Benjamin Harrison: Grandson
2023-08-06
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1VOA Learning English presents America's Presidents.
2Today we are talking about Benjamin Harrison.
3His family name may sound familiar.
4That is because he was the grandson of President William Henry Harrison.
5That situation is unique in U.S. history so far.
6Harrison played an unusually active role as president at a time when most chief executives saw themselves as simply administrators.
7As a result, American writer and intellectual Henry Adams said Harrison was the best president since Lincoln.
8But most Americans remember little about him, except his connection to the previous President Harrison, who himself died after only a month in office.
9Benjamin Harrison grew up on a farm in the Midwestern state of Ohio as one of eight children.
10His grandfather was not the only famous political Harrison.
11His great-grandfather signed the Declaration of Independence.
12And his father had been a congressman.
13Young Benjamin Harrison respected these men and believed he had a role to play in history, too.
14He received a good education, and even outside of school he read many books.
15His hard work and intelligence carried him to Miami University in Ohio, and then to a career as a lawyer.
16Along the way, he married a woman he had known since he was a teenager, Caroline Lavinia Scott.
17The couple settled in another Midwestern city, Indianapolis, Indiana, and had a son and daughter.
18Over time, Harrison steadily built a career as a public official.
19But his political path was interrupted by the American Civil War.
20Harrison rose to the rank of general in the Union Army.
21He fought under General William T. Sherman, and was one of the first soldiers to enter Atlanta, Georgia after the city surrendered.
22After the war, he returned home to Indiana and continued his legal and political career.
23In 1881, he was elected to the U.S. Senate.
24But six years later he lost his seat when Democrats came to power in his state.Reports say that Harrison was an excellent soldier.
25But he did not enjoy fighting or find war romantic.
26Harrison's loss of his Senate seat soon turned to a victory.
27The Republican Party nominated him as their candidate to run against Grover Cleveland in the 1888 presidential election.
28Cleveland's economic policies had become unpopular, and Republicans worked hard to support their candidate.
29They succeeded. Although Cleveland won the popular vote, Harrison won the Electoral College.
30In 1889, he followed his grandfather's footsteps all the way to the White House.
31Harrison's election was a major victory for his Republican Party.
32In addition to winning the White House, Republicans gained seats in the House of Representatives, held a majority in the Senate, and appointed several Republican justices to the Supreme Court.
33Harrison and other Republican lawmakers used their power to take action on issues at home and internationally.
34One act was to preserve forests.
35Harrison identified 17 protected natural areas, and helped create Yosemite National Park in California.
36His government also established Ellis Island in New York to make immigration to the U.S. a more orderly process.
37Internationally, Harrison's administration sought to build ties with Latin American countries.
38His government established what would, in time, become the Organization of American States.
39His administration also increased the United States' global trade - as well as the country's navy.
40But, for the most part, the most pressing issues of the day were economic.
41The federal government at that time had an unusually large surplus.
42Some argued that the surplus was hurting business.
43In answer, Harrison's government placed a high protective tariff on imported goods.
44The legislation was known as the McKinley Tariff of 1890.
45Officials also aimed to limit the power of large corporations to control important markets in the U.S.
46Finally, they agreed to require the government to buy silver to use as currency.
47These actions pleased some of his supporters.
48But, they may have contributed to the severe economic depression that followed Harrison's term.
49And in general, voters disapproved of the amount of money Republican lawmakers were spending.
50Although the country was at peace, the 51st Congress appropriated $1 billion.
51At the midterm elections, many lawmakers paid for all the spending with their seats.
52Two years later, voters turned Harrison out of the White House, too.
53They returned Grover Cleveland to the presidency.
54Harrison did not express much disappointment.
55He had worked hard to become president like his grandfather.
56But he found he did not like being the chief executive.
57He said when he left the White House, it was like being released from prison.
58Among U.S. presidents, Harrison does not have one of the most dramatic biographies.
59The facts of his life show an intelligent, disciplined man who tried to live by his beliefs.
60But he was not considered passionate about many things, except perhaps his enjoyment of nature.
61And he did not have an easy way with people.
62Even his staff called him "the human iceberg" because he could be aloof and act coldly toward people.
63Yet Harrison's family brought some warmth to his administration.
64His wife, Caroline, was known to be a lively, social person.
65She was the first to install a Christmas tree in the White House.
66Some of Harrison's grandchildren also lived in the White House.
67Harrison permitted them to play on the grounds with their pet animals.
68During Harrison's term, the family kept a goat, which the children called "Old Whiskers."
69Harrison's time in the White House saw sorrow, too.
70Toward the end of her husband's term, the first lady became seriously ill with tuberculosis.
71For months, Benjamin Harrison divided his attention between his wife and his job, and yet in the end lost both.
72After his term as president ended, Benjamin Harrison returned to his home in Indianapolis.
73He did some work as a teacher and lawyer, and kept a good public image in his community.
74He also re-married. His second wife was a widow herself, as well as his first wife's niece.
75He and Mary Scott Lord Dimmick Harrison had a daughter together.
76The child was only four when Harrison died from pneumonia at age 67.
77I'm Kelly Jean Kelly.
