Historic Figures
WITH THE NAME HARRISON
William Henry Harrison was America’s ninth president, serving for only one month from March 4 to his death on April 4, 1841. Harrison made a name for himself as the hero of the Battle of Tippecanoe against Native American Indians who fought against American expansion within the Indiana Territory (um, can you blame them?). Well, back then Harrison was highly regarded for his actions and ran his campaign on the famous "Tippecanoe and Tyler, too" slogan. Harrison also has two other distinctions: he was the last President born a British subject and he was the first President to die in office. Ironically, Harrison contracted pneumonia during his two hour long inaugural address on a cold January winter's day (his First Lady Anna was not in attendance). William is a name of Germanic origins and means "valiant protector" (he should have protected himself from that cold!) Harrison is also a fairly commonly used male given name in America.
Benjamin Harrison was the 23rd President of the United States. A Republican, he served between 1889 and 1893. He won the presidency through the electoral vote (Grover Cleveland had won the popular vote). Known as the "money president," Harrison is most remembered for enacting the McKinley Tariff which intended to protect the American worker and corporations by levying a high tax on foreign imports. This backfired, as consumer goods skyrocketed when foreign countries refused to export goods to the U.S. and American companies formed monopolies. The voters rebelled, and Harrison was a one-term president. A Civil War veteran himself, Harrison also instituted a Pension for vets that nearly bankrupted the country. Harrison was also the grandson of the 9th U.S. President, William Henry Harrison. While not considered one of the more distinguished Presidents, historians are taking a second look. Particularly at Benjamin Harrison's foreign policies and his fearlessness and activism in international affairs that ultimately would inspire Theodore Roosevelt.
William Harrison was the 9th President of the United States, the last President to be born a British subject, the oldest President to be elected at age 68 (until Ronald Reagan), the President with the shortest term (one month) and the first to die in office. Elected in 1840, Harrison’s campaigned under the slogan “Tippecanoe & Tyler, too!†to remind Americans of his military prowess against American Indians in the Battle of Tippecanoe (1811). He is also noted for having the longest inaugural speech in history (over two hours!). Standing out in that east-coast cold January weather for so long at his inauguration ironically led to Harrison contracting pneumonia - he would die 32 days later. It was the first time in American history that Presidential Succession was put into force, and Vice President John Tyler would assume the office.
Benjamin Harrison was the 23rd President of the United States. A Republican, he served between 1889 and 1893. He won the presidency through the electoral vote (Grover Cleveland had won the popular vote). Known as the "money president," Harrison is most remembered for enacting the McKinley Tariff which intended to protect the American worker and corporations by levying a high tax on foreign imports. This backfired, as consumer goods skyrocketed when foreign countries refused to export goods to the U.S. and American companies formed monopolies. The voters rebelled, and Harrison was a one-term president. A Civil War veteran himself, Harrison also instituted a Pension for vets that nearly bankrupted the country. Harrison was also the grandson of the 9th U.S. President, William Henry Harrison. While not considered one of the more distinguished Presidents, historians are taking a second look. Particularly at Benjamin Harrison's foreign policies and his fearlessness and activism in international affairs that ultimately would inspire Theodore Roosevelt.
