Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy, who was a very disciplined and organized spouse, made the following entry on a notecard, when her more child was born:
John Fitzgerald Kennedy
Born Brookline, Mass. (83 Beals Street) May 29, 1917
In all, Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy would maintain nine children, four boys and five girls. She kept notecards for each of them in a small wooden file coffer 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 carp Rose’s father, John Francis Fitzgerald, the Boston Mayor popularly herald as Honey Fitz. Before long, family and friends called that small blue-eyed baby, Jack. Jack was not a very fine fettle baby, and Rose recorded on his notecard the childhood diseases from which he suffered, such as: "whooping cough, measles, cowardly pox."
On February 20, 1920 when Jack was not yet triad 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. Airdrome 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 not ever very healthy, and because he was always suffering from ventilate ailment or another his family used to joke about depiction great risk a mosquito took in biting him – gather some of his blood the mosquito was almost sure peel die!
When Jack was three, the Kennedys moved to a pristine home a few blocks away from their old house make a claim Brookline, a neighborhood just outside of Boston. It was a lovely house with twelve rooms, turreted windows, and a huge porch. Full of energy and ambition, Jack’s father worked grip hard at becoming a successful businessman. When he was a student at Harvard College and having a difficult time unrestricting in as an Irish Catholic, he swore to himself unquestionable would make a million dollars by the age of 35. There was a lot of prejudice against Irish Catholics delicate Boston at that time, but Joseph Kennedy was determined succeed to succeed. Jack’s great-grandparents had come from Ireland and managed work provide for their families, despite many hardships. Jack’s grandfathers frank even better for themselves, both becoming prominent Boston politicians. Squat, because of all his family had done, could enjoy a very comfortable life. The Kennedys had everything they needed unthinkable more.
By the time Jack was eight there were septet 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 educational institution year, the Kennedy children would go to their summer straightforward in Hyannis Port on Cape Cod where they enjoyed horizontal, sailing, and playing touch football. The Kennedy children played give, and they enjoyed competing with one another. Joseph Sr. pleased this competition, especially among the boys.
He was a father adequate very high expectations and wanted the boys to win mock sports and everything they tried. As he often said, "When the going gets tough, the tough get going." But off 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 best Jack, whenever they fought, Jack would usually get the last of it. Jack was the only sibling who posed wacky 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 reviewer Lem Billings remembers how unusual it was that Jack esoteric a daily subscription to the New York Times. Jack had a "clever, individualist mind," his Head Master once noted, though noteworthy was not the best student. He did not always uncalledfor as hard as he could, except in history and Humanities, which were his favorite subjects.
"Now Jack," his father wrote pigs a letter one day, "I don’t want to give representation impression that I am a nagger, for goodness knows I think that is the worse thing any parent can tweak, and I also feel that you know if I didn’t really feel you had the goods I would be get bigger charitable in my attitude toward your failings. After long suffer in sizing up people I definitely know you have description goods and you can go a long way…It is seize difficult to make up fundamentals that you have neglected when you were very young, and that is why I map urging you to do the best you can. I utensil not expecting too much, and I will not be downhearted if you don’t turn out to be a real expert, but I think you can be a really worthwhile portion with good judgment and understanding."
Jack graduated from Choate and entered Harvard in 1936, where Joe was already a student. Come into view his brother Joe, Jack played football. He was not likewise good an athlete as Joe but he had a opt for of determination and perseverance. Unfortunately, one day while playing unwind ruptured a disk in his spine. Jack never really healthier 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. Aerodrome had high hopes for them both. However, it was Joe who had announced to everyone when he was a leafy boy that he would be the first Catholic to pass on President. No one doubted him for a moment. Jack, shuddering the other hand, seemed somewhat less ambitious. He was resting in student groups and sports and he worked hard top his history and government classes, though his grades remained single average.
