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Summary
- Early Life, Education, and Family
- Political Career, including Local political office (1898−1915), Lieutenant Governor and Governor of Massachusetts (1916−1921), Vice presidency (1921–1923), and Presidency (1923–1929)
- Post-presidency
- Death
Key Facts And Information
Let’s find out more about Calvin Coolidge!
Calvin Coolidge became the 30th President of the United States, serving from 1923 to 1929 following the death of President Warren G. Harding. He was born in Vermont, became a lawyer, and worked in local and state politics. As governor, he became famous for handling the 1919 Boston Police Strike. Called “Silent Cal” for his quiet demeanour, he favoured small government, low taxes, and business growth during the Roaring Twenties. After 1929, he lived quietly, stayed active in public work, and wrote about his ideas.
James Callaghan
Early Life, Education, and Family
- John Calvin Coolidge Jr. was born on 4 July 1872 in Plymouth Notch, Vermont. He was the eldest of two children of John Calvin Coolidge Sr. and Victoria Josephine Moor. Although his first name was John, he was called Calvin from childhood. The name Calvin was used in several generations of his family, in honour of John Calvin, the Protestant Reformer.
- His father was a farmer, storekeeper, and public servant. He held many local offices and served in both houses of the Vermont General Assembly. His mother died when he was 12, likely from tuberculosis, and his younger sister, Abigail, died at 15 from what was probably appendicitis. His father later remarried a local schoolteacher and lived to the age of 80.
- Coolidge went to the Black River Academy and then St. Johnsbury Academy. He then went to Amherst College in Massachusetts. There, he joined the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity and graduated with honours. At Amherst, he was influenced by his philosophy teacher, Charles Edward Garman, who taught him that people should serve others, be honest, and use wealth to help society.
- After college, his father encouraged him to move to Northampton, Massachusetts, to become a lawyer. He trained at the law firm Hammond & Field, learning from John C. Hammond and Henry P. Field. In 1897, he passed the Massachusetts bar exam and became a lawyer. In 1898, he opened his own law office using his savings and a small inheritance. He mostly did commercial law, helping businesses, and preferred to solve problems without going to court.
- In 1903, Coolidge met Grace Goodhue, who taught at the Clarke School for the Deaf in Northampton and had graduated from the University of Vermont. They married on 4 October 1905 in a small ceremony at Grace’s family home and went on a one-week honeymoon in Montreal. They had two sons, John and Calvin Jr. Tragically, in 1924, Calvin Jr. died at the age of 16 from blood poisoning (sepsis) after a blister on his toe became infected. Historians note that Coolidge suffered from depression after his son’s death.
Political Career of Calvin Coolidge
Summary of Coolidge’s Political Career
- 1898: Elected to the Northampton City Council in Massachusetts
- 1900–1905: Served in the Massachusetts House of Representatives
- 1907–1908: Served in the Massachusetts State Senate
- 1912–1915: Held the position of Mayor of Northampton
- 1916–1918: Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts
- 1919–1921: Governor of Massachusetts
- 1921–1923: Vice President of the United States under President Warren G. Harding
- 1923–1929: Became President after Harding’s death and was elected in his own right in 1924
Local political office (1898−1915)
- After starting his law practice in Northampton, Massachusetts, Coolidge became active in local politics. The Republican Party was very strong in New England, and Coolidge followed the example of his mentors, Hammond and Field, at the law firm. In 1896, he campaigned for Republican presidential candidate William McKinley, and in 1897 he joined the Republican City Committee.
- In 1898, Coolidge was elected to the Northampton City Council, coming second in a ward where the top three candidates won. The job did not pay a salary, but it gave him important experience in politics. In 1899, the council made him city solicitor, or town lawyer. He was elected for one-year terms in 1900 and 1901, which gave him more legal experience and a small salary.
- In 1902, a Democrat was chosen for city solicitor, so Coolidge returned to his private law practice. He also briefly worked as clerk of courts for the county, a well-paid job, but left after a year because he could not practise law while holding it. In 1904, he lost an election for the Northampton school board.
- In 1906, Coolidge was elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives. In his first term, he served on minor committees and usually voted with the party, but he supported progressive ideas, such as women’s right to vote and the direct election of Senators.
