By: Mrs. Hammoud TE 831 July 27, 2007

JFK was the thirty-fifth President of the United States. JFK served as President from 1961 until his assassination in In 1960 JFK became the youngest person ever to be elected President of the United States, and the second youngest (after Theodore Roosevelt), to serve. The Bay of Pigs Invasion, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the building of the Berlin Wall, the Space Race, the American Civil Rights Movement and early events of the Vietnam War all took place during his presidency.

John Fitzgerald Kennedy was born in Brookline, Massachusetts on May 29, Young Jack Kennedy was the second child in a family of nine children: Joe Jr., Jack, Rosemary, Kathleen, Eunice, Patricia, Robert, Jean, and Edward (Teddy). His great grandfather, Patrick Kennedy, had emigrated from Ireland in 1849 and his grandfathers, Patrick Joseph Kennedy and John Francis Fitzgerald, were important political figures in Boston. Kennedy's father was a highly successful businessman who later served as an ambassador to Great Britain ( ) Father and Sons - Joseph P. Kennedy holds sons Joseph Patrick Junior (left) and two year old future president John Fitzgerald Kennedy.

Picture of Joseph Patrick (left) and John Fitzgerald. Throughout his elementary education, Kennedy went to Brookline's public Edward Devotion School. In September 1930 (8 th grade), Kennedy was sent fifty miles away to Canterbury School, a Catholic boarding school for boys in New Milford, Connecticut. Throughout his high school education (9 th through 12 th grade), Kennedy attended The Choate School, which is an elite private university preparatory boarding school for boys in Connecticut. John’s older brother, Joseph, was two years ahead of him in the same school.

Picture of Kennedy’s graduation day at Harvard. Kennedy graduated from Choate in June 1935: Kennedy's classmates considered him as a person who would "Most likely become President.” In September 1936, Kennedy enrolled as a freshman at Harvard. During his studies in 1940, Kennedy completed his thesis, "Appeasement in Munich," which was about British participation in the Munich Agreement. He initially intended his thesis to be private, but his father encouraged him to publish it as a book. Kennedy graduated cum laude from Harvard with a degree in international affairs in June His thesis was published in July 1940 as a book entitled Why England Slept, and became a bestseller.

In September, 1941, Kennedy joined the U.S. Navy. JFK participated in various commands in the Pacific during WWII. Kennedy earned the rank of lieutenant, commanding a patrol torpedo (PT) boat. John becomes discharged from the U.S. Navy in Young John Kennedy hadn't really considered becoming a politician because the family had already pinned its political hopes on his older brother, Joseph P. Kennedy. Kennedy marries Jacqueline Lee Bouvier on September 12, Lt. Kennedy in his uniform. JFK & Jacqueline get married.

JFK’s brother, Joseph, was killed in World War II, making John tops in seniority to run for office in the family. When in 1946 US Representative James Michael Curley vacated his seat in an overwhelmingly Democratic district to become mayor of Boston, Kennedy ran for the seat, beating his Republican opponent by a large margin. Kennedy represented the state of Massachusetts as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1947 to In 1952, he defeated incumbent Republican Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr. for the U.S. Senate. Kennedy served in the U.S. Senate from 1953 until his inauguration in Kennedy working as a senator in his office. Kennedy campaigning in a small hall, which is crammed with supporters.

John and Jackie Kennedy campaigning in Wisconsin in March On January 2, 1960, Kennedy declared his intent to run for President of the United States. In the Democratic primary election, he faced challenges from Senator Hubert Humphrey of Minnesota and Senator Wayne Morse of Oregon. On July 13, 1960, the Democratic convention nominated Kennedy as its candidate for President. Kennedy asked Lyndon B. Johnson to be his Vice Presidential candidate. In September and October 1960, Kennedy debated Republican candidate and Vice President Richard Nixon in the first televised U.S. presidential debates in US history.

At only 43 years of age, Kennedy defeated Republican candidate Richard Nixon in one of the closest presidential elections in American history. John F. Kennedy was sworn in as the 35th President at noon on January 20, In his inaugural address he spoke of the need for all Americans to be active citizens, famously saying: "Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country." He also asked the nations of the world to join together to fight what he called the "common enemies of man: tyranny, poverty, disease, and war itself." John Fitzgerald Kennedy takes the oath of office and becomes the 35th President of the United States of America, January 20, At age 43, he is the youngest man and the first Roman Catholic ever elected.

