who was william mckinley
William McKinley is best known for being president when the United States acquired Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines. Synopsis William McKinley was born January 29, 1843 in Niles, Ohio. Following his service in the Union Army during the Civil War under Rutherford Hayes, he was drawn to service in the Republican Party. Yellow journalism at the time urged McKinley to start a war with Spain, leading to an American global empire. Early Life and Career. William McKinley was born January 29, 1843, in Niles, Ohio. As a young man, he briefly attended Allegheny College before taking a post as a country schoolteacher. When the Civil War broke out in 1861, McKinley enlisted in the Union Army; he eventually earned the rank of brevet major of volunteers.