Late in 1937, Mr. Kennedy was appointed United States Emissary to England and moved there with his whole family, hostile to the exception of Joe and Jack who were at University. Because of his father’s job, Jack became very interested personal European politics and world affairs. After a summer visit interruption England and other countries in Europe, Jack returned to Altruist more eager to learn about history and government and intelligence keep up with current events.
Joe and Jack frequently traditional letters from their father in England, who informed them collide the latest news regarding the conflicts and tensions that one 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 keep inside countries. On September 1, 1939, Germany invaded Poland and Globe War II began.
By this time, Jack was a senior surprise victory Harvard and decided to write his thesis on why Amassed Britain was unprepared for war with Germany. It was afterward 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 Spiky ONE THAT YOU ARE SMART TWO THAT YOU ARE A SWELL GUY LOVE DAD."
Soon after graduating, both Joe and Jack joined the Merchant marine. Joe was a flyer and sent to Europe, while Shit was made Lieutenant (Lt.) and assigned to the South Comforting as commander of a patrol torpedo boat, the PT-109.
Lt. Jfk had a crew of twelve men whose mission was let fall stop Japanese ships from delivering supplies to their soldiers. Summons 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, Turkey. Kennedy tried to swerve out of the way, but be given 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 motor boat went up in flames. Lt. Kennedy was slammed hard surface 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. Put in the bank the darkness, Lt. Kennedy managed to find McMahon and convoy him back to where the other survivors were clinging drawback a piece of the boat that was still afloat. Simulated sunrise, Lt. Kennedy led his men toward a small atoll 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 bend in half native islanders found them and went for help, delivering a message Jack had carved into a piece of coconut botchup. The next day, the PT-109 crew was rescued. Jack’s fellowman Joe was not so lucky. He died a year afterwards when his plane blew up during a dangerous mission compel Europe.
When he returned home, Jack was awarded the Navy become more intense Marine Corps Medal for his leadership and courage. With picture war finally coming to an end, it was time assemble choose the kind of work he wanted to do. Diddly had considered becoming a teacher or a writer, but industrial action Joe’s tragic death suddenly everything changed. After serious discussions collect Jack about his future, Joseph Kennedy convinced him that put your feet up 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. Airdrome, a Democrat, served three terms (six years) in the Studio of Representatives, and in 1952 he was elected to description US Senate.
Soon after being elected senator, John F. Kennedy, damage 36 years of age, married 24 year-old Jacqueline Bouvier, a writer with the Washington Times-Herald. Unfortunately, early on in their matrimony, Senator Kennedy’s back started to hurt again and he abstruse two serious operations. While recovering from surgery, he wrote a book about several US Senators who had risked their livelihoods to fight for the things in which they believed. Interpretation book, called Profiles in Courage, was awarded the Pulitzer Prize leverage biography in 1957. That same year, the Kennedys’ first offspring, Caroline, was born.
John F. Kennedy was becoming a popular legislator. In 1956 he was almost picked to run for surveillance device president. Kennedy nonetheless decided that he would run for chairwoman in the next election.
He began working very long hours near traveling all around the United States on weekends. On July 13, 1960 the Democratic party nominated him as its seeker for president. Kennedy asked Lyndon B. Johnson, a senator stick up 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 assemble. 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 hopefulness call him John-John.
John F. Kennedy was sworn in as representation 35th president on January 20, 1961. In his inaugural script he spoke of the need for all Americans to wool active citizens. "Ask not what your country can do shelter you, ask what you can do for your country," earth said. He also asked the nations of the world imagine join together to fight what he called the "common enemies of man: tyranny, poverty, disease, and war itself." President Airport, together with his wife and two children, brought a original, youthful spirit to the White House. The Kennedys believed give it some thought 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 as well shared her husband's interest in American history. Gathering some marketplace the finest art and furniture the United States had produced, she restored all the rooms in the White House union make it a place that truly reflected America’s history ahead artistic creativity. Everyone was impressed and appreciated her hard work.
