John F. Kennedy
by Amanda Perkins
John Fitzgerald Kennedy was born on May 29, 1917 in Brookline, MA. He had 8 brothers and sisters. His nickname was Jack. John was sick as a child. When John was 3 years old, the family moved to a new home. John’s father, Joseph, was a good father. Joseph was a businessman. He fought discrimination because he was Irish Catholic. John’s great-grandfather came to the United States from Ireland. John’s grandfathers had both been politicians..
The family lived a happy life. They had a vacation home in Hyannis Port on Cape Cod. John’s family had a nanny to help care for the nine children. John went to Choate, a school for boys. In 1936, John graduated from Choate. He went on to Harvard University. John graduated from Harvard in 1940. After college, he joined the Navy. He fought in World War II.
After returning from war, John’s dad pushed him to run for Congress. He won in 1946. John served a 6 year term in the House of Representatives. He was elected to the U.S. Senate. As a senator, he married Jacqueline Bouvier. Soon, the couple had a little baby girl, Caroline.
John decided to run for president. At the age of 43, John became the youngest president ever elected on November 8, 1960. He was first Catholic president. John and Jacqueline’s second child was born right before the inauguration.
On January 20, 1961, John became the 35th president. In his speech he said, “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” During his presidency he started the Peace Corps, helped to fund a mission to the moon, and worked to end racial segregation.
President Kennedy worked with Dr. Martin Luther King to help end segregation. On June 11, 1963, Kennedy proposed the Civil Rights bill to Congress. He stated that, “One hundred years of delay have passed since President Lincoln freed the slaves, yet their heirs, their grandsons, are not fully free.” Sadly, President Kennedy was shot and killed on November 21,1963 while riding in a parade in Dallas, TX.
In life, people choose to be a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean. A carrot seems strong but then falls apart after being boiled. An egg starts with a moldable center but changes and hardens in the heat of the action. A coffee bean actually changes in hot water. When the water gets hot, the coffee bean releases the fragrance and flavor. The coffee bean, when things are the toughest, makes things better and changes the situation.
STUDENTS: Write an opinion paragraph about and illustrate the following prompt. In your opinion, was President Kennedy a coffee bean, a carrot or an egg? Use evidence from the text to support your answer.
