William MCKINLEY
Biography

William McKinley, the 25th President of the United States, was born on January 29, 1843, in Niles, Ohio. He came from a modest background and worked his way up through education and military service.

McKinley attended Allegheny College in Meadville, Pennsylvania, but financial difficulties forced him to leave before completing his degree. Despite this setback, he studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1867. McKinley then started a successful law practice in Canton, Ohio.

His political career began when he was elected as prosecuting attorney for Stark County, Ohio, in 1869. McKinley later served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1877 to 1884. During his time in Congress, he became known for his advocacy of protective tariffs to aid American industry, earning him the nickname "The Tariff President."

In 1896, McKinley secured the Republican nomination for president and campaigned on a platform that supported the gold standard and protective tariffs. He faced Democratic nominee William Jennings Bryan in the election, and McKinley's victory marked a shift towards pro-business and conservative policies.

As president, McKinley's administration focused on economic issues. He signed the Gold Standard Act in 1900, firmly establishing the gold standard for the U.S. currency. McKinley also pursued an expansionist foreign policy, with the U.S. becoming involved in the Spanish-American War in 1898. The war resulted in the acquisition of territories such as Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines.

Tragically, McKinley's presidency was cut short by an assassin's bullet. On September 6, 1901, while attending the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York, McKinley was shot by anarchist Leon Czolgosz. He died on September 14, 1901, from gangrene caused by his wounds.

The assassination led to the presidency of Theodore Roosevelt, who succeeded McKinley. McKinley's legacy is often overshadowed by the events that followed his death, but he is remembered as a president who presided over a period of economic growth and expansion for the United States at the turn of the 20th century.



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