美国总统24 威廉·麦金莱.docx

美国总统24威廉麦金莱WilliamMcKinley:ImperialByKellyJeanKelly13August,2017VOALearningEnglishpresentsAmerica'sPresidents.TodaywearetalkingaboutWilliamMcKinley.Hetookofficein1897andwasre-electedin1900.HeledtheUnitedStatesintothe20thcentury.WilliamMcKinleyOnewaytothinkofMcKinleyisasatransitionpresident.Inthe1800szlawmakersweremostlyconcernedwithhowthecountrywasgrowinginNorthAmerica.ButduringMcKinley'sgovernment,theU.S.lookedbeyonditsborders.CongressdeclaredwaronSpain,thefirsttimetheU.S.hadfoughtaEuropeanpowersincetheWarof1812againstBritain.TheU.S.alsotookcontrolofoverseasterritories,annexedHawaii,andtriedtoregulatetheworld'stradewithChina.SomehistorianssayPresidentMcKinleyhimselfwantedtheU.S.toincreaseitsinternationalinfluence.Othersarguethathewasjustansweringthecountry'smoodatthetime.Eitherway,hispresidencyisoftendefinedbythecountry'sriseasanimperialpower.EarlylifeMcKinleywasthesixthpresidenttocomefromthestateofOhio.Hewastheseventhofeightchildren.Historiansdescribehischildhoodaslovingandfun.Hisfatherownedasmallironfactory.Hismotherraisedherchildrentobehonestandpolite.McKinleywasahard-workingstudent.HebrieflyattendedAlleghenyCollegeinPennsylvania,buthedidnothavethemoneytofinishhiseducationthere.Afewyearsafterleavingthatschool,hevolunteeredfortheArmyonthesideoftheUnionintheCivilWar.HeservedunderamanwhowouldlaterbecomepresidenthimselfzRutherfordB.Hayes.Thetwostayedclosethroughouttheirlives.Afterthewarended,McKinleystudiedIawzbecameinvolvedinRepublicanPartypolitics,married,andhadtwodaughters.Hiswife,Ida,wasanenergetic,well-educatedyoungwomanfromawealthyfamily.Forawhile,shehadworkedinherfather'sbank.ButIdaMcKinley'shealthbegantosuffer.Shewasstruckbyseizures.Thenhermotherdied.Afewmonthslater,heryoungerdaughterdiedwhilestillaninfant.IdaMcKinleyclungtoherolderdaughter,butthelittlegirlsoondevelopedafeverdisease,andshedied,too.WilliamandIdaMcKinleywereneverthesame.IdaMcKinleyremainedsickherentirelife.Shespentmostofherhoursinasmallrockingchairsewing.WilliamMcKinleypaidgreatattentiontoher.Heorganizedhisscheduletospendtimenearher,evenashispoliticalsuccessgrew.Intime,McKinleyservedinCongressandasthegovernorofOhio.Hewasknownasalikablepersonandaskilledpolitician.HisRepublicanPartynominatedhimonthefirstballotattheirconvention.Afewmonthslater,voterselectedMcKinleyintoofficeinalandslide.Hebecamethecountry's25thpresident.PresidencyWhenMcKinleytookoffice,theU.S.wasjustcomingoutofasevereeconomicdepression.Hisgovernmentquicklyapprovedahighprotectivetarifftohelpstrugglingworkers.Ingeneral,hisadministrationalsopermittedthegrowthofbigbusiness.ButmostofMcKinley'sattentionaspresidentwasdevotedtoforeignpolicy.ThemainissuewasCuba.Atthattime,Spaincontrolledtheisland.Cubansrevolted,andSpanishforcesusedviolenceanddetainmentstocrushtherebellion.IntheU.S.,manyAmericansdenouncedtheeventsinCuba.TheywantedMcKinleyandhisgovernmenttointervene.Atfirst,PresidentMcKinleywasunwilling.Hetriedtousediplomacy.HeevenorderedaU.S.shipintoSpanishwatersnearHavanatoshowhiscontinuedsupportofSpain.Buttheship,calledtheMaine,exploded.AmericansbelievedtheSpanishwereresponsible.Relationsbetweenthetwocountriesworsenedfast.Spaindeclaredwar.TheU.S.Congressansweredinkind.For100days,U.S.andSpanishforcesfoughtinCubaandotherareasunderSpanishcontrol.ThewarquicklyturnedintheAmericans'favor.WhentheSpanish-AmericanWarendedwiththeTreatyofParisin1898,theU.S.tookcontrolofPuertoRicozGuam,andthePhilippinesfromSpain.Cubawasmadeindependent;however,theU.S.continuedtooccupytheislandforseveralmoreyears.NoteveryoneapprovedoftheactionsofMcKinley'sgovernment.EvensomemembersofCongresswarnedagainsttheU.S.becominganimperialpower.ButamajorityofvotersapprovedofMcKinleyasavictoriouscommander-in-chief.TheyalsonotedthattheU.S.economywasgettingstronger.In1900zMcKinleywonre-election.AssassinationAsitturnedout,McKinley'ssecondterminofficewasshort.InSeptember,onlysixmonthsafterhisswearing-in,thepresidentwasreceivingvisitorsatafairinthecityofBuffalo,NewYork.Oneofthevisitorsinlinewasa28-year-oldmannamedLeonCzolgosz.HisfamilywasfromPoland,buthelivedinthecityofDetroit,Michigan.Hehadworkedinafactory,butatthetimewasunemployed.Hesupportedtheideaofanarchy-nogovernmentatall.WhenMcKinleyreachedtoshaketheyoungman'shand,Czolgoszshotthepresidenttwiceinthestomach.Althoughinjured,McKinleyspoketohisguards.Hetoldthemnottohurttheshooter.And,heexpressedconcernabouthowhiswifewouldfeelwhenshelearnedhehadbeenshot.QuicklyzMcKinleywastakentoahospital.Doctorspredictedthathewouldsurvive.And,forafewdayszMcKinleyseemedtoimprove.Butthewoundbecameinfected,andeightdaysaftertheattackMcKinleydied.Thepresident'smurdererdidnotsayhewassorryforhisact.Hedefendedit,sayingMcKinleywasanenemyofworkingpeople.Withinafewweeksoftheshooting,Czolgoszwastried,foundguilty,andexecuted.1.egacyBoththenationandtheworldmournedwhenMcKinleydied.Hehadbeenoneofthecountry'smostpopularpresidentsinmanyyears.HeleftbehindthebeginningofwhatsomecalledanAmericanempire.Healsomarkeda