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Benjamin Harrison

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Benjamin Harrison was a leader.

Benjamin Harrison c1850.jpg
Benjamin Harrison c1850.jpg
He was a president. He lived a long time ago. He worked hard for his country. He helped many people.
Benjamin Harrison Home.jpg
Benjamin Harrison Home.jpg
Do you like history?

35 words

Benjamin Harrison was a leader.

Benjamin Harrison c1850.jpg
Benjamin Harrison c1850.jpg
He was a president of the United States.

He was born on a farm. He liked to fish and hunt.

Benjamin Harrison Home.jpg
Benjamin Harrison Home.jpg
He went to college to study.

He was a soldier in a big war. He led his men with care. He often said, "Come on, boys!"

As president, he helped the land. He helped make new forests. He also helped the navy.

He worked very hard for his country. He is remembered for his work.

86 words

Benjamin Harrison was the 23rd president of the United States.

Benjamin Harrison c1850.jpg
Benjamin Harrison c1850.jpg
He was born on a farm in Ohio. His family was very famous. His grandfather was also a U.S. president.
Benjamin Harrison Home.jpg
Benjamin Harrison Home.jpg

During the American Civil War, Harrison was a soldier. He led a group of men in the Union Army. He was a colonel. He was known as a strong leader. He often told his men, "Come on, boys!" He fought in many battles, like the Battle of Resaca.

Harrison became president in 1889. He won the election against Grover Cleveland.

ElectoralCollege1888.svg
ElectoralCollege1888.svg
As president, he made many big changes. He helped create national forest reserves. He also made the U.S. Navy much stronger.
USS Texas2.jpg
USS Texas2.jpg
He worked on laws to help businesses. He also tried to help protect voting rights. However, some of his ideas did not pass. In 1892, Cleveland won the election. Harrison went back to being a lawyer. He died in 1901.

175 words

Benjamin Harrison was the 23rd president of the United States.

Benjamin Harrison c1850.jpg
Benjamin Harrison c1850.jpg
He was born on August 20, 1833, on a farm near the Ohio River. His family had a very long history in America. His grandfather, William Henry Harrison, was the ninth president.
Benjamin Harrison Home.jpg
Benjamin Harrison Home.jpg
His great-grandfather was Benjamin Harrison V, a Founding Father. Even though his family was famous, they were not very wealthy. His father, John Scott Harrison, worked hard to pay for his children's school. Benjamin grew up enjoying the outdoors by fishing and hunting.

After finishing school at Miami University in 1852, Harrison studied law.

Harrison, Hon. B. Pres. Crop.jpg
Harrison, Hon. B. Pres. Crop.jpg
He married Caroline Scott in 1853. They had two children named Russell and Mary. In 1854, the couple moved to Indianapolis, Indiana. Harrison began working as a lawyer and a court crier. He earned $2.50 per day as a crier.
Benjamin Harrison 1903 Issue-13c.jpg
Benjamin Harrison 1903 Issue-13c.jpg
He also became a leader in his church and local clubs. He joined the Republican Party in 1856 and began his life in politics.

When the American Civil War started, Harrison joined the Union Army. He first helped recruit men for the army in Indiana. He became a colonel and led the 70th Indiana regiment.

General-Benjamin-Harrison-in-uniform,-1865.jpg
General-Benjamin-Harrison-in-uniform,-1865.jpg
Harrison was a brave leader who stayed with his soldiers. He famously told them, "Come on, boys!" During the Battle of Resaca in May 1864, his unit captured an enemy artillery battery.
Battle of Resaca--May 13 to 16, 1864.jpg
Battle of Resaca--May 13 to 16, 1864.jpg
He later became a brigadier general in 1865.

In 1888, Harrison won the election to become president.

ElectoralCollege1888.svg
ElectoralCollege1888.svg
He defeated the current president, Grover Cleveland. This was a special win because he won the Electoral College but lost the popular vote. During his term from 1889 to 1893, he passed many laws. He helped create national forest reserves through the Land Revision Act of 1891.
John-Sherman-2.jpg
John-Sherman-2.jpg
He also helped build a much stronger U.S. Navy.
USS Texas2.jpg
USS Texas2.jpg
Under his leadership, federal spending reached $1 billion for the first time.

Some of Harrison's big ideas were not successful. He tried to pass laws to protect voting rights for African Americans. He also wanted to provide federal money for education. These plans did not pass in Congress. Because of high spending and high taxes, people were unhappy. Grover Cleveland defeated him in the 1892 election. Harrison went back to his law practice in Indianapolis. He died at his home in 1901 from the flu.

Grave of President Benjamin Harrison and his two wives in Indianapolis, Indiana.jpg
Grave of President Benjamin Harrison and his two wives in Indianapolis, Indiana.jpg

437 words

Benjamin Harrison was the 23rd president of the United States.

