John F. Kennedy's Legacy
John Fitzgerald Kennedy was the inspiration for the youth after World War II. He was the youngest to be elected the President of the United States. His hard work pertaining to foreign affairs and US policies is what John F. Kennedy was most known for. His hard work was eventually cut short as he was assassinated resulting in one of the most traumatic happenings in US history. John F. Kennedy was born into a wealthy comfortable, yet uncomfortable life growing up. John F. Kennedy was born of Irish descent in Brookline, Massachusetts, on May 29, 1917. The wealth he and his eight siblings enjoyed were due to both of his parents’ backgrounds. Both of his parents came from wealthy Boston families with long political histories (Burlingame). His father,
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Joseph P. Kennedy, had made a fortune in the stock market, entertainment, and other businesses, managing to take his money out of the stock market before its crash in 1929 (Burlingame). The Great Depression did not, of course, affect every citizen as Kennedy and his family were not affected. During the Great Depression, Kennedy enjoyed a privileged childhood along with his eight siblings (Burlingame). Although Kennedy’s childhood was privileged, it was plagued and interrupted repeatedly by chronic illnesses (Burlingame). He spent most of his time recuperating because of his seemingly endless barrage of illnesses (Burlingame). Several of these illnesses he contracted went undiagnosed as medical technology of that time was not nearly as advanced as it is today (Burlingame). In 1938, because of Kennedy’s father being appointed ambassador to the UK, Kennedy inherited one-million dollars (Burlingame). As a child, Kennedy attended elite private schools due to his parents’ wealth being able to pay for it in the midst of the Nation’s economic decline (Burlingame). In 1936, Kennedy attended Harvard College in Cambridge, Massachusetts. While he was in England, Kennedy wrote his senior essay on England’s unreadiness for World War II . His senior essay would be published and become a best-seller with the title “Why England Slept” (Burlingame).
John F. Kennedy would graduate Harvard in 1940. After graduating Harvard, Kennedy entered the Navy in World War II . In 1943, his PT boat was rammed and sunk by a Japanese destroyer (Friedel and Sydey). Despite his serious injuries, he led the remaining survivors to safety after this terrible occurrence (Friedel and Sydey).
Kennedy began his political career by running for Congress in 1946. He was successful in his run and was elected into the House of Representatives (Manchester). As a liberal, He served three terms from 1947-1953 . Kennedy was a strong advocate of better working conditions, more public housing, higher wages, lower prices, cheaper rents, and more social security for the aged (Manchester). Kennedy was also a strong supporter of Cold War policies (Manchester). He also supported the Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan (Manchester).
In 1952, Kennedy ran for Senate, winning that election by a margin of seventy thousand votes . After his term, Kennedy immediately began his Senate re-election campaign in 1956. He started this campaign by attempting to win the hearts of the people he hoped would vote for him with his first of many televised speeches to come. Kennedy’s televised speech brought him into about forty million American homes (Manchester). Kennedy won that reelection by a huge margin of 874,608 votes . This margin was the largest in the history of Massachusetts politics (Manchester).
In January, 1960, Kennedy announced his presidential candidacy . With a history of never losing an election, Kennedy won by a margin of less than one-hundred twenty-thousand votes (Manchester). Kennedy was the youngest man and first Roman Catholic to be elected President of the United States (Manchester). His time in office totaled to about one thousand thirty-seven days (Manchester).
Kennedy began his presidential work regarding foreign affairs with the situation in Cuba. He began by agreeing to the use of a brigade of anti-communist Cuban exiles to invade Cuba (Manchester). The Bay of Pigs invasion failed with every man being either killed or captured . Soviet Premier, Nikita Khrushchev and Kennedy meet in Vienna, June, 1961 to discuss tensions in Cuba (Manchester).
Missiles were discovered in Cuba, so Kennedy immediately demanded that they be dismantled (Manchester). Kennedy’s demands were not met, so he ordered a blockade around Cuba. This blockade lasted for 13 days as nuclear war seemed close to becoming a harsh gruesome reality (Manchester).The blockade succeeded and Khrushchev ordered the missiles to be withdrawn. This was a great success in Kennedy’s presidency as nuclear war is a very sensitive matter than can be handled with nothing but intense care and he carried himself and the country well through the ordeal.
Ten months later, Kennedy won his greatest foreign victory when Prime Minister of Britain, Harold MacMillan, and Khrushchev signed the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (Manchester). Kennedy’s foreign and domestic affairs did not stop there. He instituted the Alliance for Progress in Latin America and Peace Corps (Manchester). He also instituted a massive income tax cut in an attempt to better the US economy (Manchester). In one of the greatest endeavors of an American President, Kennedy committed the US to landing a man on the moon.
