Ted Kennedy

**Edward Moore "Ted" Kennedy** (February 22, 1932 - August 25, 2009) was a U.S. senator from Massachusetts from 1962 to 2009.

## Early life

Ted Kennedy was born in Brookline, Massachusetts, which is a suburb of Boston. He was the youngest son of Joseph P. Kennedy Sr. and Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy. He was the younger brother of former President John F. Kennedy and Senator Robert F. Kennedy, both of whom were assassinated, as well as Joseph P. Kennedy Jr., who was killed during World War II.

Many other sad things happened in Ted Kennedy's his life: he almost died in a plane crash, he was involved in a car crash that took the life of a campaign worker, and one of his sons had cancer as a child.

## Education

Kennedy went to Harvard and served in the U.S. Army. He then entered politics and ran for and won the seat that was given up by his brother John F. Kennedy when he became president. While in the Senate, he fought for the working class, mainly for health care and the minimum wage. In 1980, he ran for president but lost the primaries to Jimmy Carter.

## Chappaquiddick incident

On July 18, 1969, Kennedy was driving in Chappaquiddick Island where the car crashed over the bridge into the ocean. Kennedy left the scene, which let the passenger, Mary Jo Kopechn, drown as she was trapped in the car.

Kennedy pleaded guilty. Many believe the incident to be why he decided not to run for president in 1972 or 1976 and why he never became president.

## Later life

In 2008, Kennedy found out that he had glioblastoma, a rare form of brain cancer. However, he campaigned for Barack Obama and sometimes appeared in the Senate.

Kennedy died from the cancer at his home in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, just before midnight on August 25, 2009.

## Infobox (officeholder)

- **name**: Ted Kennedy
- **image**: Ted Kennedy, official photo portrait crop.jpg
- **jr/sr**: United States Senator
- **state**: Massachusetts
- **term start**: November 7, 1962
- **term end**: August 25, 2009
- **predecessor**: Benjamin A. Smith II
- **successor**: Paul G. Kirk
- **office1**: Chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee
- **term start2**: January 3, 2007
- **term end2**: August 25, 2009
- **predecessor2**: Mike Enzi
- **successor2**: Tom Harkin
- **term start3**: June 6, 2001
- **term end3**: January 3, 2003
- **predecessor3**: Jim Jeffords
- **successor3**: Judd Gregg
- **term start5**: January 3, 1987
- **term end5**: January 3, 1995
- **predecessor5**: Orrin Hatch
- **successor5**: Nancy Kassebaum
- **order6**: Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee
- **term start6**: January 3, 1979
- **term end6**: January 3, 1981
- **predecessor6**: James Eastland
- **successor6**: Strom Thurmond
- **order7**: Senate Majority Whip
- **leader7**: Mike Mansfield
- **term start7**: January 3, 1969
- **term end7**: January 3, 1971
- **predecessor7**: Russell B. Long
- **successor7**: Robert Byrd
- **birth name**: Edward Moore Kennedy
- **birth place**: Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
- **death place**: U.S.
- **restingplace**: Arlington National Cemetery
- **party**: Democratic Party (United States), Democratic
- **spouse**:

- **relations**: _See Kennedy family_
- **parents**: Joseph P. Kennedy Sr.
Rose Kennedy, Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy
- **education**: Harvard University (Bachelor of Arts, BA)
University of Virginia (Bachelor of Laws, LLB)
- **net worth**: $43–162 million (USD)
- **signature**: Ted Kennedy Signature 2.svg
- **serviceyears**: 1951–1953
- **rank**:  Private first class, Private (1st Class)
- **unit**: Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, SHAPE