Benjamin Harrison c1850.jpg
Benjamin Harrison c1850.jpg
He served in this role from 1889 to 1893. Harrison belonged to a very famous American family. His grandfather, William Henry Harrison, was the ninth president. His great-grandfather, Benjamin Harrison V, was a Founding Father who signed the Declaration of Independence. Although his family was distinguished, they were not wealthy. His father, John Scott Harrison, used much of his farm income to pay for his children's education.

After graduating from Miami University in 1852, Harrison studied law.

Harrison, Hon. B. Pres. Crop.jpg
Harrison, Hon. B. Pres. Crop.jpg
He married Caroline Scott in 1853, and they had two children, Russell and Mary. In 1854, the couple moved to Indianapolis, Indiana. Harrison began his professional life as a lawyer and a court crier. As a crier, he earned $2.50 per day. He also became a leader in the local Presbyterian church. He joined the Republican Party in 1856 and began a long career in politics.

When the American Civil War began, Harrison joined the Union Army. He first helped recruit a regiment in northern Indiana. He was commissioned as a captain and later became a colonel of the 70th Indiana.

General-Benjamin-Harrison-in-uniform,-1865.jpg
General-Benjamin-Harrison-in-uniform,-1865.jpg
During the Atlanta campaign, Harrison commanded a brigade. He was known as a strong leader who cared for his men. He often used the catchphrase, "Come on, boys!" to encourage them. In 1865, the U.S. Senate confirmed him as a brevet brigadier general.

In 1888, Harrison won the presidency by defeating the incumbent, Grover Cleveland.

ElectoralCollege1888.svg
ElectoralCollege1888.svg
This election was unique because Harrison won the Electoral College but lost the popular vote. His administration was marked by significant economic legislation. He supported the McKinley Tariff, which set high protective trade rates. He also signed the Sherman Antitrust Act to regulate business. These laws were meant to shape the American economy during a time of rapid change.

During his term, Harrison worked to protect natural resources and expand the nation.

John-Sherman-2.jpg
John-Sherman-2.jpg
He helped create national forest reserves through an amendment to the Land Revision Act of 1891. He also oversaw the admission of six western states into the Union. Harrison worked to modernize the U.S. Navy to make it more powerful.
USS Texas2.jpg
USS Texas2.jpg
Because of high revenues from tariffs, federal spending reached $1 billion for the first time. This large amount of money was a major milestone in U.S. history.

However, some of Harrison's most important goals were not achieved. He proposed laws to secure federal education funding. He also tried to pass laws to enforce voting rights for African Americans. These proposals were unsuccessful in Congress. Additionally, the high level of federal spending and high tariffs became unpopular. This led to the Republican Party losing the midterm elections in 1890. In 1892, Grover Cleveland defeated Harrison, making Harrison the first president to be succeeded by his predecessor.

After leaving the White House, Harrison returned to his law practice in Indianapolis.

Benjamin Harrison Home.jpg
Benjamin Harrison Home.jpg
In 1899, he even represented Venezuela in a boundary dispute with the United Kingdom in Paris. He eventually returned to Indiana, where he lived until his death in 1901. He died from complications caused by influenza.
Grave of President Benjamin Harrison and his two wives in Indianapolis, Indiana.jpg
Grave of President Benjamin Harrison and his two wives in Indianapolis, Indiana.jpg
While historians often rank him as an average president, many praise his integrity and his commitment to civil rights.

571 words
🖼️ Images & Media (26)
File:JSHarrison.jpg
JSHarrison.jpg
File:Benjamin Harrison c1850.jpg
Benjamin Harrison c1850.jpg
File:General Benjamin Harrison--"Come on boys!" - Battle of Resaca - May 13th to 16th 1864.jpg
General Benjamin Harrison--"Come on...
File:General-Benjamin-Harrison-in-uniform,-1865.jpg
General-Benjamin-Harrison-in-uniform,-1865.jpg
File:Battle of Resaca--May 13 to 16, 1864.jpg
Battle of Resaca--May 13 to 16, 1864.jpg
File:Benjamin Harrison Home.jpg
Benjamin Harrison Home.jpg
File:Walter Q. Gresham - Brady-Handy.jpg
Walter Q. Gresham - Brady-Handy.jpg
File:Harrison, Hon. B. Pres. Crop.jpg
Harrison, Hon. B. Pres. Crop.jpg
File:Harrison-Morton 1888.jpg
Harrison-Morton 1888.jpg
File:ElectoralCollege1888.svg
ElectoralCollege1888.svg
File:Harrison-inauguration (edit).jpg
Harrison-inauguration (edit).jpg
File:Puck cover 8 May 1889 President Harrison.jpg
Puck cover 8 May 1889 President Harrison.jpg

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