William McKinley

25th President

from 1897-1901

BackgroundBackground

He was the 7He was the 7thth child born to William and Nancy child born to William and Nancy of Scott and Irish decent. of Scott and Irish decent.

When in school McKinley enjoyed reading, debating, When in school McKinley enjoyed reading, debating, and public speaking.and public speaking.

At the age of 18, he and a cousin enlisted  as At the age of 18, he and a cousin enlisted  as

privates in the 23rd regiment when the Civil War broke out. privates in the 23rd regiment when the Civil War broke out. By the time the war was over he had attained the rank of By the time the war was over he had attained the rank of

brevet major.brevet major.

Political risePolitical rise During the Battle of Antietam, McKinley was very brave During the Battle of Antietam, McKinley was very brave

and he was promoted to the rank of second lieutenant. By and he was promoted to the rank of second lieutenant. By the time the war was over he had attained the rank of the time the war was over he had attained the rank of brevet majorbrevet major

In 1866 he entered law school in Albany, New York, but he did not graduate. Belden In 1866 he entered law school in Albany, New York, but he did not graduate. Belden was so over-burdened with cases that he offered one to McKinley. McKinley won the was so over-burdened with cases that he offered one to McKinley. McKinley won the case and so impressed the judge that he was paid $25.00 for the case and was given a case and so impressed the judge that he was paid $25.00 for the case and was given a job. Later, McKinley opened his own law office and became active in the politics of the job. Later, McKinley opened his own law office and became active in the politics of the Republican Party. He was elected Prosecuting Attorney of Stark County in 1869.Republican Party. He was elected Prosecuting Attorney of Stark County in 1869.

McKinley won election to the U.S. House of Representatives McKinley won election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1876 in 1876

McKinley served 7 terms in Congress from 1877-1891, except for a McKinley served 7 terms in Congress from 1877-1891, except for a 9-month period in 1884-1885. Popular opinion has it that Hanna 9-month period in 1884-1885. Popular opinion has it that Hanna led McKinley to political power and success. In 1896, the led McKinley to political power and success. In 1896, the Republicans again supported McKinley and he was nominated as Republicans again supported McKinley and he was nominated as the Republican presidential contender with Garret Hobart, a New the Republican presidential contender with Garret Hobart, a New Jersey senator, as his running mate. . McKinley won the election Jersey senator, as his running mate. . McKinley won the election with more than 7 million of the nearly 14 million votes.with more than 7 million of the nearly 14 million votes.

PIRATES…

Politcal: -McKinley opened his own law office and became active in the politics of the Republican Party. He was elected Prosecuting Attorney of Stark County in 1869.

-William returned to Poland, Ohio where he studied law with Judge Charles Glidden. In 1866 he entered law school in Albany, New York, but

he did not graduate. INTELLECTUAL: N/A

RELIGIOUS: -Early in life, he planned to become a Methodist minister.

-McKinley is the only president to include exclusively Christian language in his Thanksgiving Day proclamation.

ARTS/CULTURAL: N/A

TECHNOLOGY: N/A

ECONOMICS: -McKinley had reservations, but he nevertheless signed the bill into law on July 24, 1897. One reason he did is that the provision for reciprocity trade agreements, though inadequate, he had a promised opportunity to bring the United States into an international economic system from which the world might secure extraordinary rewards.

-A second measure for economic recovery involved carrying out the Republican party pledge to secure an international agreement on

bimetallism. Social: Encouraged people to join unions and to work together and to

protest against unjustice treatment.

Key Domestic Key Domestic Policy IssuesPolicy Issues

In the 1896 election it formed a major In the 1896 election it formed a major turning point in American politics. turning point in American politics. McKinley advocated the tariff as a way ofMcKinley advocated the tariff as a way of protecting business and labor from foreign protecting business and labor from foreign imports and defended the gold standard imports and defended the gold standard against his Democratic opponentagainst his Democratic opponent William Jennings Bryan, who opposed the free coinage of William Jennings Bryan, who opposed the free coinage of

silver, which would have inflated currency and aided debtors. silver, which would have inflated currency and aided debtors. The Republicans ran an efficient, lavishly financed campaign, The Republicans ran an efficient, lavishly financed campaign, and McKinley won the election by the largest popular amount and McKinley won the election by the largest popular amount since the Civil War. His administration enacted a higher tariff since the Civil War. His administration enacted a higher tariff in 1897, committed the country to the gold standard in 1900, in 1897, committed the country to the gold standard in 1900, and generally promoted business confidence. Probably in and generally promoted business confidence. Probably in part because of these policies, the economy recovered from part because of these policies, the economy recovered from a severe depression, and the Republicans became identified a severe depression, and the Republicans became identified with economic prosperity, which made them the dominant with economic prosperity, which made them the dominant party until the 1930s. McKinley received public vindication party until the 1930s. McKinley received public vindication when he defeated Bryan again and was reelected by a still when he defeated Bryan again and was reelected by a still larger vote in 1900.larger vote in 1900.

