William McKinley was the 25th President of the United States, serving from 1897 until his assassination in 1901. He was a Republican and a strong advocate of protective tariffs, which he believed would help protect American industry and create jobs. He was also a proponent of the gold standard, which he believed would help stabilize the economy. He was a strong supporter of the Spanish-American War, which he believed would help spread democracy and American influence around the world.
McKinley was born in Niles, Ohio in 1843. He was the seventh of nine children born to William and Nancy McKinley. His father was an ironworker and his mother was a homemaker. He attended local schools and then Allegheny College in Pennsylvania, where he studied law. After graduating in 1867, he returned to Ohio and opened a law practice in Canton.
McKinley was an active member of the Republican Party and was elected to the Ohio House of Representatives in 1876. He was re-elected in 1878 and 1880, and served as Speaker of the House from 1881 to 1883. In 1884, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, where he served until 1891. During his time in Congress, he was a strong advocate for protective tariffs and the gold standard.
In 1891, McKinley was elected Governor of Ohio. He was re-elected in 1893 and 1895. As Governor, he was a strong advocate for economic development and was instrumental in the passage of the McKinley Tariff, which raised tariffs on imported goods. He also supported the creation of the National Currency System, which helped stabilize the economy.
In 1896, McKinley was nominated as the Republican candidate for President. He ran on a platform of protectionism, the gold standard, and expansionism. He won the election in a landslide, defeating his Democratic opponent, William Jennings Bryan.
As President, McKinley was a strong advocate for the gold standard and protective tariffs. He also supported the annexation of Hawaii and the Spanish-American War. He believed that the war would help spread democracy and American influence around the world. He was also a strong supporter of the Open Door Policy, which sought to ensure that all nations had equal access to trade in China.
McKinley was assassinated in 1901 by an anarchist named Leon Czolgosz. His death was a shock to the nation and he was mourned by millions of Americans. He was succeeded by his Vice President, Theodore Roosevelt.
McKinley was a strong leader who believed in the power of protective tariffs and the gold standard to help protect American industry and create jobs. He was also a strong advocate for the Spanish-American War, which he believed would help spread democracy and American influence around the world. He was a beloved President who was mourned by millions of Americans after his death.