William McKinley Timeline

(1843 - 1901)

William McKinley (1843–1901) was the 25th President of the United States, serving from 1897 until his assassination in 1901. A Republican from Ohio and veteran of the Civil War, McKinley led the nation during the Spanish-American War, oversaw the annexation of Hawaii, championed protective tariffs and the gold standard, and guided America's emergence as a global power. More Less

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Early Life and Military Service

Birth of William McKinley in Niles, Ohio

Jan 29, 1843

William McKinley was born on January 29, 1843, in Niles, Ohio, the seventh of eight children of William McKinley Sr., an iron manufacturer, and Nancy Allison McKinley. His family moved frequently during his childhood before settling in Poland, Ohio.

Image source: William McKinley

Birth of William McKinley in Niles, Ohio

Enrollment at Allegheny College

1860 - 1861

McKinley briefly attended Allegheny College in Meadville, Pennsylvania, in 1860, but illness forced him to return home after only one year. He did not complete his degree there.

Image source: Allegheny College

Enlists as a private in the Union Army

Jun 11, 1861

At the outbreak of the Civil War, McKinley enlisted as a private in the 23rd Ohio Infantry Regiment, serving under future president Rutherford B. Hayes. He would serve throughout the war with distinction.

Battle of Antietam service

Sep 17, 1862

During the Battle of Antietam, McKinley famously served hot coffee and rations to soldiers under fire while acting as a commissary sergeant, an act of bravery that earned him wide praise from his superiors.

Image source: Battle of Antietam

Promoted to brevet major for gallantry

Mar 13, 1865

In March 1865, McKinley was commissioned as a captain and later received a brevet promotion to major for his gallant conduct during the war, particularly for actions at the Battle of Cedar Creek in 1864.

Image source: Brevet

Studies law and is admitted to the bar

1867

After the Civil War, McKinley studied law at Albany Law School in New York for about a year and was admitted to the bar in 1867, opening a practice in Canton, Ohio.

Image source: Albany Law School

Marries Ida Saxton

Jan 25, 1871

McKinley married Ida Saxton, daughter of a prominent Canton banker, on January 25, 1871. The couple had two daughters, both of whom died young, and Ida suffered lifelong health problems that McKinley tended devotedly.

Image source: Ida Saxton McKinley

Political Career

Elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from Ohio

Mar 4, 1877 - Mar 3, 1891

McKinley served multiple terms in Congress beginning in 1877, interrupted briefly after a disputed election loss in 1890. He became known as a champion of protective tariffs and sound money policies.

Image source: William McKinley 1896 presidential campaign

Authors the McKinley Tariff of 1890

Oct 1, 1890

As chairman of the House committee on tariffs, McKinley authored the McKinley Tariff Act of 1890, which raised import duties to record levels to protect American industry. The tariff's unpopularity contributed to his election defeat that year.

Image source: McKinley Tariff

Elected Governor of Ohio

Jan 11, 1892 - Jan 13, 1896

McKinley was elected Governor of Ohio in 1891 and re-elected in 1893. He guided the state through economic turmoil following the Panic of 1893, balancing compassion for laborers with support for business interests.

Image source: Governor of Ohio

Presidency

Wins Republican nomination for president

Jun 18, 1896

At the 1896 Republican National Convention in St. Louis, McKinley secured the presidential nomination on the first ballot. His campaign was managed by Marcus Hanna, who raised unprecedented funds for the effort.

Image source: 1896 Republican National Convention

Front porch campaign defeats William Jennings Bryan

Nov 3, 1896

McKinley conducted a famous 'front porch campaign' from his Canton home, addressing visiting delegations, while Bryan toured the nation. McKinley won decisively, carrying the industrial Northeast and Midwest on a platform of prosperity and the gold standard.

Image source: 1896 United States presidential election

Front porch campaign defeats William Jennings Bryan

Inaugurated as 25th President of the United States

Mar 4, 1897

William McKinley was inaugurated as the 25th President of the United States on March 4, 1897. He pledged tariff reform and sound currency, and appointed a cabinet including John Sherman as Secretary of State.

Image source: First inauguration of William McKinley

Signs the Dingley Tariff Act

Jul 24, 1897

The Dingley Tariff, signed in July 1897, raised duties even higher than the McKinley Tariff and remained in effect for over a decade, becoming the longest-lasting tariff in U.S. history up to that point.

Image source: Dingley Act

USS Maine explodes in Havana harbor

Feb 15, 1898

The explosion of the battleship USS Maine in Havana harbor killed 266 Americans and inflamed public opinion against Spain. Though McKinley sought peace, 'Remember the Maine' became a rallying cry for war.

Image source: USS Maine (1890)

Spanish-American War begins

Apr 21, 1898 - Aug 13, 1898

After Congress declared war on Spain in April 1898, McKinley directed a swift military campaign that included Commodore Dewey's victory at Manila Bay and American victories in Cuba, lasting roughly four months.

