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The Birth of America's 35th President
John Fitzgerald Kennedy was born on May 29th, 1917, in Brooklyn, Massachusetts. He was the second child of nine born from wealthy parents Joseph and Rose Kennedy. http://www.britannica.com/biography/John-F-Kennedy -
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The Life of an American Hero
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Scarlet Fever
Before he was three, John (nicknamed Jack) contracted the potentially deadly scarlet fever. His parents feared John would die, but after spending a dreadful month in the hospital, he returned home fully recovered. http://www.jfklibrary.org/JFK/Life-of-John-F-Kennedy.aspx -
Graduate of Harvard
Following in his brother and father's footsteps, John graduates from Harvard University after studying International Affairs. He played for two years on the university's football team as a reciever, but his weakness was his small body and lack of muscle. Instead, he joined the swim team and it soon became his passion. He swam for the most sucessful swim team at the time. http://www.shmoop.com/john-f-kennedy/timeline.html -
WWII
Like many young Ameican men, John enlisted in the military to serve during the beginning of World War II. He went into the Navy, and he battled in the Pacific Ocean to fight off the Japanese. http://www.jfklibrary.org/Exhibits/Past-Exhibits/JFK-in-WWII.aspx -
Stranded
While battling the Japanese, PT 109 was struck by a Japanese destroyer, sending all members and crew overboard. John saved his good friend and pulled his four miles in the ocean to a nearby island. They spend 15 hours in the water and four days on the island before Australian spies rescued them after recieving a messages on a coconut. http://www.jfklibrary.org/Exhibits/Past-Exhibits/JFK-in-WWII.aspx http://www.jfklibrary.org/Exhibits/Past-Exhibits/JFK-in-WWII.aspx -
Congressional Election
With the help of his influential father, John was elected into the House of Representatives from Massachusetts. He served three terms from 1947-1953. http://www.britannica.com/biography/John-F-Kennedy -
A senator, too?
As if being a member of the House of Representatives wasn't enough, he ran for senator and won with 70,000 votes over his apponent. -
The 35th President
By only 118,000 votes nationwide, Kennedy beat Nixon in the presidential campaign, becoming the 35 president of the United States. He was the youngest man to ever get the seat in the White House. http://www.britannica.com/biography/John-F-Kennedy -
Inaugural Address
<a href=http://www.history.com/topics/us-presidents/john-f-kennedy/videos/inaugural-address-john-f-kennedy' >2:10</a> President Kennedy is sworn into office during the inauguration. This is the speech in which the famous quote came from: "And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country." Fun fact: he was the first Roman Catholic president elected.
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The Space Race
Kennedy announces the nation's goal of putting an American on the moon. He felt he needed to move forward and beat the Soviet Union in the "space race". http://www.britannica.com/biography/John-F-Kennedy http://history.nasa.gov/moondec.html -
The Assassination of an American Hero
Kennedy travels to Dallas, Texas, to campaign his re-election. Thousands of people line the streets as he rides in a convertible for the drive through downtown. In Dealey Plaza, Lee Harvey Oswald shot Kennedy in the head. He was pronouced dead 30 minutes later, and Johnson was sworn in as the 36th president of the United States. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/john-f-kennedy-assassinated
