Since this is a historical day for the United States and Barack Obama, I thought I would post a little fact sheet and history about our Presidents. This will include anyone who served as well as the years, Vice Presidents, and parties they represented. But here's a little information about the position as well as the qualifications it takes to be in that position.
Brief overview of the position
The President of the United States is elected to serve a four-year term which is determined by an Electoral College. The President is the Commander in Chief of the U.S. Armed Forces as well as head of state and government in the nation. They can sign new laws into a effect or veto them from Congress. They can also create a cabinet of advisers as well as issue pardons or reprieves. The "checks and balances" system within the Constitution prevents the President from total power over the federal government. The 22nd Amendment of the U.S. Constitution was ratified in 1951 which doesn't allow anyone to serve as President more than twice or more than two terms.
Qualifications to be President of the United States:
-A person must be a natural-born citizen in the U.S.
-A person must be at least 35 years old.
-A person must have been a U.S. resident for a minimum of 14 years.
Origin
The Continental Congress was adopted in 1777, but problems existed immediately after drawing up the Articles of the Federation. They had financially instability and no way to ensure that the resolutions were to be enforced. The system was designed to prevent anyone from taking total control of a government much like other countries had done before. Economic problems existed after the Revolutionary War which resulted in several states not cooperating under the system as well as those not being able to use the government to pay off outstanding debts. They eventually convened to change the Articles, but they discussed a new system instead. What we now know as the U.S. Constitution began to take shape.
The President of the United States in Congress Assembled was shortened to The President of the United States during the American Revolution. They were over the Continental Congress during the American Revolution, but had little executive power in general. Finally in 1788, the U.S. Constitution was ratified which created an executive branch of power for the President. The judicial and legislative branches of the federal government uses the "checks and balances" system to solve political issues as well as prevent the President from having total authority over the nation. George Washington became the nation's first President by unanimous vote in 1789, and took the oath of office on April 30, 1789.
Now, here's a list of the 44 Presidents of who have served in office. The list includes Vice Presidents, years served, and party they represented.
Key:
*1- died of natural causes
*2- Assassinated
*3- Resigned from position
*4- Ran on Whig party, but was expelled by leaders during term in 1841.
*5- Lincoln was Republican and Johnson was Democratic as they represented the National Union party in the 1864 election.
#- Indicates position was vacated temporarily or during an entire term. Most of the time, the position was vacated due to the Vice President assuming the role of President. Numbered terms in these cases are noted.
1. George Washington
Birthday: February 22, 1732 in Westmoreland County, Colony of Virginia, British America
Death: December 14, 1799 in Mount Vernon, Virginia.
Vice President: John Adams
Party: None
First day in office: April 30, 1789
Last day in office: March 4, 1797
2. John Adams
Birthday: October 30, 1735 in Quincy, Massachusetts, British America
Death: July 4, 1826 in Quincy, Massachusetts
Vice President: Thomas Jefferson
Party: Federalist
First day in office: March 4, 1797
Last day in office: March 4, 1801
3. Thomas Jefferson
Birthday: April 13, 1743 in Shadwell, Virginia, British America
Death: July 4, 1826 in Charlottesville, Virginia
Vice President: Aaron Burr(1st term) & George Clinton(2nd term)
Party: Democratic-Republican
First day in office: March 4, 1801
Last day in office: March 4, 1809
4. James Madison
Birthday: March 16, 1751 in Port Conway, Virginia, British America
Death: June 28, 1836 in Montpelier, Virginia
Vice President: *1#-George Clinton(1st term) & *1#-Elbridge Gerry(2nd term)
Party: Democratic-Republican
First day in office: March 4, 1809
Last day in office: March 4, 1817
5. James Monroe
Birthday: April 28, 1758 in Westmoreland County, Virginia, British America
Death: July 4, 1831 in Albany, New York
Vice President: Daniel D. Thompkins
Party: Democratic-Republican
First day in office: March 4, 1817
Last day in office: March 4, 1825
6. John Q. Adams
Birthday: July 11, 1767 in Braintree, Massachusetts, British America
Death: February 23, 1848
Vice President: John C. Calhoun
Party: Democratic-Republican
First day in office: March 4, 1825
Last day in office: March 4, 1829
7. Andrew Jackson
Birthday: March 15, 1767 in Waxhaws area in South Carolina
Death: June 8, 1845 in Nashville, Tennessee
Vice President: *1#-John C. Calhoun(1st term) & Martin Van Buren(2nd term)
Party: Democratic
First day in office: March 4, 1829
Last day in office: March 4, 1837
8. Martin Van Buren
Birthday: December 5, 1782 in Kinderhook, New York
Death: July 24, 1862 in Kinderhook, New York
Vice President: Richard Mentor Johnson
Party: Democratic
First day in office: March 4, 1837
Last day in office: March 4, 1841
9. William Henry Harrison
Birthday: February 9, 1773 in Charles City County, Virginia, British America
Death: April 4, 1841 in Washington D.C.