Image source: Spanish–American War

Annexation of Hawaii approved by Congress

Jul 7, 1898

Under McKinley, Congress passed the Newlands Resolution annexing the Republic of Hawaii in July 1898, extending American territory into the Pacific and supporting strategic interests during the war with Spain.

Image source: Newlands Resolution

Signing of the Treaty of Paris ends Spanish-American War

Dec 10, 1898

The Treaty of Paris ended the war, with Spain ceding Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines to the United States and renouncing sovereignty over Cuba, transforming America into an overseas imperial power.

Image source: Treaty of Paris (1898)

Philippine-American War erupts

Feb 4, 1899 - Jul 4, 1902

Conflict broke out between American forces and Filipino independence fighters led by Emilio Aguinaldo shortly after the treaty's ratification. The brutal conflict lasted years and cost thousands of lives before American control was consolidated.

Image source: Philippine–American War

Open Door Policy toward China announced

Sep 6, 1899

Secretary of State John Hay, under McKinley, issued Open Door Notes calling for equal trading access to China by all powers, shaping American foreign policy in Asia for decades and protecting Chinese territorial integrity.

Image source: Open Door Policy

Adopts the gold standard via Gold Standard Act

Mar 14, 1900

McKinley signed the Gold Standard Act of 1900, formally placing the United States on the gold standard and ending the free silver debate that had dominated politics since the Panic of 1893.

Image source: Gold Standard Act

United States suppresses Boxer Rebellion in China

Aug 14, 1900

McKinley sent American troops as part of the Eight-Nation Alliance that relieved the siege of foreign legations in Beijing during the Boxer Rebellion, later securing reparations while opposing further partition of China.

Image source: Eight-Nation Alliance

United States suppresses Boxer Rebellion in China

Re-elected president, defeating William Jennings Bryan again

Nov 6, 1900

McKinley defeated Bryan decisively in a rematch of the 1896 contest, winning on a record of prosperity, victory over Spain, and expansion. Theodore Roosevelt joined the ticket as vice president after the death of Garret Hobart.

Image source: 1900 United States presidential election

Second inauguration of William McKinley

Mar 4, 1901

McKinley began his second term on March 4, 1901, pledging continued prosperity and hinting at new directions in trade policy, including possible reciprocity agreements rather than pure protectionism.

Image source: Second inauguration of William McKinley

Assassination and Legacy

Pan-American Exposition speech in Buffalo

Sep 5, 1901

McKinley delivered a major address at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York, advocating reciprocal trade treaties and warning against protectionist excesses, foreshadowing a shift in tariff policy.

Image source: Pan-American Exposition

Shot by anarchist Leon Czolgosz in Buffalo

Sep 6, 1901

While greeting visitors at the exposition's Temple of Music, McKinley was shot twice in the abdomen by anarchist Leon Czolgosz. The wounded president initially appeared to be recovering.

Image source: Assassination of William McKinley

Shot by anarchist Leon Czolgosz in Buffalo

Death of President McKinley

Sep 14, 1901

McKinley died of gangrene from his untreated wounds on September 14, 1901, eight days after being shot. His reported last words included 'Nearer, my God, to Thee.' Vice President Theodore Roosevelt succeeded him.

Image source: Assassination of William McKinley

State funeral held in Canton, Ohio

Sep 19, 1901

Following ceremonies in Washington and a train journey past hundreds of thousands of mourners, McKinley was laid to rest in Canton, Ohio, after a solemn funeral attended by dignitaries from around the world.

Leon Czolgosz executed for the assassination

Oct 29, 1901

Czolgosz was tried, convicted, and executed in the electric chair at Auburn Prison just 45 days after the assassination, one of the swiftest executions of a presidential assassin in American history.

Image source: Leon Czolgosz

McKinley National Memorial dedicated in Canton

Sep 30, 1907

The grand domed McKinley National Memorial in Canton, funded by donations from millions of Americans including schoolchildren, was dedicated in 1907, enshrining the memory of the martyred president.

Image source: McKinley National Memorial

Mount McKinley named in the president's honor

1917

The tallest peak in North America was officially designated Mount McKinley by federal legislation in 1917. The name stood until 2015, when it was officially renamed Denali, reflecting long-running disputes over the honor.

Image source: Denali–Mount McKinley naming dispute

Key Facts

William McKinley was born on January 29, 1843, in Niles, Ohio, the seventh of eight children of an iron manufacturer.
He served as a Union officer in the Civil War under future President Rutherford B. Hayes, rising to the rank of brevet major.
As president, he led the United States into the Spanish-American War in 1898, resulting in the acquisition of Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines, and the annexation of Hawaii.
McKinley was re-elected in 1900 after presiding over economic recovery and signing the Gold Standard Act, but was shot by anarchist Leon Czolgosz on September 6, 1901, dying on September 14.
His vice president, Theodore Roosevelt, succeeded him, ushering in the Progressive Era.

Source

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