John F. Kennedy: Life and Presidency

• John F. Kennedy was a popular president, rated highly among Americans, and remembered for his glamour, family, and sense of confidence.
• He was born on May 29, 1917, into a wealthy, politically connected Boston family of Irish Catholics, and was frequently ill as a child.
• Kennedy graduated magna cum laude from Harvard in 1940, with a senior thesis that was published as a best-seller, "Why England Slept", which analyzed England's unpreparedness for World War II.
• During World War II, Kennedy was a genuine war hero, serving in the Navy in the Pacific, and helping save his men's lives after his boat was sliced in half.
• After the war, Kennedy worked as a newspaper reporter and later ran for and won three terms in the US House of Representatives, starting in 1946.
• In 1952, Kennedy ran for the US Senate and surprised everyone by winning, which helped launch his national visibility.
• Kennedy married Jacqueline Bouvier on September 12, 1953, and they had three children, but only Caroline and John Jr. survived childhood.
• In 1960, Kennedy ran for president and won the election by a slim margin, partly due to his good looks and glamour during the first televised presidential debates.
• Kennedy was sworn in as the 35th President of the United States on January 20, 1961, and delivered a famous inaugural speech that emphasized the importance of individual service to the country.
• During his presidency, Kennedy created the Peace Corps, fought segregation, and jump-started America's space program, with the goal of putting an American on the moon by 1970.
• Kennedy's foreign policy achievements include navigating the Cuban Missile Crisis and developing a nuclear test ban with the Soviet Union.
• On November 21, 1963, Kennedy was assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald while riding in a motorcade in Dallas, Texas.
• After his death, Jacqueline Kennedy used the term "Camelot" to describe the Kennedy administration's legacy, evoking a mythical, magical time of grace and style in the White House.

Test your knowledge of John F. Kennedy's life, from his childhood to his presidency, including his accomplishments and assassination. Learn about his early life, war heroism, and presidential achievements.