On September 6, 1901, President William McKinley greeted the public at a reception in Buffalo, New York. He was there to speak at the Pan American Exposition about America’s growing role as a world power. But as he reached out to shake the hand of an apparent well-wisher, two shots rang out and the President staggered backward.
The shots were fired by Leon Czolgosz, an anarchist (one who opposes the government). He had vowed to kill a “great ruler” and he succeeded. The President clung to life for eight days, but died on September 14. That day, Vice President Theodore Roosevelt was sworn in as President. Czolgosz was promptly tried, convicted, and executed.
The September assassination of the President cast a pall over a year that had begun well. The country was prosperous and at peace. And it had gained overseas possessions—Puerto Rico and the Philippines—in the Spanish-American War of 1898. As a result, the U.S. had new importance in the world. After McKinley’s death, Roosevelt rallied the shaken country. At 42, he was the youngest person to serve as President. His energy and talent for leadership soon made him one of the most popular and influential leaders in U.S. history.