William McKinley: Imperial
2023-08-13
LRC
TXT
大字
小字
滚动
全页
1VOA Learning English presents America's Presidents.
2Today we are talking about William McKinley.
3He took office in 1897 and was re-elected in 1900.
4He led the United States into the 20th century.
5One way to think of McKinley is as a transition president.
6In the 1800s, lawmakers were mostly concerned with how the country was growing in North America.
7But during McKinley's government, the U.S. looked beyond its borders.
8Congress declared war on Spain, the first time the U.S. had fought a European power since the War of 1812 against Britain.
9The U.S. also took control of overseas territories, annexed Hawaii, and tried to regulate the world's trade with China.
10Some historians say President McKinley himself wanted the U.S. to increase its international influence.
11Others argue that he was just answering the country's mood at the time.
12Either way, his presidency is often defined by the country's rise as an imperial power.
13McKinley was the sixth president to come from the state of Ohio. He was the seventh of eight children.
14Historians describe his childhood as loving and fun.
15His father owned a small iron factory.
16His mother raised her children to be honest and polite.
17McKinley was a hard-working student.
18He briefly attended Allegheny College in Pennsylvania, but he did not have the money to finish his education there.
19A few years after leaving that school, he volunteered for the Army on the side of the Union in the Civil War.
20He served under a man who would later become president himself, Rutherford B. Hayes.
21The two stayed close throughout their lives.
22After the war ended, McKinley studied law, became involved in Republican Party politics, married, and had two daughters.
23His wife, Ida, was an energetic, well-educated young woman from a wealthy family.
24For a while, she had worked in her father's bank.
25But Ida McKinley's health began to suffer.
26She was struck by seizures.
27Then her mother died. A few months later, her younger daughter died while still an infant.
28Ida McKinley clung to her older daughter, but the little girl soon developed a fever disease, and she died, too.
29William and Ida McKinley were never the same. Ida McKinley remained sick her entire life.
30She spent most of her hours in a small rocking chair sewing.
31William McKinley paid great attention to her.
32He organized his schedule to spend time near her, even as his political success grew.
33In time, McKinley served in Congress and as the governor of Ohio.
34He was known as a likable person and a skilled politician.
35His Republican Party nominated him on the first ballot at their convention.
36A few months later, voters elected McKinley into office in a landslide.
37He became the country's 25th president.
38When McKinley took office, the U.S. was just coming out of a severe economic depression.
39His government quickly approved a high protective tariff to help struggling workers.
40In general, his administration also permitted the growth of big business.
41But most of McKinley's attention as president was devoted to foreign policy.
42The main issue was Cuba.
43At that time, Spain controlled the island.
44Cubans revolted, and Spanish forces used violence and detainments to crush the rebellion.
45In the U.S., many Americans denounced the events in Cuba.
46They wanted McKinley and his government to intervene.
47At first, President McKinley was unwilling. He tried to use diplomacy.
48He even ordered a U.S. ship into Spanish waters near Havana to show his continued support of Spain.
49But the ship, called the Maine, exploded.
50Americans believed the Spanish were responsible.
51Relations between the two countries worsened fast.
52Spain declared war. The U.S. Congress answered in kind.
53For 100 days, U.S. and Spanish forces fought in Cuba and other areas under Spanish control.
54The war quickly turned in the Americans' favor.
55When the Spanish-American War ended with the Treaty of Paris in 1898, the U.S. took control of Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines from Spain.
56Cuba was made independent; however, the U.S. continued to occupy the island for several more years.
57Not everyone approved of the actions of McKinley's government.
58Even some members of Congress warned against the U.S. becoming an imperial power.
59But a majority of voters approved of McKinley as a victorious commander-in-chief.
60They also noted that the U.S. economy was getting stronger.
61In 1900, McKinley won re-election.
62As it turned out, McKinley's second term in office was short.
63In September, only six months after his swearing-in, the president was receiving visitors at a fair in the city of Buffalo, New York.
64One of the visitors in line was a 28-year-old man named Leon Czolgosz.
65His family was from Poland, but he lived in the city of Detroit, Michigan.
66He had worked in a factory, but at the time was unemployed.
67He supported the idea of anarchy - no government at all.
68When McKinley reached to shake the young man's hand, Czolgosz shot the president twice in the stomach.
69Although injured, McKinley spoke to his guards.
70He told them not to hurt the shooter.
71And, he expressed concern about how his wife would feel when she learned he had been shot.
72Quickly, McKinley was taken to a hospital.
73Doctors predicted that he would survive.
74And, for a few days, McKinley seemed to improve.
75But the wound became infected, and eight days after the attack McKinley died.
76The president's murderer did not say he was sorry for his act.
77He defended it, saying McKinley was an enemy of working people.
78Within a few weeks of the shooting, Czolgosz was tried, found guilty, and executed.
79Both the nation and the world mourned when McKinley died.
80He had been one of the country's most popular presidents in many years.
81He left behind the beginning of what some called an American empire.
82He also marked a change in the U.S. presidency.
83When he first took office in the 19th century, most presidents acted primarily as administrators.
84But President McKinley began to act in ways that are more like a modern president.
85He prepared remarks to give to the media.
86He traveled across the country speaking to voters.
87He used the power of his office to direct the armed forces.
88McKinley laid the groundwork, but he did not completely change the presidency.
89He left that to the even more famous man who followed him into the White House.
90After McKinley's death, his vice president, Theodore Roosevelt, took office and truly brought the country into modern times.
91I'm Kelly Jean Kelly.
