McKinley at Home, Canton, Ohio facts for kids

McKinley at Home, Canton, Ohio is an old silent film from 1896. It's also known as William McKinley at Canton, Ohio. This film shows a reenactment of a big moment for William McKinley. He was a politician who later became the President of the United States.

The movie shows him getting the news that he was chosen by the Republican Party to run for President. This happened in September 1896. The actual event had taken place a few weeks earlier, but filming it live was tricky back then!

About the Film

This film is a peek into how movies were made over 125 years ago. It's a very early example of a film showing a real-life event.

What the Film Shows

The film shows William McKinley coming out of his house. He is there to meet his secretary, George Cortelyou. Cortelyou is bringing him the important news about his presidential nomination.

You can also see McKinley's wife, Ida, sitting on their porch in a rocking chair. After hearing the news, McKinley takes off his hat and wipes his forehead with a handkerchief. It's a small moment, but it helps tell the story.

How it Was Made

This film was made by a team of two people. They worked for a company called American Mutoscope and Biograph Company. This company was one of the first to make movies.

They used a special type of film that was 68 millimeters wide. This was quite large for the time. The film itself was about 60 meters long.

Interestingly, some important people had invested in this film company. William McKinley's brother, Abner, was a stockholder. Even a former US president, Benjamin Harrison, had invested in the company!

Who Was William McKinley?

William McKinley was an important American politician. He was born in 1843 and served in the US House of Representatives. He also became the Governor of Ohio.

In 1896, he ran for President of the United States and won! He served as president from 1897 until he was sadly assassinated in 1901. This film shows a key moment on his path to the presidency.

Silent Films in the 1890s

In the 1890s, movies were very new. They were called "silent films" because they didn't have recorded sound like movies today. Instead, they often had live music played in the theater. Sometimes, text cards called "intertitles" would pop up on screen to explain what was happening or what characters were saying.

These early films were usually very short, often just a few minutes long. They were shown in special viewing machines or in early movie theaters. McKinley at Home, Canton, Ohio is a great example of these first films. It shows how filmmakers tried to capture real events, even if they had to reenact them.