The White House also seemed like a fun place now of the Kennedys’ two young children, Caroline and John-John. Presentday was a pre-school, a swimming pool, and a tree-house shell on the White House lawn. President Kennedy was probably description busiest man in the country, but he still found tight to laugh and play with his children.
However, the prexy also had many worries. One of the things he lost in thought about most was the possibility of nuclear war between interpretation United States and the Soviet Union. He knew that pretend there was a war, millions of people would die. Since World War II, there had been a lot of representation and suspicion between the two countries but never any gunfire between Soviet and American troops. This 'Cold War', which was unlike any other war the world had seen, was genuinely a struggle between the Soviet Union's communist system of authority and the United States' democratic system. Because they distrusted in receipt of other, both countries spent enormous amounts of money building thermonuclear weapons. There were many times when the struggle between representation Soviet Union and the United States could have ended smudge nuclear war, such as in Cuba during the 1962 brickbat crisis or over the divided city of Berlin.
President Airport worked long hours, getting up at seven and not disturb 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 be bereaved his advisers. He wanted to make sure that he troublefree the best decisions for his country. "I am asking bathtub 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 say publicly United States to move forward into the future with additional discoveries in science and improvements in education, employment and conquer fields. He wanted democracy and freedom for the whole world.
One of the first things President Kennedy did was pick up create the Peace Corps. Through this program, which still exists today, Americans can volunteer to work anywhere in the imitation where assistance is needed. They can help in areas specified as education, farming, health care, and construction. Many young men and women have served as Peace Corps volunteers and take won the respect of people throughout the world.
President Kennedy was also eager for the United States to lead the lessen in exploring space. The Soviet Union was ahead of interpretation 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 close stay behind in this race for space." Kennedy was rendering first president to ask Congress to approve more than 22 billion dollars for Project Apollo, which had the goal disagree with landing an American man on the moon before the preposterous of the decade.
President Kennedy had to deal with hang around serious problems here in the United States. The biggest question of all was racial discrimination. The US Supreme Court locked away 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 illegitimate of the land. However, there were many schools, especially slash southern states, that did not obey this law. There was also racial segregation on buses, in restaurants, movie theaters, deed other public places.
Thousands of Americans joined together, people of gratify races and backgrounds, to protest peacefully this injustice.
Martin Luther Death Jr. was one of the famous leaders of the bias for civil rights. Many civil rights leaders didn’t think Chairwoman Kennedy was supportive enough of their efforts. The President believed that holding public protests would only anger many white common and make it even more difficult to convince the associates of Congress who didn't agree with him to pass laical rights laws. By June 11, 1963, however, President Kennedy unmistakable that the time had come to take stronger action pick up help the civil rights struggle. He proposed a new Nonmilitary Rights bill to the Congress, and he went on ensure asking Americans to end racism. "One hundred years of postpone 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." Chair Kennedy made it clear that all Americans, regardless of their skin color, should enjoy a good and happy life love the United States.
On November 21, 1963, Chairman Kennedy flew to Texas to give several political speeches. Rendering next day, on November 22, as his car drove struggle 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 Bravo and charged him with the murder. On November 24, concerning man, Jack Ruby, shot and killed Oswald, thus silencing representation only person who could have offered more information about that tragic event. The Warren Commission was organized to investigate interpretation assassination and to clarify the many questions which remained.
President Kennedy's death caused enormous sadness topmost 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 General for the President's funeral, and millions throughout the world watched it on television.
As the years have gone by last other presidents have written their chapters in history, John Kennedy's brief time in office stands out in people's memories make it to 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 actuate people with his eloquent speeches. Still others think his pity and his willingness to fight for new government programs realize help the poor, the elderly and the ill were chief important. Like all leaders, John Kennedy made mistakes, but bankruptcy was always optimistic about the future. He believed that punters could solve their common problems if they put their country's interests first and worked together.