1VOA Learning English presents America's Presidents. 2Today we are talking about William McKinley. He took office in 1897 and was re-elected in 1900. He led the United States into the 20th century. 3One way to think of McKinley is as a transition president. In the 1800s, lawmakers were mostly concerned with how the country was growing in North America. 4But during McKinley's government, the U.S. looked beyond its borders. Congress declared war on Spain, the first time the U.S. had fought a European power since the War of 1812 against Britain. 5The U.S. also took control of overseas territories, annexed Hawaii, and tried to regulate the world's trade with China. 6Some historians say President McKinley himself wanted the U.S. to increase its international influence. Others argue that he was just answering the country's mood at the time. 7Either way, his presidency is often defined by the country's rise as an imperial power. 8Early life 9McKinley was the sixth president to come from the state of Ohio. He was the seventh of eight children. Historians describe his childhood as loving and fun. 10His father owned a small iron factory. His mother raised her children to be honest and polite. 11McKinley was a hard-working student. He briefly attended Allegheny College in Pennsylvania, but he did not have the money to finish his education there. 12A few years after leaving that school, he volunteered for the Army on the side of the Union in the Civil War. He served under a man who would later become president himself, Rutherford B. Hayes. The two stayed close throughout their lives. 13After the war ended, McKinley studied law, became involved in Republican Party politics, married, and had two daughters. 14His wife, Ida, was an energetic, well-educated young woman from a wealthy family. For a while, she had worked in her father's bank. 15But Ida McKinley's health began to suffer. She was struck by seizures. Then her mother died. A few months later, her younger daughter died while still an infant. Ida McKinley clung to her older daughter, but the little girl soon developed a fever disease, and she died, too. 16William and Ida McKinley were never the same. Ida McKinley remained sick her entire life. She spent most of her hours in a small rocking chair sewing. 17William McKinley paid great attention to her. He organized his schedule to spend time near her, even as his political success grew. 18In time, McKinley served in Congress and as the governor of Ohio. He was known as a likable person and a skilled politician. 19His Republican Party nominated him on the first ballot at their convention. A few months later, voters elected McKinley into office in a landslide. He became the country's 25th president. 20Presidency 21When McKinley took office, the U.S. was just coming out of a severe economic depression. 22His government quickly approved a high protective tariff to help struggling workers. In general, his administration also permitted the growth of big business. 23But most of McKinley's attention as president was devoted to foreign policy. The main issue was Cuba. 24At that time, Spain controlled the island. Cubans revolted, and Spanish forces used violence and detainments to crush the rebellion. 25In the U.S., many Americans denounced the events in Cuba. They wanted McKinley and his government to intervene. 26At first, President McKinley was unwilling. He tried to use diplomacy. He even ordered a U.S. ship into Spanish waters near Havana to show his continued support of Spain. 27But the ship, called the Maine, exploded. Americans believed the Spanish were responsible. Relations between the two countries worsened fast. Spain declared war. The U.S. Congress answered in kind. 28For 100 days, U.S. and Spanish forces fought in Cuba and other areas under Spanish control. 29The war quickly turned in the Americans' favor. When the Spanish-American War ended with the Treaty of Paris in 1898, the U.S. took control of Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines from Spain. Cuba was made independent; however, the U.S. continued to occupy the island for several more years. 30Not everyone approved of the actions of McKinley's government. Even some members of Congress warned against the U.S. becoming an imperial power. 31But a majority of voters approved of McKinley as a victorious commander-in-chief. They also noted that the U.S. economy was getting stronger. In 1900, McKinley won re-election. 32Assassination 33As it turned out, McKinley's second term in office was short. 34In September, only six months after his swearing-in, the president was receiving visitors at a fair in the city of Buffalo, New York. 35One of the visitors in line was a 28-year-old man named Leon Czolgosz. His family was from Poland, but he lived in the city of Detroit, Michigan. He had worked in a factory, but at the time was unemployed. He supported the idea of anarchy - no government at all. 36When McKinley reached to shake the young man's hand, Czolgosz shot the president twice in the stomach. 37Although injured, McKinley spoke to his guards. He told them not to hurt the shooter. And, he expressed concern about how his wife would feel when she learned he had been shot. 38Quickly, McKinley was taken to a hospital. Doctors predicted that he would survive. And, for a few days, McKinley seemed to improve. 39But the wound became infected, and eight days after the attack McKinley died. 40The president's murderer did not say he was sorry for his act. He defended it, saying McKinley was an enemy of working people. 41Within a few weeks of the shooting, Czolgosz was tried, found guilty, and executed. 42Legacy 43Both the nation and the world mourned when McKinley died. He had been one of the country's most popular presidents in many years. 44He left behind the beginning of what some called an American empire. He also marked a change in the U.S. presidency. 45When he first took office in the 19th century, most presidents acted primarily as administrators. 46But President McKinley began to act in ways that are more like a modern president. He prepared remarks to give to the media. He traveled across the country speaking to voters. He used the power of his office to direct the armed forces. 47McKinley laid the groundwork, but he did not completely change the presidency. He left that to the even more famous man who followed him into the White House. 48After McKinley's death, his vice president, Theodore Roosevelt, took office and truly brought the country into modern times. 49I'm Kelly Jean Kelly. 50Kelly Jean Kelly wrote this story for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. 51________________________________________________________ 52________________________________________________________ 53Words in This Story 54transition - n. a change from one state or condition to another 55annex - v. to add an area to a country : to take control of a place 56mood - n. an attitude or feeling shared by many people 57imperial - adj. of or relating to an empire or an emperor 58clung - v. tried very hard to keep something that you are in danger of losing 59landslide - n. election in which the winner gets a much greater number of votes than the loser 60in kind - adj. in a way that is equal or very similar to what someone else has done to or for you 61anarchy - n. a situation in which the people in a country are not controlled by rules or laws 62empire - n. a group of countries or regions that are controlled by one ruler or one government