Vice President: John Tyler
Party: Whig
First day in office: March 4, 1841
Last day in office: *1-April 4, 1841
10. John Tyler
Birthday: March 29, 1790 in Charles County, Virginia
Death: January 18, 1862 in Richmond, Virginia
Vice President: None
Party: *4-Whig/None
First day in office: April 4, 1841
Last day in office: March 4, 1845
11. James K. Polk
Birthday: November 2, 1795 in Pineville, North Carolina
Death: June 15, 1849 in Nashville, Tennessee
Vice President: George M. Dallas
Party: Democratic
First day in office: March 4, 1845
Last day in office: March 4, 1849
12. Zachary Taylor
Birthday: November 24, 1784 in Orange County, Virginia
Death: July 9, 1850
Vice President: Millard Filmore
Party: Whig
First day in office: March 4, 1849
Last day in office: *1-July 9, 1950
13. Millard Filmore
Birthday: January 7, 1800 in Summerhill, New York
Death: March 8, 1874 in Buffalo, New York
Vice President: None
Party: Whig
First day in office: July 9, 1850
Last day in office: March 4, 1853
14. Franklin Pierce
Birthday: November 23, 1804 in Hillsborough, New Hampshire
Death: October 8, 1869 in Concord, New Hampshire
Vice President: *1#-William R. King
Party: Democratic
First day in office: March 4, 1853
Last day in office: March 4, 1857
15. James Buchanan
Birthday: April 23, 1791 in Mercersburg, Pennsylvania
Death: June 1, 1868 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Vice President: John C. Breckinridge
Party: Democratic
First day in office: March 4, 1857
Last day in office: March 4, 1861
16. Abraham Lincoln
Birthday: February 12, 1809 in Hardin, Kentucky
Death: April 15, 1865 in Washington, D.C.
Vice President: Hannibal Hamlin(1st term) & Andrew Johnson(2nd term)
Party: *5-Republican/National Union
First day in office: March 4, 1861
Last day in office: *2-April 15, 1865
17. Andrew Johnson
Birthday: December 29, 1808 in Raleigh, North Carolina
Death: July 31, 1875 in Elizabethton, Tennessee
Vice President: None
Party: *5-Democratic/National Union
First day in office: April 15, 1865
Last day in office: March 4, 1869
18. Ulysses S. Grant
Birthday: April 27, 1822 in Point Pleasant, Ohio
Death: July 23, 1885 in Mount Gregor, New York
Vice President: Schuyler Coulfax(1st term) & *1-Henry Wilson(2nd term)
Party: Republican
First day in office: March 4, 1869
Last day in office: March 4, 1877
19. Rutherford B. Hayes
Birthday: October 4, 1822 in Delaware, Ohio
Death: January 17, 1893 in Fremont, Ohio
Vice President: William A. Wheeler
Party: Republican
First day in office: March 4, 1877
Last day in office: March 4, 1881
20. James A. Garfield
Birthday: November 19, 1831 in Moreland Hills, Ohio
Death: September 19, 1881 in Elberon, New Jersey
Vice President: Chester A. Authur
Party: Republican
First day in office: March 4, 1881
Last day in office: *2-September 19, 1881
21. Chester A. Authur
Birthday: October 5, 1829 in Fairfield, Vermont
Death: November 18, 1866 in New York, New York
Vice President: None
Party: Republican
First day in office: September 19, 1881
Last day in office: March 4, 1885
22. Grover Cleveland
Birthday: March 18, 1837 in Caldwell, New Jersey
Death: June 24, 1908 in Princeton, Virginia
Vice President: *1-Thomas A. Hendricks
Party: Democratic
First day in office: March 4, 1885
Last day in office: March 4, 1889
23. Benjamin Harrison
Birthday: August 20, 1833 in North Bend, Ohio
Death: March 13, 1901 in Indianapolis, Indiana
Vice President: Levi P. Morton
Party: Republican
First day in office: March 4, 1889
Last day in office: March 4, 1893
24. Grover Cleveland
Vice President: Adlai E. Stevenson
Party: Democratic
First day in office: March 4, 1893
Last day in office: March 4, 1897
25. William McKinley
Birthday: January 29, 1843 in Niles, Ohio
Death: September 14, 1901 in Buffalo, New York
Vice President: *1-Garret Hobart(1st term) & Theodore Roosevelt(2nd term)
Party: Republican
First day in office: March 4, 1897
Last day in office: *2-September 14, 1901
26. Theodore Roosevelt
Birthday: October 27, 1858 in New York, New York
Death: January 6, 1919 in Oyster Bay, New York
Vice President: #-Charles W. Fairbanks(2nd term)
Party: Republican
First day in office: September 14, 1901
Last day in office: March 4, 1909
27. William Howard Taft
Birthday: September 15, 1857 in Cincinnati, Ohio
Death: March 8, 1930 in Washington D.C.
