-
Birth
John Fitzgerald Kennedy was born as the second of nine Kennedy children in Brookline, Massachusetts -
WWII
JFK joined the navy during WWII to support his country. During one mission, his PT boat was sunk behind enemy lines. Kennedy led his troops to safety, which was later adapted into a Hollywood film. -
Joseph Kennedy Jr. Dies
JFK's brother, Joseph, dies as a pilot in WWII. Joseph was always supposed to be the Kennedy politician and "future president", so JFK decided to honor his brother by becoming a politician. -
Runs For Congress
Kennedy began to run to represent Massachusetts in the House of Representatives. He won three out of three terms, and during his campaigns, the entire Kennedy family supported and assisted him. -
JFK Nearly Becomes Presidential Running Mate
Adlai Stevenson, the Democratic candidate for president, lets the people vote on who will be his running mate. JFK is narrowly beaten by Carey Kefauver, however, despite his loss, JFK began to gain popularity in the public's eye. -
JFK Becomes President
In the election of 1960, Kennedy beat Nixon for president. Some of this was attributed to the presidential debates, where Kennedy looked handsome and calm while Nixon looked nervous and uncomfortable. -
Kennedy Promises a Man on the Moon Before the End of the Decade
Kennedy commits the United States to set a man on the moon by the end of the 60s. He continued to advocate for the American space program, invigorating the public. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
This was possibly the most important moment in Kennedy's presidency. Nuclear missiles were discovered in Cuba, off the coast of Cuba. What ensued was an intense 13-day period where Kennedy had to decide how to remove the missiles from Cuba without instigating a war. In the end, a deal was made that ended up with the missiles removed. -
Shows Support for Berlin
In a speech in Germany, Kennedy declared "Ich bin ein Berliner (I am a Berliner)" to show his support for the people of the city and his opposition towards the Berlin Wall. -
Assasination
Kennedy was touring Texas, and at that point in an open-topped limo. In Dealey Plaza in Dallas, JFK was shot by Lee Harvey Oswald, and he later died in a hospital. Oswald was eventually caught and killed after the assassination.