- Coolidge was reelected in 1907. After that, he ran for mayor of Northampton when the Democratic mayor retired. He won in 1910 and, as mayor, increased teachers’ salaries, reduced some city debt, and lowered taxes slightly. He was reelected in 1911 with a bigger margin.
- In 1912, Coolidge ran for the Massachusetts State Senate and won easily. As a senator, he led a committee to help solve the “Bread and Roses” strike in Lawrence, Massachusetts, successfully reaching an agreement between workers and the company.
- During this time, the Republican Party was split between progressives, who supported Theodore Roosevelt, and conservatives, who supported William Howard Taft. Coolidge stayed with the Republican Party and was reelected with a bigger majority.
- In 1914, Coolidge was elected President of the Massachusetts State Senate. He gave a famous speech called “Have Faith in Massachusetts”, saying people should work hard, serve others, protect the weak, and help businesses serve people.
Lieutenant Governor and Governor of Massachusetts (1916−1921)
- In 1915, Coolidge ran for Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts as the Republican candidate, alongside Samuel W. McCall, who was running for Governor. Both won their respective elections, but Coolidge's margin of victory was much narrower than 50,000 votes; the official tally was closer to 17,000.
- Coolidge began work as Lieutenant Governor in 1916. In Massachusetts, this role does not lead the state senate, but Coolidge still had important duties. He assisted the Governor, served on the Governor’s Council, and led the finance and pardons committees. Because the job was full-time, he stopped practising law. Coolidge and McCall were re-elected in 1916 and 1917. When McCall chose not to run again, Coolidge ran for Governor in 1918 and won the election by a small margin.
- Coolidge became Governor in 1919. His most important moment came during the Boston Police Strike of 1919. Many police officers went on strike, and crime increased in the city. He believed that public safety was more important than the strike. He sent in the state militia and took control of the police force. The striking officers were later replaced. A union leader criticised Coolidge, but he said that no one has the right to strike when public safety is in danger.
- In the 1919 election, he ran for Governor again and won by a much larger margin. As Governor, he kept government spending low. He supported extra pay for war veterans, shorter hours for women and children, and cut costs to lower the state’s debt.
Vice presidency (1921–1923)
- In 1920, the Republican Party gathered to pick its presidential and vice-presidential nominees. After multiple rounds of voting, party leaders chose Warren G. Harding for president, and Calvin Coolidge was later chosen as his running mate.
- The Republicans ran against the Democrats, who chose James M. Cox for president and Franklin D. Roosevelt for vice president. One major issue in the election was whether the United States should join the League of Nations. Harding campaigned quietly from his home, while Coolidge travelled to speak in New England, New York, and the southern states. The Republicans won the election by a large margin, gaining over 60 per cent of the vote. Coolidge became Vice President in 1921 and also served as President of the Senate.
- At this time, Coolidge became well known for his quiet nature and earned the nickname “Silent Cal.” While the Harding administration was later tainted by scandals, Coolidge was not involved. His calm, honest personality made him popular, and many people viewed him as serious, careful, and reliable.
Presidency (1923–1929)
- Coolidge became President on 3 August 1923 after President Harding died suddenly while on a trip in the western United States. At the time, Coolidge was staying at his family home in Vermont. A messenger brought the news late at night.
- Coolidge was sworn in at 2:47 a.m. in his family’s sitting room. His father, who was a notary public, gave him the oath of office. The next day, Coolidge travelled to Washington, D.C. and took the oath again to make sure everything was legally correct. When Congress met again in December 1923, Coolidge gave a speech saying he would continue many of Harding’s policies.
- Coolidge served until 1929, leading the United States during a period of economic growth known as the Roaring Twenties. He believed in small government, low taxes, and limited interference in business. He also focused on maintaining law and order, enforcing existing laws, and reducing federal spending.
Coolidge's cabinet in 1924, outside the White House
Domestic policies
- Cut taxes for businesses and wealthy people.
- Kept government spending low and reduced national debt.
- Supported businesses and reduced rules for companies.
- Declined to use federal authority to support struggling farmers and certain industries.
- Removed corrupt officials and allowed investigations of scandals.
- Restricted immigration from Southern and Eastern Europe, as well as from Asia.
