State Funeral Of President Kennedy example essay topic

... le had known little about Kennedy came to admire him because of the success of 'Profiles in Courage. 'In 1957, Kennedy became a member of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and he later won a place on the Senate Committee on Improper Activities in the Labor Management Field. His brother Robert served as chief counsel in the same Committee. In 1958, he spent many of his weekends campaigning for reelection in Massachusetts. 'His Margin of victory, 874,000 votes, was the largest ever recorded in a Massachusetts senatorial contest. ' (Encarta' 95).

Kennedy now began speaking out on foreign affairs. He was a severe critic of France's refusal to make concessions to its colony, Algeria. He advocated Algerian independence. Kennedy wanted the 1960 Democratic presidential nomination. He began working for it and faced several major obstacles.

Many party leaders considered him too young and too inexperienced for the presidency. Many also doubted that a Roman Catholic could win a national election in a country that was mostly Protestant. Kennedy won most of the larger states in the northeastern United States. 'The election drew a record 69 million voters to the polls, but Kennedy won by only 113,000 votes. ' (Encarta' 95). He won 49.7 percent of the popular vote, and Nixon won 49.6 percent.

Kennedy received 303 electoral votes to Nixon's 219. Kennedy was inaugurated on January 20, 1961. In his inaugural address he emphasized America's revolutionary heritage. 'The same... beliefs for which our forebears fought are still at issue around the globe,' Kennedy said. 'Let the word go forth from this time and place to friend and foe alike, that the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans-born in this century, tempered by war, disciplined by a hard and bitter peace, proud of our ancient heritage-and unwilling to witness or permit the slow undoing of those human rights to which this nation has always been committed and to which we are committed today at home and around the world. ' (Encarta' 95) The words of his address were, 'Ask not what your country can do for you- ask what you can do for your country.

' (The World Book Encyclopedia, 268). 'During Kennedy's first year in office, the Congress of the United States passed a major housing bill, a law increasing the minimum wage, and a bill granting federal aid to the country's economically depressed areas. ' (Schlesinger, Arthur Meier-17). Kennedy also oversaw a bill creating the Peace Corps. After his initial success with Congress, Kennedy found it increasingly difficult to get his programs enacted into law. Although the Democrats held a majority in both legislative houses, Southern Democrats joined with conservative Republicans to stop legislation they dislike.

With one bill, however, Congress dedicated more than $1 billion to finance sending a man to the moon. The major American legal and moral conflict during Kennedy's three years in office was in the area of civil rights for black citizens. Although 'Kennedy was in no way responsible for the growth of the civil rights movement, he attempted to aid the cause by enforcing existing laws. He also asked Congress to pass a civil rights bill that would guarantee blacks the rights to vote, to attend public school, to have equal access to jobs, and to have access to public accommodations.

' (Schlesinger, Arthur Meier-59). ' In the late 1950's and early 1960's the government of Cuba under fidel Castro became increasingly hostile to the United States. When Castro began to proclaim his belief in Communism, many Cubans fled to the United States. ' (Encarta' 95). In 1961 a secret project begun during the previous administration of Dwight D. Eisenhower culminated. Under the training of the Central Intelligence Agency, more than 1000 Cuban exiles invaded Cuba at a place called the Bahia de Co chinos (Bay of Pigs).

'In Cuba both the bay of pigs occurred, in which U.S. supported rebels revolted in a poorly laid out plan of events that fell out beneath them, and the Cuban Missile Crisis in which the Soviet Republic were building missile silos in Cuba, 100 miles away from Florida. ' (Encarta' 95). The Space Race was in full force with both Russia and the U.S. in competition to reach the moon during this time. The Cuban Missile Crisis was the world's largest approach to nuclear war. In 1960 Khrushchev decided to supply Cuba with nuclear missiles that would put the eastern United States within range of nuclear missile attack.

In 1962 U.S. spy planes flying over Cuba spotted the first missile. Kennedy demanded that the USSR remove the weapons. United troops prepared to invade Cuba, but after a few tense days Khrushchev promised not to invade Cuba. The United States signed a limited nuclear test ban treaty with Britain and the USSR, outlawing nuclear explosions in the atmosphere or underwater, but allowing them underground.

'John F. Kennedy was shot to death by an assassin on Nov. 22.1963, as he rode through the streets of Dallas, Texas. ' (The World Book Encyclopedia, 266). Two shots were fired in rapid succession. One bullet passed through the president's neck and struck Governor Connally in the back. The other bullet struck the president in the head. His car sped to Parkland Hospital but doctors couldn't save his life.

He was pronounced dead at 1: 00 p.m. Lee Harvey Oswald assassinated him. Oswald was charged with the murder and arrested that afternoon. Two days after, Dallas nightclub owner Jack Ruby shot Oswald while being moved from the city to the county jail. Millions of television viewers saw Ruby kill Oswald, who was under police guard.

On November 24, the body of President Kennedy was carried on a horse-drawn carriage from the White House to the Rotunda of the Capitol. Thousands of people filed past the coffin of the president. The state funeral of President Kennedy was watched on television by millions around the World. He was buried in Arlington National Cemetery. Kennedy was the first President to be born in the twentieth century and was very much a man of his time. He was restless, seeking, with a thirst of knowledge, and he had a feeling of deep commitment, not only to the people of the United States, but to the people of the world.

Many of the causes he fought for exist today because of what he did for the rights of minorities, the poor, the very old and the very young. He never took anything for granted and worked for everything he owned. Perhaps Kennedy summed up his life best in his own inaugural speech: 'Ask not what your country can do for you, but ask what you can do for your country. He was a very loved and respected president and will truly be missed. Work Cited Page 1. John F. Kennedy,' The World Book Encyclopedia,' World Book Inc., Chicago, 1993, Volume 11.2.

Hiatt, A., Kent, 'John F. Kennedy,' Encarta' 95, CD-ROM. 3. Potts, Steve., 'JFK - A Photo - Illustrated Biography,' Minnesota: mankato, 1956.4. Falk olf, Lucille., 'JFK - 35th President of the United States,' Oklahoma: Ada, 1988.5. Schlesinger, Arthur Meier., 'A Thousand Days,' Boston: Houghton, Mifflin, 1965.6.

Reeves, Thomas C., 'A life of John F. Kennedy,' New York: Free Press, 1991.