William Henry Harrison — Biography Reading Comprehension Lesson

Reading Passage

William Henry Harrison

William Henry Harrison was born on February 9, 1773, at Berkeley Plantation in Charles City County, Virginia, into one of the most prominent families in colonial Virginia. His father, Benjamin Harrison V, was a signer of the Declaration of Independence and later Governor of Virginia. William was educated at home and briefly studied medicine at the University of Pennsylvania before dropping out to join the U.S. Army in 1791. He served under General Anthony Wayne and fought in the Battle of Fallen Timbers (1794), a decisive American victory over a confederation of Native American tribes that opened the Northwest Territory to settlement.

Harrison rose quickly through military and political ranks. He was appointed the first governor of Indiana Territory in 1800, a position he held for twelve years. As governor, he negotiated numerous treaties with Native American tribes, acquiring millions of acres of land — often under questionable circumstances — for the United States. His most famous military engagement came at the Battle of Tippecanoe in November 1811, when he led U.S. forces against warriors of the Shawnee leader Tecumseh’s confederacy near the Tippecanoe River in what is now Indiana. The American victory broke the confederacy’s power and made Harrison a national hero.

During the War of 1812, Harrison was appointed commander of the Army of the Northwest. He won a decisive victory at the Battle of the Thames in October 1813, during which the great Shawnee leader Tecumseh was killed. The victory secured the northwest frontier for the United States. Harrison left the military and served in Congress and as a diplomat before attempting a presidential run in 1836, which he lost to Martin Van Buren. He tried again in 1840 with running mate John Tyler, under the famous slogan ‘Tippecanoe and Tyler Too’ — one of the most memorable campaign slogans in American history. He won by a wide margin.

Harrison’s inauguration on March 4, 1841, was a disaster waiting to happen. Eager to prove his vigor at age 68, he delivered the longest inaugural address in U.S. history — nearly two hours — on a cold, wet day, without a hat or coat. He developed a cold that progressed to pneumonia and pleurisy. Despite the best medical care available at the time — which included bloodletting and opium, treatments that likely made things worse — Harrison never recovered. He died on April 4, 1841, exactly one month after taking office.

William Henry Harrison served the shortest term of any U.S. president — just 31 days. His death set an important constitutional precedent: Vice President John Tyler assumed the full powers and title of President, establishing that the vice president fully succeeds to the presidency rather than serving as a caretaker. This precedent was not formally codified until the 25th Amendment in 1967. Harrison is remembered today primarily as a footnote of presidential history — but his death at the very start of his term had lasting consequences for how the United States handles presidential succession.

Printable Worksheet

More Reading Worksheets

Explore our full library of biography and reading comprehension worksheets.