John Fitzgerald Kennedy was the 35th President of the United States. He was born in Brookline, Massachusetts, on May 29, 1917 to Joseph P. and Rose Kennedy- the second of nine children. Kennedy was elected into office in 1960, beating opponent, Richard Nixon by a narrow margin of about 100,000 votes. (Gale. Historic World Leaders.) During his time in office, he was able to accomplish many things, mainly regarding conflicts with the Soviet Union; however, his term was cut short by his assassination on November 22nd, 1963, shortly after his thousandth day in office. By this time, the Kennedy administration had already begun preparing to run for reelection in 1964. Commonly referred to by his initials, JFK, Kennedy was a symbol of his time and, to this day, remains a strong figure in American history. Although his accomplishments were limited, many still consider him one of the greatest presidents of all time. American Journalist, James Reston once said,"The tragedy of John Fitzgerald Kennedy was greater than the accomplishment, but in the end the tragedy enhances the accomplishment and revives the hope."(Gale. Historic World Leaders.) Despite not being able to serve a full term before being assassinated, he was able to accomplish many things and even make …show more content…
He also proposed a voting-rights bill and federal programs to provide healthcare to the elderly and the poor. Few of these proposals became law in his lifetime, which was a great disappointment to Kennedy, who was never very successful with Congress. Fortunately, most of these bills became law after his death. "His administration saw the beginning of a new hope for the equal rights of Americans and a more peaceful world. (John F. Kennedy. The White