John F. Kennedy

**John Fitzgerald Kennedy** (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963) or **JFK**, was an American politician who served as the 35th president of the United States from 1961 until his assassination in 1963. Before becoming president, he was the junior U.S. senator from Massachusetts from 1953 to 1960. Earlier, he had been the U.S. representative for Massachusetts's 11th congressional district from 1947 to 1953.

Kennedy was the second-youngest president in U.S. history after Theodore Roosevelt and the youngest president in history to die while in office.

## Early life

Kennedy was born in Brookline, Massachusetts, on May 29, 1917. He was the second of nine children of Joseph P. Kennedy (1888–1969), a businessman who was the U.S. ambassador in the United Kingdom from 1938 to 1940. His mother was Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy (1890–1995).

Kennedy graduated from Harvard University with a bachelor's degree in international relations. Before World War II began, he tried joining the U.S. Army but was rejected because he had back problems; he instead joined the U.S. Navy. When his PT boat was sunk by a Japanese destroyer in 1943, he seriously injured his back. He still saved his surviving crew, and he was later awarded a medal for his bravery.

He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1946 and the U.S. Senate in 1952. He married Jacqueline Bouvier on September 12, 1953. The couple had four children: a stillborn daughter Arabella (b. 1956); Caroline (b. 1957); John (1960–1999); and Patrick, who was born prematurely in August 1963 and lived only for two days.

## Presidency

Kennedy was a member of the Democratic Party. He narrowly beat his Republican Party opponent, Richard Nixon, in the 1960 presidential election. Kennedy was the youngest president ever elected. He was also the first president to be a Roman Catholic and the first president to win a Pulitzer Prize. Kennedy was a very good speaker and inspired a new generation of young Americans. He is the only president to have been awarded a Purple Heart.

### Cuban Missile Crisis

In the beginning of his term, he approved the Central Intelligence Agency's plan to invade Cuba. After the Bay of Pigs Invasion failed, the Cuban Missile Crisis began.  During the crisis, Cuba ordered many nuclear missiles from the Soviet Union. It was the closest the world was to having a nuclear war. Kennedy ordered U.S. Navy ships to surround Cuba.

He ended the crisis peacefully by making an agreement with the Soviet Union. Both countries agreed that the Soviets would stop sending nuclear weapons to Cuba. In return, the Americans would take their missiles out of Turkey and promise to avoid invading Cuba again.

### Other actions

Kennedy also created a plan, the New Frontier. It was a series of government programs, such as urban renewal, to help poor and working-class people. He created the Peace Corps to help poor countries all over the world. He agreed to a large tax cut to help the economy. He also called for what became the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which would make discrimination and segregation illegal. Kennedy intended to reach a détente with Cuban Prime Minister Fidel Castro and to withdraw all U.S. military advisers from Vietnam.

## Assassination

Kennedy was assassinated on November 22, 1963, in Dallas, Texas. He was being driven through the city in an open-top car, along with John Connally, who was the Governor of Texas. As the car drove into Dealey Plaza, shots were fired. Kennedy was shot once in the throat and once in the head. He was taken to Parkland Memorial Hospital, which is  away. At 1:00 p.m., Kennedy was pronounced dead.

Lee Harvey Oswald, a former U.S. Marine, was the prime suspect in the murder, and he was arrested on the same day for the murder of a policeman, called J. D. Tippit. Oswald denied shooting anyone and was killed two days later, on November 24, by Jack Ruby.

Kennedy had a state funeral on November 25, three days after his murder, near to the White House.  He was buried in Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia.

## Legacy

After Kennedy died, Vice President Lyndon Johnson became president. He later passed many of Kennedy's ideas into law in what was known as the Great Society.

Kennedy has been a very popular president. He is considered one of the greatest presidents and ranks highly in public surveys and opinion polls.

## Other websites

- JFK Library and Museum
- JFK Library and Museum Online Store

## Infobox (officeholder)

- **image**: John F. Kennedy, White House color photo portrait.jpg
- **caption**: Oval Office portrait, July 1963
- **alt**: President Kennedy smiling and sitting in the Oval Office
- **order**: 35th
- **office**: President of the United States
- **term start**: January 20, 1961
- **term end**: November 22, 1963
- **vicepresident**: Lyndon B. Johnson
- **predecessor**: Dwight D. Eisenhower
- **successor**: Lyndon B. Johnson
- **jr/sr1**: United States Senator
- **state1**: Massachusetts
- **term start1**: January 3, 1953
- **term end1**: December 22, 1960
- **predecessor1**: Henry Cabot Lodge Jr.
- **successor1**: Benjamin A. Smith II
- **state2**: Massachusetts
- **term start2**: January 3, 1947
- **term end2**: January 3, 1953
- **predecessor2**: James Michael Curley
- **successor2**: Tip O'Neill
- **birth name**: John Fitzgerald Kennedy
- **birth place**: Brookline, Massachusetts, U.S.
- **death cause**: Assassination of John F. Kennedy, Assassination
- **death place**: Dallas, Texas, U.S.
- **resting place**: Arlington National Cemetery
- **party**: Democratic Party (United States), Democratic
- **relatives**: Kennedy family
- **education**: Harvard University (Bachelor of Arts, AB)
- **signature**: John F Kennedy Signature 2.svg
- **signature alt**: Cursive signature in ink
- **allegiance**: United States
- **branch**: United States Navy
- **serviceyears**: 1941–1945
- **rank**: Lieutenant (navy), Lieutenant
- **battles**: * World War II
** Solomon Islands campaign