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William McKinley was the 25th president of the United States, serving from 1897 until his assassination in 1901. Born in 1843 in Niles, Ohio, McKinley studied law and served in the Union Army during the Civil War. He later became a congressman and then governor of Ohio before winning the presidency in 1896. McKinley's time in office was marked by economic prosperity and the Spanish-American War. He was known for his support of protective tariffs and a strong national defense. McKinley was tragically assassinated in 1901 by an anarchist.