John F.
Kennedy was president during a time where the most prominent domestic issue was the African American fight for civil rights. Kennedy’s involvement in this fight for civil rights, or the lack of it, is still a controversial discussion to this day. Kennedy had to appoint judges that the Southern Democratic senators were satisfied with (Burlingame). However, based on the Congressional makeup at the time, it was very difficult for Kennedy to pass legislation without having to make revisions regarding this issue. The Southern Democratic senators were opposed to the civil rights movement, which made the appointed judges favor that position as well …show more content…
(Burlingame).
Although Kennedy had trouble passing legislation to assist the civil rights movement, he enforced his presidential power by sending troops to schools that would continue to refuse the attendance of African American children in their schools, even after integration laws were in place (Burlingame). These were not the only times, however, where he enforced his power as president. In September, 1962, an African American Mississippian, James Meredith, who was also a war veteran, had been trying to enter the traditionally white University of Mississippi (Burlingame). Mississippi governor Ross Barnett, had kept intentionally denying Meredith’s enrollment (Burlingame). With the help of Kennedy’s brother, Robert, he federalized Mississippi’s National Guard to escort Meredith to the University. Meredith gained enrollment on October 1, 1962 (Burlingame). This did not happen, however, without a riot that injured hundreds and killed two, that was eventually quelled by the National Guard (Burlingame).
Kennedy was elected during America’s fourth great recession (Burlingame). He responded with efforts to lower taxes, protect the unemployed, increase minimum wage, and to focus on business and housing sectors to stimulate the economy. He succeeded in increasing minimum wage, but with the lack of support from Congress, due to their respective political parties, Kennedy’s medical bill for the elderly was cut down immediately (Burlingame).
On November 22, 1963, as President Kennedy and the First Lady were on a campaign trip in Dallas, shots were fired on the vehicle instantly killing Kennedy and wounding a few in the limousine (Burlingame). The police tracked down the gunman named Lee Harvey Oswald and arrested him. While being transferred to another jail, Oswald was killed by Jack Ruby, a nightclub owner in Dallas (Burlingame). In a weird turn of events, while Ruby was awaiting a retrial, he died of cancer. This sequence leads many people to believe there was a conspiracy of sorts surrounding Kennedy’s death (Burlingame).
On November 24, 1963, hundreds of thousands attended Kennedy’s funeral procession. He is buried currently in Arlington Cemetery in Washington D.C.. Representatives from ninety-two different nations as well as one million people attended his funeral service (Burlingame). For many Americans who were alive during his presidency, this would be one of the most heart-wrenching moments of their lives.
John F.
Kennedy’s legacy was definitely one to be remembered. Kennedy and his policies do not have a proper assessment because his life was cut short(Burlingame). For this reason, Kennedy was not able to follow through with many promises he had made. Kennedy revolutionized politics in a big way because of debates and speeches being able to be televised now required one to distinguish his style as a candidate to win the hearts of the American people.
People were always skeptical of Kennedy’s youth believing he was not experienced enough to bring change to the Nation in one of the most difficult times in history(Burlingame). They considered their qualms to be confirmed after the Bay of Pigs incident in Cuba. This was believed to be Kennedy’s greatest failures as an American President as he essentially sent the Cuban exiles to their deaths and containment, due to his misjudgement of the situation
(Burlingame).
The most iconic part of Kennedy’s presidential career was how he approached communicating with the Nation. Kennedy’s televised debate between he and Nixon influenced the way the American people feel connected to their favorite candidate (Dallek). He was a young, charismatic leader, that was not afraid of challenge and operated within his power to make the best decisions he could. Because the political arena was starting to become televised, this has forced future candidates to bring more depth into their political personality and appearances which has ultimately lead to a greater connection with the American people. His impact is best expressed in a segment of his inaugural speech which remained true through his assassination.
“The world is very different now. For man holds in his mortal hands the power to abolish all forms of human poverty and all forms of human life. And yet the same revolutionary beliefs for which our forebears fought are still at issue around the globe--the belief that the rights of man come not from the generosity of the state but from the hand of God.”
Works Cited
Friedel, Frank, and Hugh Sydey. “John F. Kennedy.” The White House. The United States Government, 08 Mar. 2017. Web. 19 Mar. 2017.
