READING COMPREHENSION

NAME: ________________________________________________________ GRADE: 3RD _______

Biography: President John F. Kennedy

John F. Kennedy was the 35th President of the United States.

Served as President: 1961-1963

Vice President: Lyndon B. Johnson
Party: Democrat
Age at inauguration: 43

Born: May 29, 1917 in Brookline, Massachusetts

Died: November 22, 1963. Killed by an assassin's bullet in Dallas, Texas

Married: Jacqueline Lee Bouvier Kennedy

Children: Caroline, John
Nickname: JFK, Jack

Biography:

What is John F. Kennedy most known for?

John F. Kennedy is most famous for being assassinated early in his presidency. He is also famous for the Bay of Pigs invasion and
the Cuban missile crisis.

Growing Up

John grew up in a wealthy and powerful political family in Brookline, Massachusetts. It was also a big family as he had three
brothers and five sisters. John's father Joe had the dream that one of his sons would become president. He sent them to the best
schools and expected that his oldest son, Joe Jr., would be president one day.

John graduated from Harvard in 1940 with honors. He then traveled to Great Britain to be with his father who was the U.S.
Ambassador to Great Britain at the time. Here he learned firsthand about World War II and realized that the U.S. would likely be
involved before it was over. He tried to join the army, but couldn't get in because he had a bad back. So he joined the Navy and was
in command of a patrol torpedo boat when it was sunk. He survived and became something of a war hero. Sadly, his older brother
Joe wasn't as lucky and died in combat during the war.

Before He Became President

When Joe Jr. died, John's father turned to John to become president. He got John involved in politics and helped John to get
elected to the U.S. Congress in 1947. John served as congressman for six years and then became a U.S. Senator in 1953.

Kennedy ran for president in 1960 against current Vice President Richard Nixon. He won in one of the closest elections in history.

John F. Kennedy's Presidency

When Kennedy was elected he gave one of the most stirring inaugural speeches in history. In this speech he said the famous words
"Ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country." His presidency was marked by major events in
the Cold War. These events included the building of the Berlin Wall in Germany by the communists, the Bay of Pigs, and the Cuban
Missile Crisis.

Bay of Pigs

Just a few months after becoming president, Kennedy decided to try and help Cuban rebels overthrow the communist Cuban leader
Fidel Castro. Unfortunately, the invasion failed miserably when the CIA-assisted rebels were soundly defeated. This event is called
the Bay of Pigs because of the name of the bay where the invasion took place.

John F. Kennedy
by Aaron Shikler

Cuban Missile Crisis

In 1962 the United States discovered that the Soviet Union was building secret missile bases in Cuba. These missiles would be able
to strike the U.S. with nuclear bombs. In the coming days the U.S. and the Soviet Union came close to nuclear war. The U.S.
quarantined Cuba in order to keep the missiles out. After negotiations, the Soviet Union agreed to dismantle the bases. In return,
the U.S. agreed to never attack Cuba and to remove missiles from Turkey.

How did he die?

On November 22, 1963 John F. Kennedy was shot by Lee Harvey Oswald while riding in a convertible car in Dallas, Texas.

Fun Facts about John F. Kennedy

 He was the first president who was a Boy Scout.

 He was the youngest ever to be elected president (Teddy Roosevelt was the youngest president, but he came into office
due to the death of President McKinley).
 His grandfather, John Fitzgerald, was mayor of Boston and a U.S. Congressman.
 He won the Pulitzer Prize in history for the book Profiles in Courage.
 Bobby Kennedy, John's younger brother, was one of his key advisors and headed up the Justice Department while John
was president. Bobby later ran for president, but was assassinated before the election.
 He was credited in starting the Peace Corp.

Activities

1) John F. Kennedy was the _______ President of the United States.

Thirty-second
Thirty-third
Thirty-fourth
Thirty-fifth
Thirty-sixth
2) Who was John F. Kennedy's wife?
Claudia Taylor
Anna Eleanor Roosevelt
Elizabeth Virginia Wallace
Mamie Geneva Doud
Jacqueline Lee Bouvier

3) Who was the Vice President of the United States under John F. Kennedy?
Lyndon Johnson
Hubert Humphrey
John Nance Garner, Henry Agard Wallace, and Harry Truman
Alben William Barkley
Richard Nixon

4) What was President John F. Kennedy's nickname?

Ike
JFK
LBJ
FDR
Give 'Em Hell Harry

5) Where was President John F. Kennedy born?

Missouri
Texas
Massachusetts
Ohio
New York

6) In what war did John F. Kennedy see military action?

World War I
Korean War
Vietnam War
World War II
All of the above

7) Which of the following political positions did John F. Kennedy hold before becoming President of the United States?
Senator
Governor of Massachusetts
Vice President
All of the above
None of the above
8) What was the Bay of Pigs?
A battle where John F. Kennedy was injured
A failed effort to overthrow the communist government of Cuba
An incident with Russia involving nuclear missiles
The code name for the U.S. space program
A secret Soviet Union nuclear facility

9) What country was building nuclear missile bases in Cuba prompting the Cuban Missile Crisis?
China
United States
Japan
Germany
Soviet Union

10) What is the rest of this John F. Kennedy quote: 'Ask not what your country can do for you'?
Ask what you can get from your country
Ask what other countries can do for us
Ask what you can do for your country
Ask what your neighbor is doing for your country

Test Quiz
Questions on this quiz are based on information from
Biography - John F. Kennedy.

1) John F. Kennedy was the _______ President of the United States.

Thirty-second
Thirty-third
Thirty-fourth
Thirty-fifth
Thirty-sixth

2) Who was John F. Kennedy's wife?

Claudia Taylor
Anna Eleanor Roosevelt
Elizabeth Virginia Wallace
Mamie Geneva Doud
Jacqueline Lee Bouvier
3) Who was the Vice President of the United States under John F. Kennedy?
Lyndon Johnson
Hubert Humphrey
John Nance Garner, Henry Agard Wallace, and Harry Truman
Alben William Barkley
Richard Nixon

4) What was President John F. Kennedy's nickname?

Ike
JFK
LBJ
FDR
Give 'Em Hell Harry

5) Where was President John F. Kennedy born?

Missouri
Texas
Massachusetts
Ohio
New York

6) In what war did John F. Kennedy see military action?

World War I
Korean War
Vietnam War
World War II
All of the above

7) Which of the following political positions did John F. Kennedy hold before becoming President of the United States?
Senator
Governor of Massachusetts
Vice President
All of the above
None of the above

8) What was the Bay of Pigs?

A battle where John F. Kennedy was injured
A failed effort to overthrow the communist government of Cuba
An incident with Russia involving nuclear missiles
The code name for the U.S. space program
A secret Soviet Union nuclear facility
9) What country was building nuclear missile bases in Cuba prompting the Cuban Missile Crisis?
China
United States
Japan
Germany
Soviet Union

10) What is the rest of this John F. Kennedy quote: 'Ask not what your country can do for you'?
Ask what you can get from your country
Ask what other countries can do for us
Ask what you can do for your country
Ask what your neighbor is doing for your country