1VOA Learning English presents America's Presidents. 2Today we are talking about Benjamin Harrison. 3His family name may sound familiar. That is because he was the grandson of President William Henry Harrison. That situation is unique in U.S. history so far. 4Harrison played an unusually active role as president at a time when most chief executives saw themselves as simply administrators. As a result, American writer and intellectual Henry Adams said Harrison was the best president since Lincoln. 5But most Americans remember little about him, except his connection to the previous President Harrison, who himself died after only a month in office. 6Early life 7Benjamin Harrison grew up on a farm in the Midwestern state of Ohio as one of eight children. 8His grandfather was not the only famous political Harrison. 9His great-grandfather signed the Declaration of Independence. And his father had been a congressman. 10Young Benjamin Harrison respected these men and believed he had a role to play in history, too. He received a good education, and even outside of school he read many books. 11His hard work and intelligence carried him to Miami University in Ohio, and then to a career as a lawyer. 12Along the way, he married a woman he had known since he was a teenager, Caroline Lavinia Scott. The couple settled in another Midwestern city, Indianapolis, Indiana, and had a son and daughter. 13Over time, Harrison steadily built a career as a public official. But his political path was interrupted by the American Civil War. 14Harrison rose to the rank of general in the Union Army. He fought under General William T. Sherman, and was one of the first soldiers to enter Atlanta, Georgia after the city surrendered. 15After the war, he returned home to Indiana and continued his legal and political career. In 1881, he was elected to the U.S. Senate. But six years later he lost his seat when Democrats came to power in his state.Reports say that Harrison was an excellent soldier. But he did not enjoy fighting or find war romantic. 16Harrison's loss of his Senate seat soon turned to a victory. The Republican Party nominated him as their candidate to run against Grover Cleveland in the 1888 presidential election. 17Cleveland's economic policies had become unpopular, and Republicans worked hard to support their candidate. They succeeded. Although Cleveland won the popular vote, Harrison won the Electoral College. 18In 1889, he followed his grandfather's footsteps all the way to the White House. 19Presidency 20Harrison's election was a major victory for his Republican Party. In addition to winning the White House, Republicans gained seats in the House of Representatives, held a majority in the Senate, and appointed several Republican justices to the Supreme Court. 21Harrison and other Republican lawmakers used their power to take action on issues at home and internationally. 22One act was to preserve forests. Harrison identified 17 protected natural areas, and helped create Yosemite National Park in California. 23His government also established Ellis Island in New York to make immigration to the U.S. a more orderly process. 24Internationally, Harrison's administration sought to build ties with Latin American countries. His government established what would, in time, become the Organization of American States. 25His administration also increased the United States' global trade - as well as the country's navy. 26But, for the most part, the most pressing issues of the day were economic. The federal government at that time had an unusually large surplus. Some argued that the surplus was hurting business. In answer, Harrison's government placed a high protective tariff on imported goods. The legislation was known as the McKinley Tariff of 1890. 27Officials also aimed to limit the power of large corporations to control important markets in the U.S. 28Finally, they agreed to require the government to buy silver to use as currency. 29These actions pleased some of his supporters. But, they may have contributed to the severe economic depression that followed Harrison's term. 30And in general, voters disapproved of the amount of money Republican lawmakers were spending. Although the country was at peace, the 51st Congress appropriated $1 billion. At the midterm elections, many lawmakers paid for all the spending with their seats. 31Two years later, voters turned Harrison out of the White House, too. They returned Grover Cleveland to the presidency. 32Harrison did not express much disappointment. He had worked hard to become president like his grandfather. But he found he did not like being the chief executive. He said when he left the White House, it was like being released from prison. 33Legacy 34Among U.S. presidents, Harrison does not have one of the most dramatic biographies. The facts of his life show an intelligent, disciplined man who tried to live by his beliefs. 35But he was not considered passionate about many things, except perhaps his enjoyment of nature. And he did not have an easy way with people. Even his staff called him "the human iceberg" because he could be aloof and act coldly toward people. 36Yet Harrison's family brought some warmth to his administration. His wife, Caroline, was known to be a lively, social person. She was the first to install a Christmas tree in the White House. 37Some of Harrison's grandchildren also lived in the White House. Harrison permitted them to play on the grounds with their pet animals. During Harrison's term, the family kept a goat, which the children called "Old Whiskers." 38Harrison's time in the White House saw sorrow, too. Toward the end of her husband's term, the first lady became seriously ill with tuberculosis. For months, Benjamin Harrison divided his attention between his wife and his job, and yet in the end lost both. 39After his term as president ended, Benjamin Harrison returned to his home in Indianapolis. He did some work as a teacher and lawyer, and kept a good public image in his community. 40He also re-married. His second wife was a widow herself, as well as his first wife's niece. 41He and Mary Scott Lord Dimmick Harrison had a daughter together. The child was only four when Harrison died from pneumonia at age 67. 42I'm Kelly Jean Kelly. 43Kelly Jean Kelly wrote this story for Learning English. Mario Ritter was the editor. 44____________________________________________________________________ 45Check your understanding by taking a listening quiz. Play each video, then choose the best answer. 46____________________________________________________________________ 47Words in This Story 48role - n. a part that someone or something has in a particular activity or situation 49interrupt - v. to cause (something) to stop happening for a time 50romantic - adj. not realistic or practical : not based on what is real 51appropriate - v. to get or save (money) for a specific use or purpose 52passionate - adj. having, showing, or expressing strong emotions or beliefs 53aloof - adj. not involved with or friendly toward other people