2. The first years
He was born in Brookline,
Massachusetts on May
29, 1917. He was diagnosed
with Addison’s disease. In
the summer the whole
family would go to their
summer home in Hyannis
Port on Cape Cod. There
they enjoyed swimming,
sailing, playing touch
football, and competing
with one another. Since
there were so many
children they had nannies
and housekeepers to help
the mother.
3. Siblings
He had 8 siblings, 3 brothers and
5 sisters.
• Robert Kennedy
• Ted Kennedy
• Rosemary Kennedy
• Kathleen Kennedy
• Joseph P. Kennedy Jr.
• Patricia Kennedy Lawford
• Jean Kennedy Smith
• Eunice Kennedy Shriver
4. During School
He was nicknamed Jack in his
childhood. He was very popular
and had lots of friends at
Choate the boarding school he
attended in Connecticut. He
enjoyed tennis, basketball,
football, golf, and reading. He
had a daily subscription to the
New York Times. His two favorite
subjects were ELA and history.
He received a elite education.
5. During WW2
On September 1, 1939
Germany invaded Poland
and WW2 began. After
Joseph and John
graduated they both
joined the navy. Joseph
was a flyer and John was a
commander of a patrol
torpedo boat. A year
later Joseph was on a
dangerous mission in
Europe when the plane
blew up. When John
returned home he was
awarded the Navy and
Marine Corps Medal for
his leadership and
courage.
6. Why he became a
President?
He’s brother that died in the
navy had told everyone that he
would be the first Catholic
President. He’s brother had told
John to fulfill his dream of
becoming the first Catholic
President.
7. What he did what
to become?
He considered becoming a
teacher or a writer but after he
brother told him to fulfill his
dream he reconsidered and
followed his brothers dream of
becoming the first Catholic
President.
8. Before he became president
Kennedy worked for a time as a journalist before running
for the House of Representatives. He won and was
reelected twice. He showed himself to be an independent
thinker, not always following party line. He was then
elected Senator (1953-61). Again, he did not always follow
the Democratic majority. Critics were upset that he would
not stand up to Senator Joe McCarthy. He also authored
Profiles in Courage which won a Pulitzer Prize although
there was some question about its true authorship.
9. President
He became the president on
January 20, 1961. He was the 35th
president at 43 years old. While he
was in the white house he
believed that the White House
should be a place to celebrate
American history, culture, and
achievements. He had many
worries and one was that the
possibility of a nuclear war
between USA and Soviet Union.
He worked many long hours and
went to the 11 or 12 at night.
10. His wife & kids
He married a journalist named
Jacqueline Lee Bouvier on
September 12, 1953. While he was
recovering from a operation on
his back his wife wrote a best
selling book called “Profiles in
Courage”. It also won the
Pulitzer Prize for the biography
in 1957. He had 2 children.
Caroline Kennedy was born in
1957 and her baby brother John
Jr. was born a few weeks after
the election.
11. Assassinated
He was shot on November 21,
1963 in Texas. He went to Dallas
to give several speeches. As his
open roof car drove slowly
down the cheering crowds. Gun
shots rang out he was seriously
wounded and died a short time
later. He was shot in the neck
and head twice.
