John F. Kennedy

By: Joseph De La Cruz

Outline

Early Life: High School & College

Military Life

Kennedy Administration

Assassination

Personal, Social Life and Family

Early Life 1

John Fitzgerald Kennedy was born on May 29, 1917 in Brookline, Massachusetts. He was the second child of Joseph P. Kennedy Sr. and Rose Fitzgerald. His grandfather, John Fitzgerald was a political figure in Boston and was the city’s mayor as well as a member of congress. His family is of Irish descent. His family was a wealth family with a great background in politics and public service.

Early Life 2

Kennedy attended high school at the Choate School. In school, one teacher said that he was well known for his personality. However, John lived in his brother, Joseph Kennedy’s shadow. John was a star football player and a model student which was the cause of his rebellion in school. He was also constantly sick and spent a lot of his time reading. In June 1935, he graduated high school and was voted “Most Likely to Succeed.”

Early Life 3

After graduating, he enrolled in Princeton but again illness forced him to drop out. After he recovered, he enrolled at Harvard where he majored in government and international studies. In his Junior Year, he traveled to Europe and took a notice of the events that were leading up to World War II. He decided to use those observations that he used for his senior paper, which later became the bestselling book, Why England Slept. After graduating with honors, he enrolled at Stanford for graduate studies.

Military Life 1

In April of 1941, he tried to join the Army but was rejected because of back problems. However, after months of strengthening his back, the U.S. Navy accepted him. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, the U.S. entered World War II. Kennedy asked for active duty at sea and he was given his assignment two years later in 1942.

Military Life 2

During the war, he had control of his own ship the PT - 109. His boat was attacked by a Japanese destroyer one day and he and his men fought to the death. However his boat surrendered but as he retreated he saved the life of one of his men and was given a gold model for saving his life. He was given an honorable discharge in 1945 near the time Japan surrender.

Military Life 3

During the war, he had control of his own ship the PT - 109. His boat was attacked by a Japanese destroyer one day and he and his men fought to the death. However his boat surrendered but as he retreated he saved the life of one of his men and was given a gold model for saving his life. He was given an honorable discharge in 1945 near the time Japan surrender.

Road to the White House 1

After returning to regular citizen life, he worked at a newspaper for a short while but desired a life in politics like his family. He became a candidate for the House of Representatives. One of the methods he used for getting the public’s vote was talking to the public about topics that they were concerned (about?).

Road to the White House 2

His brothers, Rob “Bobby” and Edward Kennedy acted as his mangers while his mother and sisters helped raise funds. He won the seat in the House and that eventually lead to a seat in the Senate. However even that wasn’t enough for Kennedy. In 1960, he ran for President of the United States.

Road to the White House 3

In the 1960 election, he ran against Republican candidate Richard Nixon. In September and October of that year, they both appeared in the first televised presidential debates in U.S. history. In the debates, Nixon looked tense, uncomfortable in front of the camera and constantly sweated.

Road to the White House 4

Kennedy, however, took advantage of the makeup services, appeared relax and in the eyes of the media he appeared as the likely winner. On November 8th, Kennedy beat Nixon in what is called the closest elections in the 20th century. He won by 303 votes over Nixon’s 219. He was the youngest man to ever be elected president at age 43.

Kennedy Administration 1

He was sworn in as the 35th President at noon on January 20, 1961. In his inaugural address, he spoke about how all Americans should be active citizens. In his speech, he famously said: “Ask not what you country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLdA1ikkoEc

Kennedy Administration 2

His Cabinet was equally balanced to reflect the closeness of the election. He had two republicans, one as Secretary of the Treasury and the other as Secretary of Defense. However, the most controversial decision was giving the job of Attorney General to his brother, Bobby.

Kennedy Administration 3

Kennedy faced his first real crisis just four months after being sworn in. In 1959, Fidel Castro took over the corrupt government of Cuba and declared himself ruler. Castro began using a communist style government and was constantly getting help from the Soviet Union, which at the time was a communist country. were slaughtered. The damage was done.

Kennedy Administration 4

Kennedy gave the okay for a plan to go forward and topple Castro and his government by using a series of C.I.A.  trained anti-Castro Cubans. The result was a failure and the invaders.

Kennedy Administration 5

Cuba along with The Soviet Union, then secreted developed a plan in which the Soviets began constructing a missile base in Cuba. The U.S. would then be in danger of a nuclear attack. Many people on Kennedy’s side urged for a invasion of Cuba but Kennedy hoped for a peaceful end.

Kennedy Administration 6

So the Cuban Missile Crisis began in which the world was on the brink of nuclear war. On October 24, Soviets ships headed for Cuba turned back meaning an agreement had been struck. Khrushchev, the Soviet leader would remove the missiles from Cuba in return for JFK's public pledge that the U.S. wouldn’t bother in Cuba’s affairs.

Kennedy Administration 7

So the Cuban Missile Crisis began in which the world was on the brink of nuclear war. On October 24, Soviets ships headed for Cuba turned back meaning an agreement had been struck. Khrushchev, the Soviet leader would remove the missiles from Cuba in return for JFK's public pledge that the U.S. wouldn’t bother in Cuba’s affairs.

Kennedy Administration 8

Aside from the Cuban Missile Crisis as his first real crisis, Kennedy was a supporter of civil rights. During the 1960 election, he telephoned Coretta Scott King while her husband, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. served time in jail. He promised her her husband’s release which drew him more additional African-American voters. He also purposed what would later become the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Aside from civil rights, Kennedy also found the Peace Crops and Created the President's Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity.

Assassination

However the Kennedy Era would come to a tragic end on Friday, November, 22, 1963. While visiting Dallas, Texas as he was riding around Dealey Plaza with his wife Jackie, Kennedy was fatally shot in the head by Lee Harvey Oswald. He was shot twice in the head and was dead within an hour. Oswald was later murdered by Jack Ruby before he could stand trail.

Personal, Social Life and Family 1

JFK met his wife Jacqueline Bouvier when he was a congressman at a dinner party. The pair married a year later on September 12, 1963. Jackie and John tried to have a child but she suffered a miscarriage in 1956 and stillbirth in 1957. However their first child, Caroline Kennedy was born on November 27, 1957. John F. Kennedy Jr. was born on November 25, 1960, weeks after his father was elected.

Personal, Social Life and Family 2

The family’s perfect image was the reason why he was called the modern King Arthur and the U.S. was referenced as Camelot. Jackie’s sense of fashion made her a fashion icon. In her first year in the White House, she spent $45,446 on her fashion alone. Her favorite accessory was the wedding ring given to her by her husband from Van Cleef & Arpels.

Personal, Social Life and Family 3

The family’s perfect image was the reason why he was called the modern King Arthur and the U.S. was referenced as Camelot. Jackie’s sense of fashion made her a fashion icon. In her first year in the White House, she spent $45,446 on her fashion alone. Her favorite accessory was the wedding ring given to her by her husband from Van Cleef & Arpels.

Personal, Social Life and Family 4

However, not everything was perfect between in their marriage. JFK was a famous womanizer, his most famous affair being with actress and singer, Marilyn Monroe. Her most famous appearance being at a birthday celebration for him and singing “Happy Birthday, Mr. President.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfQtfw8U06g&feature=related

Personal, Social Life and Family

” Since then numerous reports have surfaced of Monroe’s affairs with both JFK and his brother Bobby Kennedy. Her mysterious death has lead to being reported that she was murdered because of her affair with both Kennedy brothers.