Pierre Gemayel's Assassination Leads To Chaos

Pierre Gemayel, Lebanon's most prominent Christian family was assassinated Tuesday in a daytime hit. He first was cut off by a car in front of him then was rear-ended by a second car, then gunmen burst out and fired a dozen bullets into his passenger-side window. In dealing with this situation President Bush condemned and accused Syria and Iran of seeking to take over Saniora's government. After the assassination of Gemayel many people's tensions have rised on the political issues at hand and the Shiite Muslim guerrilla group Hezbollas and its pro-Syrian allies have begun to threaten large protests. Bush also had this to say about those responsible for the attack on Pierre Gemayel "the vicious face of those who oppose freedom" and vowed support for Saniora's government. John R. Bolton was the man who was officially responsible for blaming Syria and Iran for the attack.

The Young Life Of Theodore Roosevelt

Theodore Roosevelt was born in New York City On October 27, 1858. Roosevelt was not like other presidents who had come from poor families and struggled to become wealthy in their presidency. Theodore's father came from an old New York Dutch family of moderate wealth and high social position. Theodore's mother, Martha Bulloch,, belonged to a prominent family from Georgia. Both parents were kind and affectionate. His father, in particular, concerned himself actively with Theodore's development. He was born into a wealthy family, but struggled with asthma all of his life. Theodore's father, Theodore raised his children with a set of rules and Theodore Jr. had this to say of him "My father, Theodore Roosevelt, was the best man I ever knew. He combined strength and courage with gentleness, tenderness, and great unselfishness. He would not tolerate in us children selfishness or cruelty, idleness, cowardice, or untruthfulness." (Theodore Roosevelt) During Theodore's childhood, he often missed school because of his bad case of asthma. His asthma also kept him from playing sports with many of his childhood friends.
Theodore loved to learn about nature and was always outside studying the birds and other animals. It was in the fall of 1876 that Roosevelt was accepted into Harvard University where he excelled in many of his studies. Roosevelt graduated from Harvard in magna cum laude in 1890. After attending college at Harvard University he had this to say about himself, "In science and history and geography and in unexpected parts of German and French I was strong, but lamentably weak in Latin and Greek and mathematics." (Roosevelt)
While attending Harvard Univesity, Theodore met Alice Lee, a beautiful young woman, who would become his wife soon after graduation. By 1881, he had entered politics as a New York Assemblyman.
Theodore's father pushed him to become stronger and it was with this influence from his father that he began to build up his body by strenuous exercise. By the time Theodore reached adulthood he had become a model of physical courage and toughness. Theodore's attitude on life and keeping his body healthy was a only a small view of his character and how he would later influence America with this attitude in life. Roosevelt never backed down from any challenge or adversity, and he continually displayed remarkable physical and moral courage.


Lewis, D. William. The Life of Theodore.Kessinger Publisher

Thayer, R. William.Theodore Roosevelt.Kessinger Publisher

The Assassination of William McKinley

Who was William McKinley? William McKinley was born in Niles, Ohio on January 29, 1843 and was the twent-fifth president of the United States. McKinley was known for being a Republican leader, and his main focus was upon high tariffs on imports as a formula for prosperity. William McKinley's theory of dealing with other countries was to "Let England take care of herself. Let France look after her own interests. Let Germany take care of her own people; but in God’s name let America look after America."(William McKinley) William McKinley used protectionism as his platform for his election into the U.S. House of Representatives and the Ohio statehouse. Here, he served two terms as governor, and he established himself as his party's standard-bearer. According to biographer Margaret Leech, McKinley "carried to Congress an emotional conviction that the solution for all the country's economic ills was to make the already high tariff rates higher still."

The man responsible for the assassination of William McKinley was Leon Czolgosz. Czolgosz was an anarchist who came to the Exposition in Buffalo, New York with a mission. His mission was to remove the government which he believed to be evil, and he believed he could achieve this by beginning with removing the President. As Czolgolsz attendedthe Pan American Exposition he simply looked upon the excitement with disgust and focused upon murdering the President. A better description of that day can be read here "Leon Czolgosz stood in line and counted the people between him and the president of the United States. Nondescript, dressed in a dark suit, and wearing an innocent expression, Czolgosz (pronounced chlgsh) looked younger than his 28 years. He had waited for more than two hours in 82-degree heat on September 6, 1901, for his turn to shake hands with President William McKinley, who was visiting the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York."(Kingseed, Wyatt)
"While attending the Pan-American Exposition, President William McKinley was assassinated at a reception in the Temple of Music. Suddenly, the dark clouds of despair fell on the Exposition and began to ruin all the good that the great fair stood for. Some historians claim that this heinous crime was the beginning of Buffalo's downfall."(Heverin T. Aaron) Csolgosz fired two shots at McKinley, "the second shot hit the president in the stomach and Czogolz cried out, `I done my duty.' The President's bodyguards grabbed him, seized the gun and punched him in the face. McKinley said faintly, `Be easy with him, boys.'"(Cavendish,1) Czolgosz's response to authorties when asked why he assassinated the President was "I didn't believe one man should have so much service, and another man have none."(Leon Csolgosz) Czogolz was executed in the electric chair in the prison at Auburn, New York State, on October 29th, 1901.

Cavendish, Richard. "Assassination of President McKinley."The History Today. September 2001

Gado, Mark. The Assassination of President William McKinley.Courtroom Television,LLC.,2005

1893 Columbian Exposition

The 1893 Columbian Exposition was an advancement for different subjects such as architecture, electricity, and industrialization. It was the decision of Grover Cleveland and Congress that the world's fair be held in Chicago in 1893. "In accordance with the section 16 of the act of Congress approved April 25, 1890, and entitled an act to provide for celebrating the four hundredth anniversary of the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus by holding an international exhibition of arts, industries, manufactures, and the product of the soil, mine, and sea in the city of Chicago, in the State of Illinois."(Grover Cleveland)(Richardson,401) "Chicago was the most influential exposition in American history. The fair was featured with a lagoon, statuary, electric illumination, and a dazzling display of white-painted neoclassical architecture."(Boyer,841) The fair which was held in Chicago of 1893 also featured the first entertainment center, the Midway Plaisance, including the world's first Ferris wheel.
The people of 1893 were amazed by all the advancements and architecture. The idea that was truly amazing was the fact that the complete construction of Jackson Park which was the location of the fair was done in a two year period. How was the construction of such a grand structure done within two years? The construction of the exposition was done quickly because of the way in which the contractors built the ornate structures and buildings. The contractors used staff which made the buildings look like marble when really the staff was simply molding and water. The effect of the staff made the buildings look as if they were marble yet they did not have the quality of marble.
The man hired as head landscaper of the World's Fair in Chicago was Frederick Olmstead. The construction of the Exposition in 1893 cost twenty-two million dollars and used forty thousand workers. The 1893 Columbian Exposition was very poplular within the society of Chicago, other states, and other countries. Everyone wanted to visit the World Fair and the state of Chicago took advantage of this fact. The cost of entrance for the fair was fifty cents and was visited by many who went to spectate, have fun,and enjoy the scenery in which many had never seen before.

Boyer, S Paul. United States History. Oxford University Press, 2001

Richardson. Messages and Papers of the Presidents 1789-1897. Washington:Authority of Congress, 1898

The Annals of America 1884-1894 Agrarianism and Urbanization. Chicago:Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc. 1976