- Enforced Prohibition, even though he did not like it.
- Avoided involvement in labour disputes and limited union power.
- Spoke against lynching and supported equal rights, but few laws changed.
- Gave citizenship to all Native Americans in 1924.
- Supported a law to limit child labour, but it was not approved.
- In foreign affairs, he preferred careful diplomacy over deep involvement in international conflicts. He avoided alliances that could entangle the US, supported agreements to reduce military forces, and promoted trade and financial stability with other countries. His foreign policy aimed to protect American interests while keeping the country out of unnecessary wars.
Foreign policies
- Avoided joining the League of Nations.
- Supported the Kellogg–Briand Pact to prevent war.
- Helped Germany repay war debts through the Dawes Plan.
- Improved relations between European countries.
- Reduced US military involvement in Latin America.
- Visited Cuba as the first sitting US president to do so.
- Supported limits on military spending and naval arms.
- Recognised the Mexican government and encouraged cooperation.
- Relations with Japan worsened after immigration limits.
- The house became a National Historic Landmark in 1965, and a visitors’ centre and museum opened in 1972, later expanded in 2010 as the President Calvin Coolidge Museum and Education Center. In 1976, Coolidge’s home in Northampton, Massachusetts, was added to the National Register of Historic Places, and the Calvin Coolidge Presidential Library and Museum was created from his donated items and the Memorial Room established by his wife, Grace.
Post-presidency
- After leaving the presidency in 1929, Coolidge retired to his home in Northampton, Massachusetts, called “The Beeches.” He led the Non-Partisan Railroad Commission, which looked at the country’s transport needs and gave suggestions. He was also honourary president of the American Foundation for the Blind, a director at New York Life Insurance, president of the American Antiquarian Society, and a trustee at Amherst College.
- Coolidge wrote his autobiography in 1929 and a newspaper column called “Calvin Coolidge Says” from 1930 to 1931, sharing his thoughts on government, business, and society. In the 1932 election, some Republicans wanted him to run instead of Herbert Hoover, but he refused and said he would reject any attempt. He did make a few radio speeches supporting Hoover, who lost badly to Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Death of Calvin Coolidge
- Coolidge died suddenly of a heart attack, known as coronary thrombosis, at his home, The Beeches, in Northampton, Massachusetts, on 5 January 1933, at 12:45 p.m. He was 60 years old.
- His funeral was held at Edwards Congregational Church in Northampton and was attended by many prominent figures, including President Hoover, Vice President Curtis, Chief Justice Charles Hughes, Secretary of War Henry Stimson, and all the New England governors. To honour Coolidge, President Hoover had flags flown at half-staff for 30 days, arranged military and naval honours on the day of the funeral, and delivered a special message to Congress announcing his death.
- Coolidge was buried in Plymouth Notch, Vermont, where his family home and nearby buildings became the Calvin Coolidge Homestead District. His boyhood home was donated to the state in 1956, and the Calvin Coolidge Memorial Foundation was founded in 1960 to preserve his legacy, with support from figures like Kennedy, Hoover, Truman, and Eisenhower.
- The house became a National Historic Landmark in 1965, and a visitors’ centre and museum opened in 1972, later expanded in 2010 as the President Calvin Coolidge Museum and Education Center. In 1976, Coolidge’s home in Northampton, Massachusetts, was added to the National Register of Historic Places, and the Calvin Coolidge Presidential Library and Museum was created from his donated items and the Memorial Room established by his wife, Grace.
Image Sources
- https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/49/President_Calvin_Coolidge%2C_1924_portrait_photograph_%283x4_cropped%29.jpeg/500px-President_Calvin_Coolidge%2C_1924_portrait_photograph_%283x4_cropped%29.jpeg
- https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ca/Coolidge_Cabinet.jpg/1280px-Coolidge_Cabinet.jpg
Frequently Asked Questions About Calvin Coolidge
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Who was Calvin Coolidge?Calvin Coolidge was the 30th president of the United States, serving from 1923 to 1929.
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What was Calvin Coolidge known for?He was known for his quiet personality, limited-government beliefs, and support of business growth during the 1920s.
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What were the major achievements of Coolidge’s presidency?His presidency was marked by economic prosperity, tax cuts, and reduced government spending.