William Mckinley's Assassination

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In 1901, William Mckinley “stood at the peak of his power” (Rauchway, 3). With his charm, steadfastness, experience and conservative views, Mckinley was the popular vote in 1896 for the Presidency. During his first term in office, Mckinley led the United States to become “an international colonial empire” (Rauchway, 6). With his success, Mckinley won reelection in 1900 with the majority of votes. Even at his peak, Mckinley still had critics. On of those critics was Leon Czolgosz, a self-proclaimed anarchist, who murdered the President when he fired two bullets into him in September of 1901, changing the course of history. The significance of Mckinley’s assassination put into forefront social factors impacting America and the led the way to …show more content…
The Gilded Age brought forth a time of new discoveries and technologies. Mark Twain termed this era, because advancements in this era were like the gold that covered a gilded piece of steel. These advancements covered issues like crime, poverty, and immigration issues. This is why Mckinley’s assassination made way for “political modernization, a terrible but effective way of clearing the decks” (Rauchway, xi). Before taking Mckinley’s place as President, Theodore Roosevelt belived, “I have really much less influence with the President now that I am Vice-President than I had even when I was governor” (Rauchway, 11). Now with the influence he needed ad President, Roosevelt “played on his constituents’ legitimate fears so that they would support him in his efforts to stamp out radical dissent” (Rauchway, xii). Roosevelt brought eights years of prosperity to America. He helped to create acts to solve the issues that the Gilded Age brought. Some of these acts included: The Meat Inspection Act, Pure Food and Drug Act, conservation acts, the Hepburn Act, and the Elkins Act. Roosevelt also started reforms “that would regulate the U.S. economy in the interest of the public rather than allowing the free market to take its natural course and consolidate wealth (Rauchway,

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