Vice President: *1#-James S. Sherman
Party: Republican
First day in office: March 4, 1909
Last day in office: March 4, 1913
28. Woodrow Wilson
Birthday: December 28, 1856 in Staunton, Virginia
Death: February 23, 1924 in Washington D.C.
Vice President: Thomas R. Marshall
Party: Democratic
First day in office: March 4, 1913
Last day in office: March 4, 1921
29. Warren G. Harding
Birthday: November 2, 1865
Death: August 2, 1923 in San Francisco, California
Vice President: Calvin Coolidge
Party: Republican
First day in office: March 4, 1921
Last day in office: *1-August 2, 1923
30. Calvin Coolidge
Birthday: July 4, 1872 in Plymouth, Vermont
Death: January 5, 1933 in Northampton, Virginia
Vice President: #-Charles G. Dawes(2nd term)
Party: Republican
First day in office: August 2, 1923
Last day in office: March 4, 1929
31. Herbert Hoover
Birthday: August 10, 1874 in West Branch, Iowa
Death: October 20, 1964 in New York, New York
Vice President: Charles Curtis
Party: Republican
First day in office: March 4, 1929
Last day in office: March 4, 1933
32. Franklin D. Roosevelt
Birthday: January 30, 1882 in Hyde Park, New York
Death: April 12, 1945 in Warm Springs, Georgia
Vice President: John Nance Garner(1st & 2nd term), Henry A. Wallace(3rd term), Harry S. Truman(4th term)
Party: Democratic
First day in office: March 4, 1933
Last day in office: *1-April 12, 1945
33. Harry S. Truman
Birthday: May 8, 1884 in Lamar, Missouri
Death: December 26, 1972 in Kansas City, Missouri
Vice President: #-Alben W. Barkley(2nd term)
Party: Democratic
First day in office: April 12, 1945
Last day in office: January 20, 1953
34. Dwight D. Eisenhower
Birthday: October 14, 1890 in Denison, Texas
Death: March 28, 1969 in Washington D.C.
Vice President: Richard Nixon
Party: Republican
First day in office: January 20, 1953
Last day in office: January 20, 1961
35. John F. Kennedy
Birthday: May 29, 1917 in Brookline, Massachusetts
Death: November 22, 1963 in Dallas, Texas
Vice President: Lyndon B. Johnson
Party: Democratic
First day in office: January 20, 1961
Last day in office: *2-November 22, 1963
36. Lyndon B. Johnson
Birthday: August 27, 1908 in Stonewall, Texas
Death: January 22, 1973 in Stonewall, Texas
Vice President: #-Hubert Humphrey(2nd term)
Party: Democratic
First day in office: November 22, 1963
Last day in office: January 20, 1969
37. Richard Nixon
Birthday: January 9, 1913 in Yorba Linda, California
Death: April 22, 1994 in New York, New York
Vice President: *3#-Spiro Agnew(1st term) & Gerald Ford(2nd term)
Party: Republican
First day in office: January 20, 1969
Last day in office: *3-August 9, 1974
38. Gerald Ford
Birthday: July 14, 1913 in Omaha, Nebraska
Death: December 26, 2006 in Rancho Mirage, California
Vice President: #-Nelson Rockefeller
Party: Republican
First day in office: August 9, 1974
Last day in office: January 20, 1977
39. Jimmy Carter
Birthday: October 1, 1924 in Plains, Georgia
Vice President: Walter Mondale
Party: Democratic
First day in office: January 20, 1977
Last day in office: January 20, 1981
40. Ronald Reagan
Birthday: February 6, 1911 in Tampico, Illinois
Death: June 5, 2004 in Bel Air, California
Vice President: George H.W. Bush
Party: Republican
First day in office: January 20, 1981
Last day in office: January 20, 1989
41. George H.W. Bush
Birthday: June 12, 1924 in Milton, Massachusetts
Vice President: Dan Quayle
Party: Republican
First day in office: January 20, 1989
Last day in office: January 20, 1993
42. Bill Clinton
Birthday: August 19, 1946 in Hope, Arkansas
Vice President: Al Gore
Party: Democratic
First day in office: January 20, 1993
Last day in office: January 20, 2001
43. George W. Bush
Birthday: June 6, 1946 in New Haven, Connecticut
Vice President: Dick Cheney
Party: Republican
First day in office: January 20, 2001
Last day in office: January 20, 2009
44. Barack Obama
Birthday: August 4, 1961 in Honolulu, Hawaii
Vice President: Joe Biden
Party: Democratic
First day in office: January 20, 2009
U.S. President facts & numbers
-Number of elections: 56
-Numbers of Presidents in office by party: Republican 18, Democratic 16, Democratic-Republican 4, Whig 4, Federalist 1, No party 1
