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This Biography of the 35th

President of the United States


reveals significant information and
facts about his life.

Biography
John F. Kennedy

BIANCA MARIA - 9ºD Nº1


Name, Date of Birth and Place of Birth

John F. Kennedy (also known As, JFK) was born on May 29, 1917 in Brookline,
Massachusetts.

Early Life

His parents were Joseph P. Kennedy Sr. and Rose Fitzgerald, they had nine children. He
was born into a rich and politically important family. In his childhood, Kennedy had
many health problems that lasted his whole life.

His mother Rose Fitzgerald, was a Boston socialite. His father, Joseph Kennedy, was a
member of the Irish Catholic community, he was a prominent Boston political figure
and ended up becoming the United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom. He
worked so hard to make a son president of the U.S. his older son was killed in the
second war and JFk became president.

Photo of the Kennedy family, in 1938, in New York State

Education

He studied in private schools, studied in Harvard University from 1936 to 1940, and
Stanford university and he graduated school of business where he majored in political
science, graduated cum laude, 1940 to 1941.

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Family

On September 12, 1953, Kennedy married Jacqueline Lee Bouvier, a wealthy socialite
and photographer. They had 4 children but two of their children died in childhood,
only Caroline and John Junior survived. Many tragedies befell the Kennedy family .

Career

Although he is not accepted in the army and navy he does not give up and in 1941 is
accepted into the Navy, because of his father's political contacts and with their help,
he managed to get into a new PT boat training program.

Kennedy served in the Navy during World War II and was appointed
lieutenant he was command of PT-109, in an incident with a
Japanese ship he managed to save himself and a colleague. For his
military service received in 1944 the Navy and the Marine Corps
Medal, and a Purple Heart Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, and was
hailed for his heroism. In 1957 received the Pulitzer Prize for Biography Pulitzer Prize
for Biography “Profiles in Courage,".

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Political Career

Kennedy worked for a time as a journalist but after his military career his considered a
Navy war hero. He joined to the Democrat Political Party and running for the House of
Representatives was elected in November 1946. Served three terms in and got a
reputation as a little conservative Democrat. (was reelected in 1948 and 1950).

In 1953 was elected to the U.S. Senate, he


served from 1953 to 1961. All through his
career in the Senate he played a more
prominent part than int the House of
Representatives.

In 1960, Kennedy was nominated to run for


the presidency against Nixon. Kennedy was popular and charismatic. “During the
campaign, both candidates worked to win support from the growing suburban
population”. It was a tight race and Kennedy won by the smallest margin of popular
votes. in 1961 he was inaugurated as the 35th President of America, was 43 years old
when was the first Roman Catholic President.

During his presidency, he has made important advances, he did get an increased
minimum wage, better Social Security benefits, was essential for creation of the Peace
Corps in 1961. He was in the presidency until 1963 would run again because he
continued to have popularity.

On November 22, 1963 when


Kennedy and Jackie visit the
state of Dallas to look for
votes from the electorate, he
was assassinated. The likely
murderer of Kennedy Lee
Harvey Oswald was killed in

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prison. There’s no proof of this guy’s guilt and there are theories about JFK’s murder,
speculation continues to this day.

The "Kennedy Curse"

Since the 1940s, the best-known US political clan has faced tragedy:

In 1944 Joseph, JFK's older brother, died in the explosion of the plane he was flying
during World War II;

In 1948, JFK’s sister, Kathleen was on a flight from the UK to the south of France and
the aircraft crashed;

In 1963, on November 22nd John F. Kennedy was murdered in Dallas, Texas;

In 1968, JFK's brother, Robert F. Kennedy, the senator, was killed by three shots by
Palestinian immigrant Sirhan during the presidential campaign.

These are just some of the tragedies, many accidents, premature deaths and murders
have happened in this family.

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Their contribution to history

his well-known and respected family had a tradition in American politics. Kennedy was
admired for his vigor and good looks he and his wife always dressed well was hailed as
American royalty. His murder was shrouded in mysticism, there are many theories
about murder, since crime was an important moment in the history of the United
States due to its traumatic impact across the nation.
The movements of Civil Rights were successful Because of Kennedy moral leadership.
Down in history his many inspiring speeches, are considered as icons and they are
often quoted.
He was posthumously awarded the "Pacem in Terris" Award. This award was created in
honour of of all people of good will to ensure peace among all nations.

There are many memorials in his honour, the New York International Airport on
December 24, 1963 was renamed John F. Kennedy International Airport known as JFK,
an aircraft carrier (USS John F. Kennedy), a road, school, bridge and seal are just a few
examples.

Kennedy wrote some books:


 1940 - Why England Sleept: published as a college book report;
 1956 - Profiles in Courage: a book, from when I was in the Senate, about the
various difficulties faced with other senators. With this book Kennedy won the
Pulitzer Prize for best biography.
 1964 - A Nation of Immigrants: a posthumous book on U.S. immigration.

Sources
“John F. Kennedy.” Biography.com, A&E Networks Television, 14 Jan. 2019.
http://www.presidential-power.org/president-john-f-kennedy.htm?
fbclid=IwAR2I8pdlVuRMRsd4WTVb1RLaAaKgjtM2EL18wDDVCR5l68qBnp8h5DqV3CM

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