Since Kennedy’s daughter, Caroline, and son, John Jr., were very young during his presidency, Kennedy always found time to be a dad and a husband. These pictures show how normal he was as a family man, regardless that he was a President.

The Cuban Missile Crisis ( ) was a confrontation during the Cold War between the Government of the United States, the Government of the Soviet Union, and the Government of Cuba. This crisis is generally regarded as the moment when the Cold War came closest to escalating into a nuclear war. President Kennedy in a crowded Cabinet Room during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

The President meets with eager young Peace Corps volunteers before they depart for Africa. Shortly after taking office, the President created the Peace Corps. Kennedy hoped to inspire young Americans to serve overseas in developing countries. Through this program, Americans volunteered in underdeveloped nations in areas such as education, farming, health care and construction. Today, the Peace Corps still exists in our country and has helped improve our relations with other nations.

Under opposing pressures from other nations, Germany was divided. The Berlin Wall separated West and East Berlin, the latter being under the control of the Soviets. On June 26, 1963, Kennedy visited West Berlin and gave a public speech criticizing communism. In his speech, Kennedy used the Berlin Wall as an example of the failures of communism: "Freedom has many difficulties and democracy is not perfect, but we have never had to put a wall up to keep our people in." In Berlin, the President speaks to an enormous German crowd.

Kennedy was eager for the United States to lead the way in the space race. Kennedy first made the goal for landing a man on the Moon in speaking to a Joint Session of Congress on May 25, 1961, saying: "First, I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the earth.” President Kennedy looks at the space craft Friendship 7, which made three earth orbits. The space craft was piloted by astronaut John Glenn in February 23, 1962.

The United States Supreme Court had ruled in 1954 that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional. However, segregation on buses, in schools, restaurants, movie theaters, bathrooms, and other public places remained. Kennedy supported racial integration and civil rights. On June 11, 1963, President Kennedy intervened when Alabama Governor George Wallace blocked the doorway to the University of Alabama to stop two African American students, from enrolling. That evening Kennedy gave his famous civil rights address on national television and radio. Kennedy proposed what would become the Civil Rights Act of Attempting to block integration at the University of Alabama, Governor George Wallace stands defiantly at the door while being confronted by Deputy U.S. Attorney General Nicholas Katzenbach.

Dallas. Arrival of the President and First Lady at Love Field, November 22, President Kennedy arrives in Dallas, Texas on November 22, It was decided that Kennedy and his party, including his wife, Jacqueline Kennedy, Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson, Governor John Connally and Senator Ralph Yarborough, would travel in a procession of cars through the business district of Dallas. The presidential motorcade then leaves for a 45 minute trip downtown where the President is scheduled to speak to a meeting of the Citizens Council.

Here is President Kennedy, Jackie, and Governor John Connally in the Presidential limousine shortly before the assassination. Around 12:30 p.m., Kennedy was fatally wounded by gunshots while riding with his wife Jacqueline through Dealey Plaza. Look carefully to see how Kennedy got shot.

After the burst of gunfire, First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy cradled her dying husband as the limousine sped to the emergency room at Parkland Hospital. At 1:38 PM, White House press secretary Malcolm Kilduff announced that President Kennedy died from a gunshot wound to his brain. A few hours later, Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson was sworn in as the 36th President of the United States.

Lee Harvey Oswald was arrested later that day on suspicion of killing the president and Dallas police officer J. D. Tippit. Oswald denied any responsibility for the murders. Two days later, before he could be brought to trial for the crimes, while being transferred under police custody from the police station to jail, Oswald was shot and killed by Jack Ruby on live television. Although most Americans believe that Oswald had some role in the assassination, some believe he was part of a broader assassination conspiracy that has been subject to an official cover up.

JFK: Gone, but will never be forgotten

Based on what you just learned in this PowerPoint presentation, write down 5 important facts that you learned about Kennedy.