-Youngest President to take office: Theodore Roosevelt(42 years old)
-Oldest President to take office: Ronald Reagan(69 years, 347 days)
-Longest tenure as President: Franklin D. Roosevelt(12 years, 42 days)
-Shortest tenure as President: William H. Harrison(31 days)
-Longest lived President: Gerald Ford(93 years old)
-43 different U.S. Presidents have taken office in 56 elections/terms. Grover Cleveland is counted twice and is the only to serve two non-consecutive terms.
-Every President who has been in office has had prior experience as either a Congressman, Governor, Cabinet Secretary, Senator, General in the U.S. Army, or as Vice President.
-31 of the 43 Presidents served in the military at one point in their lives.
-Currently, 14 Presidents have held the title of Vice President before taking office.
-John Adams and Thomas Jefferson died on the same day in 1826. Adams' last words were "Jefferson". Jefferson died just hours before Adams.
-Martin Van Buren was the first President not of British descent. Buren was of Dutch descent, and grew up speaking that language.
-Thomas Jefferson and Martin Van Buren are the only Presidents to have served as Secretary of State, Vice President, and President of the United States.
-Franklin D. Roosevelt is the only President to serve more than two terms, and was elected four times. As noted above, this was ratified in 1951 to prevent anyone from being elected more than twice.
-Five Presidents were sworn in on succession and not election: John Tyler, Millard Filmore, Andrew Johnson, Chester Authur, and Gerald Ford. Ford is the only one not to win a national election as President.
-Gerald Ford's birth name was Leslie Lynch King, Jr. He's the only President to have legally changed his birth name before taking office.
-Out of the 56 total terms, nine of them went unfinished by the President elected to serve.
-Richard Nixon is the only President to resign his position after the Watergate Scandal.
-Eight different Presidents died while serving in office: William H. Harrison, Zachary Taylor, Abraham Lincoln, James A. Garfield, William McKinley, Warren G. Harding, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and John F. Kennedy.
-Four Presidents were assassinated: Abraham Lincoln, James A. Garfield, William McKinley, and John F. Kennedy.
Charli Henley added this in....
"Historically, most presidents' inaugural speeches include the word "I" about 15 times. Teddy Roosevelt is the only president not to have used the word at all in his speech. Obama only used it three times - opting for "we" most of the time."
A Frank Angle added these four in....
"-William Henry Harrison is the only president to study medicine.
-William Howard Taft is the only president to also serve as a Chief Justice.
-Sons have shared the title as the father, but only Benjamin Harrison had a presidential grandfather.
-Warren Harding was the first president who could drive a car."
TCP added these three in....
"-Rutherford B. Hayes was the first President to take the Oath of Office in the White House, and his presidency is still the only one to be decided by a congressional commission.
-James Buchanan is the only President to never marry, and Ronald Reagan is the only President to ever divorce.
-The term "First Lady" was used first in 1849 when President Zachary Taylor called Dolley Madison "First Lady" at her state funeral. It became popular in 1877 when used in reference to Lucy Ware Webb Hayes."
-Barack Obama is the first African-American to serve as President. It's only fitting I end this with that fact. It's a historical moment for the United States!
1/20/2009 04:48:00 PM
David Funk
24 comments:
Hi David! This is a great post. A TON of info you have gathered for us here! Your site is always a source of valuable information!
One thing I noticed about President Obama's speech today (well, the news caster noticed and then pointed it out to to me) is how many times he said, "I". Historically, most presidents' inaugural speeches include the word "I" about 15 times. Teddy Roosevelt is the only president not to have used the word at all in his speech. Obama only used it three times - opting for "we" most of the time.
