Facts about Calvin Coolidge
Calvin Coolidge Biography
Famed for his taciturn New England attitude and no-nonsense approach to governance, Calvin Coolidge was president of the United States from 1923-1929.
Born in Vermont, Calvin Coolidge settled in Massachusetts and there rose through the ranks of city and state government. A Republican, he served as Mayor of Northampton (1910-12), a member of the State Senate (1912-15); Lieutenant Governor (1916-1919), and finally as Governor (1919-21). As governor, Coolidge gained national attention for settling the Boston police strike in 1919.
Coolidge was nominated for U.S. vice president on a ticket with Warren G. Harding in the elections of 1920. They won, defeating the Democratic ticket of James Cox and Franklin D. Roosevelt. When Harding died in office in 1923, Coolidge became America’s 30th president.
Coolidge kept a low profile in the White House. A man of few words, he became known as “Silent Cal” to newspaper pundits. A classic pro-commerce Republican, he was also known for saying that “the business of America is business.” Coolidge was re-elected as president in 1924, but declined to run for re-election in 1928. He was succeeded by fellow Republican Herbert Hoover.
Extra credit
Calvin Coolidge married the former Grace Goodhue in 1905. They had two sons: John (1906–2000) and Calvin Jr. (1908–1924). Calvin Jr. died while Coolidge was president; he developed sepsis from a blister he got playing tennis on the White House courts… Calvin Coolidge and Chester A. Arthur are the only two presidents to have been born in Vermont… After he heard of Harding’s death, Calvin Coolidge was sworn in at the family homestead in Vermont at 2:47 a.m., by his father, a notary public… Calvin Coolidge announced his decision not to seek another term by releasing a simple statement to the press: “”I do not choose to run for president in 1928″… Calvin Coolidge had a reputation as a man of few words. Upon hearing the news of his death, Dorothy Parker quipped, “How can they tell?”
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Something in Common with Calvin Coolidge
4 Good Links
- A good starter introduction from the home of the current U.S. president
- The usual reliable and brief report from the Internet Public Library
- Lengthy essay on Coolidge's character, archived from Yankee magazine
- It's a little boring, but it was the first one ever broadcast on radio