William McKinley

**William McKinley** (January 29, 1843September 14, 1901) was an American politician who served as the 25th president of the United States from 1897 until his assassination in 1901. Before becoming president, he was the 39th governor of Ohio from 1892 to 1896.

During his presidency, he successfully led the United States in the Spanish–American War, which helped American expansionism by the annexations of Puerto Rico, Guam, the Philippines, and Hawaii.

## Presidency

McKinley was inaugurated in the first presidential inauguration to be filmed.

When the USS _Maine_ was sunk, the public wanted war. Congress declared war against Spain. During the Spanish-American War, the Americans conquered Spanish colonies in Latin Ameria and Asia. That started the era of imperialism for the United States.

During his presidency, McKinley also supported higher tariffs, taxes on imports from other countries. During his term, the United States annexed Hawaii, Cuba, the Philippines, and Wake Island.

McKinley was elected to a second term as president in 1900, but it did not last very long.

## Death

McKinley was shot by an anarchist, named Leon Czolgosz, on September 6, 1901. McKinley's abdominal gunshot wounds became infected and resulted in gangrene. He died eight days later, and Czolgosz said that the President had committed war crimes in the Philippines and was an enemy of the people. Czolgosz was executed by the electric chair on October 29, 1901. McKinley was the third American president to be assassinated.

After McKinley's death, he was as president by44by Vice President Theodore Roosevelt became president.

## Praise

McKinley's biographer H. Wayne Morgan remarks that McKinley died the most beloved president in history.

Kenneth F. Warren emphasizes the national commitment to the pro-business, industrial, and modernizing program that was represented by McKinley.

## Other websites

- William McKinley's White House biography

## Infobox (officeholder)

- **name**: William McKinley
- **image**: Mckinley.jpg
- **order**: 25th
- **office**: President of the United States
- **term start**: March 4, 1897
- **term end**: September 14, 1901
- **predecessor**: Grover Cleveland
- **successor**: Theodore Roosevelt
- **order1**: 39th Governor of Ohio
- **lieutenant1**: Andrew L. Harris
- **term start1**: January 11, 1892
- **term end1**: January 13, 1896
- **predecessor1**: James E. Campbell
- **successor1**: Asa S. Bushnell
- **office2**: Member of the
United States House of Representatives, U.S. House of Representatives
from Ohio
- **term start3**: March 4, 1877
- **term end3**: May 27, 1884
- **predecessor3**: Laurin D. Woodworth
- **successor3**: Jonathan H. Wallace
- **term start2**: March 4, 1885
- **term end2**: March 3, 1891
- **predecessor2**: David R. Paige
- **successor2**: Joseph D. Taylor
- **birth name**: William McKinley Jr.
- **birth place**: Niles, Ohio, U.S.
- **death place**: Buffalo, New York, U.S.
- **death cause**: Gangrene due to infection in gunshot wound
- **resting place**: McKinley National Memorial,
Canton, Ohio
- **party**: Republican Party (United States), Republican Party
- **father**: William McKinley Sr.
- **children**: 2
- **signature**: William McKinley Signature-full.svg
- **signature alt**: Cursive signature in ink
- **branch**: United States Army (Union Army)
- **serviceyears**: 1861–1865
- **rank**: Brevet (military), Brevet Major (United States), major
- **unit**: 23rd Ohio Infantry
- **caption**: McKinley