Cool, right?
Thanks Charli!:)
I'll edit that fact in to my post, and give you credit for it. And yes, that's cool.
If anyone else has anymore facts they want to add, I'll edit them while giving you credit, too.
Great post...I have to ask...Did you actually remember the order of the presidents from way back in 6th grade, or did you have to look it up...
Nice addition Charli...
With so many facts, I'm going to haved to read this again...You may be smarter then some of my old History Profs.
BEEZE- Yeah, I had to look some of them up. Believe it or not, I had them memorized in order, and could tell you the exact years they served at one point while in school, too. But we tend to forget things over time, and I'm glad we have the internet to find what we may have lost! And what's bad is I don't follow politics that closely at all. I like reading about some of the President's lives though.
Yeah, add to the fact list if you want later. Thanks for stopping by.
great info,great history, GREAT POST. Thanks bro,
Thanks King of New York Hacks.
Wow,this is awesome. Great job
tripzibit- Thanks for the comment and kind words.
Great job David. Thought I'd through in some tidbits.
William Henry Harrison is the only president to study medicine.
William Howard Taft is the only president to also serve as a Chief Justice.
Sons have shared the title as the father, but only Benjamin Harrison had a presidential grandfather.
Warren Harding was the first president who could drive a car.
Thanks Frank. I'll edit those in now and give you credit for them.
I love how Pierce was considered the worst Prez until GWB
Barbara Bush is a direct decendant of Franklin
the expression that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree holds true here
3rd- Pierce was up there as one of the worst. FYI, both Harding and Buchanan ranked worse than Pierce in the 2005 Wall Street rankings. Bush has moved down the list for sure, but he's not the worst ever. The top 3 were Washington, Lincoln, and FDR.
Thanks for the comment.
Excellent work David.
I have a few bits of info...
Rutherford B. Hayes was the first President to take the Oath of Office in the White House, and his presidency is still the only one to be decided by a congressional commission.
James Buchanan is the only President to never marry, and Ronald Reagan is the only President to ever divorce.
The term "First Lady" was used first in 1849 when President Zachary Taylor called Dolley Madison "First Lady" at her state funeral. It became popular in 1877 when used in reference to Lucy Ware Webb Hayes.
tcp- Excellent facts. I'll add those in right now. Thanks for the comment.
AWESOME Dave...
Freaking AWESOME....
Nice post, David! I can't remember 'em in order anymore either. Considering the nature of politics, it's amazing how many served two terms. maybe they really have to piss us off before we vote them out of office.
Hi David,
Nice article. Highly informative. It seems you worked hard for this! Keep it up.
MadMan- Thanks.
ShakySpker- I agree. Some were elected because the opponent wasn't cut out for it apparently by the voting though. Luck in that regard has probably played a factor in that. Thanks for the comment.
Krishna- Hi! Thank you for commenting. It's always nice to get a comment from someone not living in the U.S. Keep the good work on your blog, too!:)
obrigada pela visita...
apareça sempre!!!
=)
Greta- The pleasure is mine. Thank you so much for taking the time to visit my blog and comment.:)
i bet none of you knew this because Bush is so ridiculed but during his first term George Bush had a very very high approval rating. I believe it was the highest ever since theyve had such ratings.
Hey David, This was ana wesome post full of some great facts. Plus you have some awesome follwoers who were able to add to it. Keep it up bud. Kenny K.
sean d- I know Bush had a high approval rating in his first term, but I'm not sure at all if it was the highest ever. I'll see if I can find out.
Kenny- Yep. The replies helped add to this entry. Thanks for the comment and stopping by!:)
Be it known that aside from being the first US President of non-Brit descent, Martin Van Buren (b.Dec.5th,1782 in NY, ~four years before the signing of and nearly six of the ratification of the Constititution, but over five years past the signing of the Declaration of Independence) was also the first person born in the United States to assume Presidency, as his seven Executive predecessors each were born in the colonies (prior the American Revolution), a minor issue for which the Constitution did [account for] in its enumeration of the three official qualifications for becoming president (laid out in Article II, Section 1, Clause 5) by stating that {s}he must be “…a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, …”.
Additionally, while Teddy Roosevelt was the youngest ever to assume Office by succession(of Grover Cleveland on September 14, 1901, as ’twere), John F. Kennedy as of yet was the youngest person elected president to assume the chair for 1,063 before his assassination).
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