Burlingame, Michael. “John F. Kennedy 1 Miller Center.” John F. Kennedy 1 Miller Center. Miller Center, 19 Mar. 2017. Web. 19 Mar. 2017.
“John F. Kennedy- President of the United States (POTUS). “POTUS: Presidents of the United States. Robert S. Summers, 20 Jan. 2017. Web. 19 Mar. 2017.
Joseph P. Kennedy, had made a fortune in the stock market, entertainment, and other businesses, managing to take his money out of the stock market before its crash in 1929 (Burlingame). The Great Depression did not, of course, affect every citizen as Kennedy and his family were not affected. During the Great Depression, Kennedy enjoyed a privileged childhood along with his eight siblings (Burlingame). Although Kennedy’s childhood was privileged, it was plagued and interrupted repeatedly by chronic illnesses (Burlingame). He spent most of his time recuperating because of his seemingly endless barrage of illnesses (Burlingame). Several of these illnesses he contracted went undiagnosed as medical technology of that time was not nearly as advanced as it is today (Burlingame). In 1938, because of Kennedy’s father being appointed ambassador to the UK, Kennedy inherited one-million dollars (Burlingame). As a child, Kennedy attended elite private schools due to his parents’ wealth being able to pay for it in the midst of the Nation’s economic decline (Burlingame). In 1936, Kennedy attended Harvard College in Cambridge, Massachusetts. While he was in England, Kennedy wrote his senior essay on England’s unreadiness for World War II . His senior essay would be published and become a best-seller with the title “Why England Slept” (Burlingame).
John F. Kennedy would graduate Harvard in 1940. After graduating Harvard, Kennedy entered the Navy in World War II . In 1943, his PT boat was rammed and sunk by a Japanese destroyer (Friedel and Sydey). Despite his serious injuries, he led the remaining survivors to safety after this terrible occurrence (Friedel and Sydey).
Kennedy began his political career by running for Congress in 1946. He was successful in his run and was elected into the House of Representatives (Manchester). As a liberal, He served three terms from 1947-1953 . Kennedy was a strong advocate of better working conditions, more public housing, higher wages, lower prices, cheaper rents, and more social security for the aged (Manchester). Kennedy was also a strong supporter of Cold War policies (Manchester). He also supported the Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan (Manchester).
In 1952, Kennedy ran for Senate, winning that election by a margin of seventy thousand votes . After his term, Kennedy immediately began his Senate re-election campaign in 1956. He started this campaign by attempting to win the hearts of the people he hoped would vote for him with his first of many televised speeches to come. Kennedy’s televised speech brought him into about forty million American homes (Manchester). Kennedy won that reelection by a huge margin of 874,608 votes . This margin was the largest in the history of Massachusetts politics (Manchester).
In January, 1960, Kennedy announced his presidential candidacy . With a history of never losing an election, Kennedy won by a margin of less than one-hundred twenty-thousand votes (Manchester). Kennedy was the youngest man and first Roman Catholic to be elected President of the United States (Manchester). His time in office totaled to about one thousand thirty-seven days (Manchester).
Kennedy began his presidential work regarding foreign affairs with the situation in Cuba. He began by agreeing to the use of a brigade of anti-communist Cuban exiles to invade Cuba (Manchester). The Bay of Pigs invasion failed with every man being either killed or captured . Soviet Premier, Nikita Khrushchev and Kennedy meet in Vienna, June, 1961 to discuss tensions in Cuba (Manchester).
Missiles were discovered in Cuba, so Kennedy immediately demanded that they be dismantled (Manchester). Kennedy’s demands were not met, so he ordered a blockade around Cuba. This blockade lasted for 13 days as nuclear war seemed close to becoming a harsh gruesome reality (Manchester).The blockade succeeded and Khrushchev ordered the missiles to be withdrawn. This was a great success in Kennedy’s presidency as nuclear war is a very sensitive matter than can be handled with nothing but intense care and he carried himself and the country well through the ordeal.
Ten months later, Kennedy won his greatest foreign victory when Prime Minister of Britain, Harold MacMillan, and Khrushchev signed the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (Manchester). Kennedy’s foreign and domestic affairs did not stop there. He instituted the Alliance for Progress in Latin America and Peace Corps (Manchester). He also instituted a massive income tax cut in an attempt to better the US economy (Manchester). In one of the greatest endeavors of an American President, Kennedy committed the US to landing a man on the moon.
John F.
