covered year-round with snow and huge
glaciers.
The Athapaskan Indians who lived in
the region called the mountain Denali,
meaning “the high one.” In 1889 it was
named Densmores Peak after Frank
Densmore, an explorer. The mountain
was renamed Mount McKinley in 1896
A market in Mbabane overflows with local
crafts and artwork.
BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA McKinley, Mount 85
to honor William McKinley, who was
elected president of the United States
later that year. Climbers first reached the
northern peak in 1910 and the southern
peak in 1913. Mount McKinley is part
of Denali National Park and Preserve.
#More to explore
Alaska • Glacier • Mountain
McKinley,
William
The 25th president,William McKinley
helped make the United States into a
world power. After a war with Spain, the
United States controlled an empire
stretching from the Caribbean Sea to the
Far East.
Early Life
William McKinley was born on January
29, 1843, in Niles, Ohio. He attended
college for a few months, taught school,
and worked in a post office. During
1861–65 McKinley fought in the
American CivilWar.
After the war McKinley studied law.
McKinley married Ida Saxton in 1871.
The couple had two children, but they
both died.
Political Career
In 1876 McKinley was elected to the
U.S. House of Representatives. He
served for six terms. From 1892 to 1896
McKinley was the governor of Ohio.
In 1896 the Republican Party chose
McKinley to run for president. After
defeating his opponent,William Jennings
Bryan, McKinley became president
on March 4, 1897.
Presidency
During McKinley’s presidency many
people wanted the United States to help
Cuba gain independence from Spain.
Congress declared war in April 1898.
The United States easily defeated the
Spanish forces in a few months. The
Mount McKinley rises high above Denali
National Park in Alaska.
William McKinley was the 25th president of
the United States.
86 McKinley, William BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA
Spanish-AmericanWar ended with a
treaty that gave Puerto Rico, Guam, and
the Philippines to the United States.
Cuba became independent.
The successful war and a good economy
made McKinley very popular. He won
reelection in 1900. Theodore Roosevelt
became vice president. (McKinley’s first
vice president, Garret A. Hobart, had
died.) During McKinley’s second term,
he proposed trade agreements with other
countries to lower the taxes charged on
each other’s goods.
Assassination
In 1901 McKinley attended the Pan-
American Exposition in Buffalo, New
York. While the president was meeting
with the public, a man in the crowd shot
him in the chest and stomach. The
shooter was an anarchist—a person who
believes that all government is unnecessary.
McKinley was rushed to a nearby
hospital, but doctors could not save
him. The president died eight days later,
on September 14, 1901.
#More to explore
Roosevelt, Theodore • Spanish-
AmericanWar • United States
Measles
Measles is a disease that is caused by a
germ called a virus. Children get
measles most often, but adults can get
it, too. Adults tend to have more severe
cases.
Measles spreads very easily from person
to person. When a person with measles
coughs or sneezes, the virus spreads into
the air. People who breathe in the virus
are infected.
The first symptoms, or signs, of measles
appear about 10 days after a person is
infected with the virus. At first measles
is like a severe cold. The infected person
January 29, April 25,
1843 1876 1892 1896 1898 1900 1901
McKinley
is born in
Niles, Ohio.
McKinley is
elected to the
U.S. House of
Representatives.
McKinley
becomes
governor of
Ohio.
McKinley is
elected
president.
Congress
declares war
on Spain.
McKinley is
reelected.
McKinley is
killed; Theodore
Roosevelt
becomes
president.
T I M E L I N E
BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Measles 87
has a runny nose, a fever, and red,
watery eyes. Then bluish white spots
appear on the insides of the cheeks. The
fever gets higher, and a red rash appears
on the face and behind the ears. The
rash then spreads to the rest of the body.
Measles usually goes away after a few
days. In some people, however, it can
lead to more serious health problems.
These include pneumonia and encephalitis,
or swelling of the brain.
There is no drug to fight measles. A
person with the disease must get plenty
of rest and drink a lot of fluids. People
can prevent measles by getting a shot of
a substance called a vaccine. The vaccine
protects the body from the measles
virus.
#More to explore
Vaccine • Virus
Measurement
Length, volume, and weight are
examples of measurements. People use
measurements every day at home, at
work, and in school.
In order to be accurate, all measurements
must make a comparison with
something called a standard. A standard
is a quantity, or amount, that everyone
agrees on. For example, everyone agrees
that 1 pound is a certain amount of
weight. So, 2 pounds equal twice that
amount, 3 pounds equal three times that
amount, and so on. There are different
standards for measuring length, volume,
area, and many other things.
Units are the names used for different
standards. For example, a pound is a
Before the late 1960s, nearly
every child got measles.
