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1、美国总统24威廉麦金莱WilliamMcKinley:ImperialByKellyJeanKelly13August,2017VOALearningEnglishpresentsAmericasPresidents.TodaywearetalkingaboutWilliamMcKinley.Hetookofficein1897andwasre-electedin1900.HeledtheUnitedStatesintothe20thcentury.WilliamMcKinleyOnewaytothinkofMcKinleyisasatransitionpresident.Inthe1800s
2、zlawmakersweremostlyconcernedwithhowthecountrywasgrowinginNorthAmerica.ButduringMcKinleysgovernment,theU.S.lookedbeyonditsborders.CongressdeclaredwaronSpain,thefirsttimetheU.S.hadfoughtaEuropeanpowersincetheWarof1812againstBritain.TheU.S.alsotookcontrolofoverseasterritories,annexedHawaii,andtriedtor
3、egulatetheworldstradewithChina.SomehistorianssayPresidentMcKinleyhimselfwantedtheU.S.toincreaseitsinternationalinfluence.Othersarguethathewasjustansweringthecountrysmoodatthetime.Eitherway,hispresidencyisoftendefinedbythecountrysriseasanimperialpower.EarlylifeMcKinleywasthesixthpresidenttocomefromth
4、estateofOhio.Hewastheseventhofeightchildren.Historiansdescribehischildhoodaslovingandfun.Hisfatherownedasmallironfactory.Hismotherraisedherchildrentobehonestandpolite.McKinleywasahard-workingstudent.HebrieflyattendedAlleghenyCollegeinPennsylvania,buthedidnothavethemoneytofinishhiseducationthere.Afew
5、yearsafterleavingthatschool,hevolunteeredfortheArmyonthesideoftheUnionintheCivilWar.HeservedunderamanwhowouldlaterbecomepresidenthimselfzRutherfordB.Hayes.Thetwostayedclosethroughouttheirlives.Afterthewarended,McKinleystudiedIawzbecameinvolvedinRepublicanPartypolitics,married,andhadtwodaughters.Hisw
6、ife,Ida,wasanenergetic,well-educatedyoungwomanfromawealthyfamily.Forawhile,shehadworkedinherfathersbank.ButIdaMcKinleyshealthbegantosuffer.Shewasstruckbyseizures.Thenhermotherdied.Afewmonthslater,heryoungerdaughterdiedwhilestillaninfant.IdaMcKinleyclungtoherolderdaughter,butthelittlegirlsoondevelope
7、dafeverdisease,andshedied,too.WilliamandIdaMcKinleywereneverthesame.IdaMcKinleyremainedsickherentirelife.Shespentmostofherhoursinasmallrockingchairsewing.WilliamMcKinleypaidgreatattentiontoher.Heorganizedhisscheduletospendtimenearher,evenashispoliticalsuccessgrew.Intime,McKinleyservedinCongressandas
8、thegovernorofOhio.Hewasknownasalikablepersonandaskilledpolitician.HisRepublicanPartynominatedhimonthefirstballotattheirconvention.Afewmonthslater,voterselectedMcKinleyintoofficeinalandslide.Hebecamethecountrys25thpresident.PresidencyWhenMcKinleytookoffice,theU.S.wasjustcomingoutofasevereeconomicdepr
9、ession.Hisgovernmentquicklyapprovedahighprotectivetarifftohelpstrugglingworkers.Ingeneral,hisadministrationalsopermittedthegrowthofbigbusiness.ButmostofMcKinleysattentionaspresidentwasdevotedtoforeignpolicy.ThemainissuewasCuba.Atthattime,Spaincontrolledtheisland.Cubansrevolted,andSpanishforcesusedvi
10、olenceanddetainmentstocrushtherebellion.IntheU.S.,manyAmericansdenouncedtheeventsinCuba.TheywantedMcKinleyandhisgovernmenttointervene.Atfirst,PresidentMcKinleywasunwilling.Hetriedtousediplomacy.HeevenorderedaU.S.shipintoSpanishwatersnearHavanatoshowhiscontinuedsupportofSpain.Buttheship,calledtheMain
11、e,exploded.AmericansbelievedtheSpanishwereresponsible.Relationsbetweenthetwocountriesworsenedfast.Spaindeclaredwar.TheU.S.Congressansweredinkind.For100days,U.S.andSpanishforcesfoughtinCubaandotherareasunderSpanishcontrol.ThewarquicklyturnedintheAmericansfavor.WhentheSpanish-AmericanWarendedwiththeTr
12、eatyofParisin1898,theU.S.tookcontrolofPuertoRicozGuam,andthePhilippinesfromSpain.Cubawasmadeindependent;however,theU.S.continuedtooccupytheislandforseveralmoreyears.NoteveryoneapprovedoftheactionsofMcKinleysgovernment.EvensomemembersofCongresswarnedagainsttheU.S.becominganimperialpower.Butamajorityo
13、fvotersapprovedofMcKinleyasavictoriouscommander-in-chief.TheyalsonotedthattheU.S.economywasgettingstronger.In1900zMcKinleywonre-election.AssassinationAsitturnedout,McKinleyssecondterminofficewasshort.InSeptember,onlysixmonthsafterhisswearing-in,thepresidentwasreceivingvisitorsatafairinthecityofBuffa
14、lo,NewYork.Oneofthevisitorsinlinewasa28-year-oldmannamedLeonCzolgosz.HisfamilywasfromPoland,buthelivedinthecityofDetroit,Michigan.Hehadworkedinafactory,butatthetimewasunemployed.Hesupportedtheideaofanarchy-nogovernmentatall.WhenMcKinleyreachedtoshaketheyoungmanshand,Czolgoszshotthepresidenttwiceinth
15、estomach.Althoughinjured,McKinleyspoketohisguards.Hetoldthemnottohurttheshooter.And,heexpressedconcernabouthowhiswifewouldfeelwhenshelearnedhehadbeenshot.QuicklyzMcKinleywastakentoahospital.Doctorspredictedthathewouldsurvive.And,forafewdayszMcKinleyseemedtoimprove.Butthewoundbecameinfected,andeightd
16、aysaftertheattackMcKinleydied.Thepresidentsmurdererdidnotsayhewassorryforhisact.Hedefendedit,sayingMcKinleywasanenemyofworkingpeople.Withinafewweeksoftheshooting,Czolgoszwastried,foundguilty,andexecuted.1.egacyBoththenationandtheworldmournedwhenMcKinleydied.Hehadbeenoneofthecountrysmostpopularpresidentsinmanyyears.HeleftbehindthebeginningofwhatsomecalledanAmericanempire.Healsomarkeda