Key Foreign Policy IssuesMcKinley led the U.S. into its first international war with a European power since the War of 1812. The decision to come to the aid of the Cubans struggling to throw off Spanish rule was hastened by reports that Spain was responsible for the explosion of the U.S. battleship Maine. . To secure America's position in the Pacific, McKinley immediately pushed a joint resolution through Congress to annex the Hawaiian Islands. After three short months of fighting, the U.S. was victorious. The peace treaty between the United States and Spain granted Cuba its independence -- although the island became a U.S. protectorate -- and gave the U.S. control of former Spanish colonies, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Guam. Further asserting American power on the global scene, McKinley sent2,000 troops to China to help the Europeans put down the Boxer Rebellion.

““Expositions are the timekeepers Expositions are the timekeepers of progress.”of progress.”

““In the time of darkest In the time of darkest defeat, victory may be defeat, victory may be

nearest. nearest. That's all a man can hope for That's all a man can hope for during his lifetime - to set an during his lifetime - to set an

example - and when he is example - and when he is dead, to be an inspiration for dead, to be an inspiration for

history.” history.” 

McKinley said:

Successes / FailuresSuccesses / Failures He declared war on Spain. in less than three months, USA won!He declared war on Spain. in less than three months, USA won! his signature issue was high tariffs on imports as a formula for his signature issue was high tariffs on imports as a formula for

prosperity, as typified by his prosperity, as typified by his McKinleyMcKinley Tariff of 1890. As the Tariff of 1890. As the Republican candidate in the 1896 presidential election, he Republican candidate in the 1896 presidential election, he upheld the gold standard, promoted pluralism among ethnic upheld the gold standard, promoted pluralism among ethnic groups, reshaped the issues of the day and inaugurated the groups, reshaped the issues of the day and inaugurated the Fourth Party SystemFourth Party System

The depression brought business failures, industrial The depression brought business failures, industrial unemployment, and low farm prices. As economic conditions unemployment, and low farm prices. As economic conditions worsened, social tensions increased. worsened, social tensions increased.

. He had unwisely endorsed the notes of a friend whose tin-. He had unwisely endorsed the notes of a friend whose tin-plate business failed and left him liable for debts amounting to plate business failed and left him liable for debts amounting to more than $100,000. more than $100,000.

, McKinley weathered the financial crisis. He made no secret of , McKinley weathered the financial crisis. He made no secret of his difficulties, and sympathetic Democrats as well as his difficulties, and sympathetic Democrats as well as Republicans contributed to a fund for his relief. Republicans contributed to a fund for his relief.

HEADSTRONGHEADSTRONG

Because he never questioned what Because he never questioned what he believed and was committed to he believed and was committed to

restoring the US from the depression.restoring the US from the depression.

YES!

Although McKinley had many financial problems we feel as if he would be

able to run successfully today because he always stuck to his first thought of things and wouldn’t stop

until it was completed.

Cabinet members

Vice President: Garret A. Hobart (1897-99);   Theodore Roosevelt (1901)

Cabinet: -Secretary of State John Sherman (1897-98)William R. Day

 (1898)John M. Hay (1898-1901) -Secretary of the TreasuryLyman J. Gage (1897-1901) -Secretary of WarRussel A. Alger (1897-99)Elihu Root

 (1899-1901) -Attorney GeneralJoseph McKenna (1897-98)John W.

Griggs (1898-1901)Philander C. Knox (1901) -Postmaster GeneralJames A. Gary (1897-98)Charles Emory

Smith (1898-1901) -Secretary of the NavyJohn D. Long (1897-1901) -Secretary of the InteriorCornelius N. Bliss (1897-99)Ethan

A. Hitchcock (1899-1901) -Secretary of Agriculture James Wilson(1897-1901)

Bibliography.

www.yahoo.com Whitehouse.gov www.mckinley.lib.oh.us/mckinley www.wikipedia.com/mckinley The American Pageant (13th edition)

Worked by

Yvonne Aguirre, Kristina Rivas-Acosta,

Maricarmen Betancourt.