Kennedy was president during a time where the most prominent domestic issue was the African American fight for civil rights. Kennedy’s involvement in this fight for civil rights, or the lack of it, is still a controversial discussion to this day. Kennedy had to appoint judges that the Southern Democratic senators were satisfied with (Burlingame). However, based on the Congressional makeup at the time, it was very difficult for Kennedy to pass legislation without having to make revisions regarding this issue. The Southern Democratic senators were opposed to the civil rights movement, which made the appointed judges favor that position as well …show more content…
(Burlingame).
Although Kennedy had trouble passing legislation to assist the civil rights movement, he enforced his presidential power by sending troops to schools that would continue to refuse the attendance of African American children in their schools, even after integration laws were in place (Burlingame). These were not the only times, however, where he enforced his power as president. In September, 1962, an African American Mississippian, James Meredith, who was also a war veteran, had been trying to enter the traditionally white University of Mississippi (Burlingame). Mississippi governor Ross Barnett, had kept intentionally denying Meredith’s enrollment (Burlingame). With the help of Kennedy’s brother, Robert, he federalized Mississippi’s National Guard to escort Meredith to the University. Meredith gained enrollment on October 1, 1962 (Burlingame). This did not happen, however, without a riot that injured hundreds and killed two, that was eventually quelled by the National Guard (Burlingame).
Kennedy was elected during America’s fourth great recession (Burlingame). He responded with efforts to lower taxes, protect the unemployed, increase minimum wage, and to focus on business and housing sectors to stimulate the economy. He succeeded in increasing minimum wage, but with the lack of support from Congress, due to their respective political parties, Kennedy’s medical bill for the elderly was cut down immediately (Burlingame).
On November 22, 1963, as President Kennedy and the First Lady were on a campaign trip in Dallas, shots were fired on the vehicle instantly killing Kennedy and wounding a few in the limousine (Burlingame). The police tracked down the gunman named Lee Harvey Oswald and arrested him. While being transferred to another jail, Oswald was killed by Jack Ruby, a nightclub owner in Dallas (Burlingame). In a weird turn of events, while Ruby was awaiting a retrial, he died of cancer. This sequence leads many people to believe there was a conspiracy of sorts surrounding Kennedy’s death (Burlingame).
On November 24, 1963, hundreds of thousands attended Kennedy’s funeral procession. He is buried currently in Arlington Cemetery in Washington D.C.. Representatives from ninety-two different nations as well as one million people attended his funeral service (Burlingame). For many Americans who were alive during his presidency, this would be one of the most heart-wrenching moments of their lives.
John F.
Kennedy’s legacy was definitely one to be remembered. Kennedy and his policies do not have a proper assessment because his life was cut short(Burlingame). For this reason, Kennedy was not able to follow through with many promises he had made. Kennedy revolutionized politics in a big way because of debates and speeches being able to be televised now required one to distinguish his style as a candidate to win the hearts of the American people.
People were always skeptical of Kennedy’s youth believing he was not experienced enough to bring change to the Nation in one of the most difficult times in history(Burlingame). They considered their qualms to be confirmed after the Bay of Pigs incident in Cuba. This was believed to be Kennedy’s greatest failures as an American President as he essentially sent the Cuban exiles to their deaths and containment, due to his misjudgement of the situation
(Burlingame).
The most iconic part of Kennedy’s presidential career was how he approached communicating with the Nation. Kennedy’s televised debate between he and Nixon influenced the way the American people feel connected to their favorite candidate (Dallek). He was a young, charismatic leader, that was not afraid of challenge and operated within his power to make the best decisions he could. Because the political arena was starting to become televised, this has forced future candidates to bring more depth into their political personality and appearances which has ultimately lead to a greater connection with the American people. His impact is best expressed in a segment of his inaugural speech which remained true through his assassination.
“The world is very different now. For man holds in his mortal hands the power to abolish all forms of human poverty and all forms of human life. And yet the same revolutionary beliefs for which our forebears fought are still at issue around the globe--the belief that the rights of man come not from the generosity of the state but from the hand of God.”
Works Cited
Friedel, Frank, and Hugh Sydey. “John F. Kennedy.” The White House. The United States Government, 08 Mar. 2017. Web. 19 Mar. 2017.
Burlingame, Michael. “John F. Kennedy 1 Miller Center.” John F. Kennedy 1 Miller Center. Miller Center, 19 Mar. 2017. Web. 19 Mar. 2017.
“John F. Kennedy- President of the United States (POTUS). “POTUS: Presidents of the United States. Robert S. Summers, 20 Jan. 2017. Web. 19 Mar. 2017.