J. F. Kennedy

John F. Kennedy was born in Brookline, Massachusetts. He was the second of nine children of Joseph P. Kennedy (1888–1969). His father was a businessman and later US ambassador in the United Kingdom from 1938 until 1940. His mother was Rose Fitzgerald (1890–1995). She was the daughter of Boston mayor John "Honey Fitz" Fitzgerald.

John graduated from Harvard University with a Bachelor in Science. During World War II, he served in the US Navy. When his PT boat was sunk by a Japanese destroyer in 1943, he seriously injured his back. He still saved his surviving crew, for which he was later rewarded with a medal. He was elected to the US Congress in 1946, and the US Senate in 1952. He married Jacqueline Bouvier on September 12, 1953. The couple had four children; stillborn daughter (b. 1956), Caroline (b. John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), also known as JFK, was the 35th president of the United States of America. He was in office from 1961 until his assassination in 1963. He was the youngest President elected to the office, at the age of 43. Events during his presidency included the Bay of Pigs Invasion, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the building of the Berlin Wall, the Space Race, the African American Civil Rights Movement and early stages of the Vietnam War.

Kennedy was a member of the United States Democratic Party. He beat his Republican Party opponent Richard Nixon in the 1960presidential election. Kennedy was the youngest president ever elected. He was also the first Roman Catholic President and the first president to win a Pulitzer Prize. Kennedy was a great speaker and inspired a new generation of young Americans.

During the beginning of his term, he approved the CIA's plan to invade Cuba. After the invasion turned out to be a failure, the Cuban Missile Crisis began. During the crisis, Cuba ordered a lot of nuclear missiles from the Soviet Union. It was the closest the world was to having a nuclear war. Kennedy ordered US Navy ships to surround Cuba. He ended the crisis peacefully by making an agreement with the Soviet Union. They agreed that the Soviet Union would stop selling nuclear weapons to Cuba. In return, the U.S. would take its missiles out of Turkey and promise to never invade Cuba again.

He also created a plan called the New Frontier. This was a series of government programs, such as urban renewal, to help poor and working class people. He made the Peace Corps to help poor countries all over the world. He agreed to a large tax cut to help the economy. He also called for the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which would make discrimination and segregation illegal.

Kennedy was killed on November 22, 1963, in Dallas, Texas. He was being driven through the city in an open top car, along with John Connally, the Governor of Texas. As the car drove into Dealey Plaza, shots were fired. Two bullets hit Kennedy, the first bullet striking him in the “base of the neck,” and exiting through his throat and the second bullet striking him in the upper right portion of his head, killing him instantly. Lee Harvey Oswald was the prime suspect in the murder, and he was arrested on the same day for the murder of a policeman called J. D. Tippit. Oswald denied involvement in either of the killings and was killed two days later on November 24 by Jack Ruby. Kennedy had a state funeral on November 25 three days after his murder, near to the White House, where his body was laid to rest in Arlington, Virginia.

Wallace. A Time of changing Facing Kennedy

Answer the following questions using information from the text:

1. How many children did J. Kennedy’s parents have?

2. Was J. Kennedy’s father an ambassador?

3. Whose daughter was his mother?

4. What University did J. Kennedy graduate?

5. Did he take part in the Second World War?

6. Who was J. Kennedy’s wife?

7. How old was J. Kennedy when he became president?

8. What events happened in the world in the period of Kwennedy’s presidency?

9. What did the New Frontier plan consist of?

10. How did life of Afro–Americans change due to the law adopted in 1964?

Task 3

A. Prepare a short report about the death of J. Kennedy.

B. Make your own sentences with the following words and word combinations.

1. Bachelor of Science	…
2. US ambassador	…
3. To be rewarded with a medal	…
4. US Congress	…
5. Japanese destroyer	…
6. assassination	…
7. space race	…
8. African American Civil Rights Movement	…
9. Republican Party opponent	…
10. The first Roman Catholic President	…

C. Write 10 sentences about the biography and career of B. Obama.