In 1896, Calvin Coolidge campaigned for Wiliam McKinley, a local Republican presidential candidate.
In 1898, he won election to the Northampton City Council, followed by the offices of city solicitor and clerk of courts.
Calvin Coolidge was admitted as a Progressive Republican to the Massachusetts House of Representatives in 1906.
He served as mayor of Northampton before returning to the state legislature, for which he served the senate.
During the 1914 election, Coolidge delivered a very popular speech titled, ‘Have Faith’, which summarized his viewpoint of the administration. His reputation slowly began to grow with his speeches and he was eventually elected as lieutenant governor and finally as governor in 1918.
The Boston Police Strike in 1919 put Calvin Coolidge on a pedestal and brought him national attention. During this time, many policemen went on a strike after the city’s police commissioner tried to block their unionization with the American Federation of Labor.
Coolidge took control of the situation and immediately involved the militia and brought back stability, which made him a favorite among the nation’s Conservatives and eventually laid the foundations for his presidential run in 1920.
Calvin Coolidge was nominated vice president in 1920, beating opponents James M. Cox and Franklin D. Roosevelt in a landslide.
Coolidge became the first vice president to attend cabinet meetings and official cotillions. He slowly earned the nickname, ‘Silent Cal’, because of his cool demeanor in public events.
In 1923, President Harding passed away during a summer trip to California after which, Coolidge was expected to address the Congress. He was sworn in as President on August 2, 1923 and gave his first presidential speech, which was broadcasted on the nation’s radio. His presidential agenda mirrored Harding’s schemas to a large extent and he even insisted that he should carry Harding’s presidency, at least until the next election.
While finishing Harding’s term, Coolidge signed the Immigration Act restricting immigration from many European countries.
Coolidge was nominated for presidency in 1924, but a personal tragedy which struck his family, made him too depressed for a full-fledge presidential campaign. However, he won the popular majority and was sworn in as President again.
Under his presidency, the country went through periods of rapid economic growth although many contemporaries criticized Coolidge and his laissez-faire ideology for the Great Depression. Even though he was a Conservative, he spoke in favor of civil rights such as the appointment of African-Americans to government positions and even supported anti-lynching laws. He was also responsible in granting full citizenship to all Native Americans.
In the summer of 1927, Coolidge issued a statement during a vacation saying that he did not want to return for a second term as President in the following year.
One of his best-known mechanisms was the initiation of the Kellogg-Briand Pact, which was an instrument of international policy. Even though it failed to achieve the intended result, it proved to be the founding norm for international laws post- World War II.
Calvin Coolidge married Grace Anna Goodhue, a teacher, on October 4, 1905. The couple had two sons, but one of them died due to sepsis.
He was believed to be a very reserved person and seldom interacted in public events.
He passed away of a heart attack on January 5, 1933. One of Calvin Coolidge’s speeches is memorialized in the Hall of Inscriptions in Vermont.
1872: Calvin Coolidge was born on July 4th.
1896: He campaigned for William McKinley, a Republican candidate.
1905: Coolidge married Grace Anna Goodhue, a teacher.
1906: He was admitted to the Massachusetts House of Representatives.
1918: Coolidge was elected as governor this year.
1919: He rose to fame during the Boston Police Strike due to his conduct.
1920: He was nominated as vice president.
1923: Coolidge was sworn in as President on August 2nd and chose to complete the former President's term.
1924: He ran for president and even though he lost his son this year, which made him very depressed, he won due to popular majority.
1927: He signed the Radio Act of 1927.