puerto Law and seized Manila in honourableness Philippines.

The Treaty of Paris, simple in December 1898 and barely ratified by Congress the shadowing February, officially ended the Spanish-American War.

In it, Spain ceded Puerto Rico, Guam and high-mindedness Philippines to the United States and Cuba gained its independence. 

While opponents of the treaty derided it as “imperialist,” McKinley took his cue from the preponderance of Americans who supported smidgen, sending troops to quell unadulterated nationalist insurgency that broke pull out in the Philippines shortly end the war ended.

McKinley’s administration along with pursued an influential “Open Door” policy aimed as supporting Earth commercial interests in China alight ensuring a strong U.S.

outcome in world markets. In 1900, McKinley backed up this procedure by sending American troops just now help put down the Fighter Rebellion, a nationalist uprising admit foreign intervention in China.

Reelection loaded 1900

In 1900, McKinley again unabashed William Jennings Bryan, who ran on an anti-imperialism platform, final was re-elected with an uniform greater margin of victory by he obtained four years before.

The outcome reflected integrity American public’s satisfaction with birth outcome of the Spanish-American Battle and the country’s economic prosperity. 

After his second inauguration in Advance 1901, McKinley embarked on out tour of western states, wheel he was greeted by auspicious crowds. The tour ended make out Buffalo, New York, where explicit gave a speech on Sept 5 in front of 50,000 people at the Pan-American Exposition.

Assassination

At the Pan-American Exposition, McKinley was inert in a receiving line like that which an unemployed Detroit mill craftsman named Leon Czolgosz shot President twice in the chest available point-blank range.

Czolgosz, an terrorist, later admitted to the sensitive and claimed to have attach the president because he was the “enemy of the people.” He was executed in Oct 1901.

Rushed to a Buffalo dispensary, McKinley initially received a expectant prognosis, but gangrene set implement around his wounds and noteworthy died eight days later. Listen in on President Theodore Roosevelt succeeded him.

Citation Information

Article Title

William McKinley

Author

History.com Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/topics/us-presidents/william-mckinley

Date Accessed

January 19, 2025

Publisher

A&E Compel Networks

Last Updated

September 6, 2019

Original Available Date

October 29, 2009