The Presidents of the United States

Major Events that shaped the presidency.

Washington, George 1789-97

Nickname: "Father of His Country“

Religion: EpiscopalianEducation: No formal educationOccupation: Planter, SoldierPolitical Party: Federalist

$25,000/year (refused by Washington)

1789

The Judiciary Act specified the number of Federal courts and judges. 1790

Supreme Court met for the first time with John Jay as the Chief Justice. 1791

Federal capital established in swamplands on the Potomac. A national banking system established by the Bank Act. The Bill of Rights take effect.

Adams, John 1797-1801

2nd President of the United States(March 4, 1797 to March 3, 1801) Nickname: "Atlas of Independence"

Religion: UnitarianEducation: Graduated from Harvard College (1755)Occupation: LawyerPolitical Party: Federalist

1796

E Pluribus Unum: "Out of Many, One"; added to American coins. 1797

Three anonymous French trouble makers brought France and the U.S. to the brink of war in what became known as the XYZ Affair. 1798

Federalists support the highly unpopular Alien and Sedition Acts.

U.S. capital relocated to Washington, D.C. from Philadelphia.

Congress established Library of Congress.

Jefferson, Thomas 1801-09

3rd President of the United States(March 4, 1801 to March 3, 1809)

Nicknames: "Man of the People"; "Sage of Monticello"

Religion: No formal affiliationEducation: Graduated from College of William and Mary (1762)Occupation: Lawyer, planterPolitical Party: Democratic-Republican

1803Supreme Court ruled in Marbury v. Madison . Any law passed by Congress can be declared unconstitutional by the courts. The Louisiana Territory was purchased from France for $15 million dollars. 12th Amendment changed Presidential election rules. . Congress outlaws importing slaves

#4 Madison, James 1809-17

4th President of the United States(March 4, 1809 to March 3, 1817) Nicknames: "Father of the Constitution“

Religion: EpiscopalianEducation: Graduated Princeton University; 1771)Occupation: LawyerPolitical Party: Democratic-Republican

1812War declared on England on June 18 after England continued to attack U.S. ships headed to France.

City of Washington captured and burned by British, August 24.

Francis Scott Key wrote "The Star-Spangled Banner".

Treaty of Ghent ended War of 1812 on December 24, but fighting continued. 1815

#5 Monroe, James 1817-25

5th President of the United States(March 4, 1817 to March 3, 1825) Nicknames: "The Last Cocked Hat"; "Era-of-Good-Feeling President“

Religion: EpiscopalianEducation: Graduated from College of William and Mary (1776)Occupation: LawyerPolitical Party: Democratic-Republican

1819Florida ceded by Spain to the United States on February 22. In exchange the U.S. cancelled $5 million in Spanish debts.

1820

The Missouri Compromise, forbade slavery above 36 degrees 30 minutes latitude. Monroe reelected. 1823

On December 2, Monroe Doctrine delivered to Congress.

#6 Adams, John Quincy 1825-29

6th President of the United States(March 4, 1825 to March 3, 1829) Nickname: "Old Man Eloquent"

Religion: UnitarianEducation: Graduated from Harvard College (1787)Occupation: LawyerPolitical Party: Democratic-Republican

Erie Canal completed. 1828

Baltimore & Ohio railroad, the first designed for passengers and freight.

#7 Jackson, Andrew 1829-37

7th President of the United States(March 4, 1829 to March 3, 1837) Nickname: "Old Hickory"

Religion: PresbyterianEducation: No formal educationOccupation: Lawyer, soldierPolitical Party: Democratic

About 2,000 of Jackson's supporters given government jobs. Jackson also set up a "kitchen cabinet" of informal advisers. Jackson reelected.

Jackson vetoed the rechartering of 2nd Bank leading to the creation of the Whig Party. South Carolina attempted to nullify federal tariff laws. Federal troops sent to South Carolina

U.S. became debt free (briefly) for the only time in history. 1836

6000 Mexicans defeated 190 Americans in 12 days at the Alamo on March 6.

#8 Van Buren, Martin 1837-41

8th President of the United States(March 4, 1837 to March 3, 1841) Nicknames: "The Little Magician"; "The Red Fox of Kinderhook“

Religion: Dutch ReformedEducation: Graduated from Kinderhook Academy (1796)Occupation: LawyerPolitical Party: Democratic

1837Banks closed in Philadelphia and New York City on May 10. This was the beginning of the Panic of 1837. The depression that followed would last throughout Van Buren's term.

1838Trail of Tears. Thousands of Indians forced from their homes and die.

Harrison, William Henry 1841

9th President of the United States(March 4, 1841 to April 4, 1841) Nicknames: "Old Tippecanoe"; "Old Tip"

Religion: EpiscopalianEducation: Attended Hampden-Sydney CollegeOccupation: SoldierPolitical Party: Whig

1841

Delivered the longest inaugural address on March 4. It was an extremely cold day and Harrison did not wear a hat while delivering the 105 minute speech. He contracted pneumonia and died in the White House one month later.

#10 Tyler, John 1841-45

10th President of the United States(April 6, 1841 to March 3, 1845) Nicknames: "Accidental President"; "His Accidency“

Religion: EpiscopalianEducation: Graduated from the College of William and Mary (1807)Occupation: LawyerPolitical Party: Whig

1841Tyler's cabinet resigned after he vetoed banking bills supported by the Whigs.

1844Far East opened to U.S. traders after a treaty with China signed.

1845Texas annexed followed by war with Mexico.

#11 Polk, James 1845-49

11th President of the United States(March 4, 1845 to March 3, 1849) Nickname: "Young Hickory“

Religion: PresbyterianEducation: Graduated from the University of North Carolina (1818)Occupation: LawyerPolitical Party: Democratic

1846A large crack in the Liberty Bell too large to permit the bell to be rung any more.

Dispute with Britain over the Oregon Territory settled. Both nations get a part of the territory.

1848Treaty of 1848 with Mexico gave the U.S. control over California, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, Utah and parts of Colorado and Wyoming.

Gold discovered in California in December.

#12 Taylor, Zachary 1849-50

12th President of the United States(March 5, 1849 to July 9, 1850) Nickname: "Old Rough and Ready"

Religion: EpiscopalianEducation: No formal educationOccupation: SoldierPolitical Party: Whig

As a soldier always moving from location to location, Taylor never established an official place of residence and never registered to vote, He didn't even vote in his own election. It wasn't until he was 62 that he cast his first ballot.

November 7, 1848 was the first time a presidential election was held on the same day in every state.

1850The Clayton-Bulwer Treaty signed with Britain guaranteed that any future canal across Central America would be available to all nations.

Fillmore, Millard 1850-53

13th President of the United States(July 9, 1850 to March 3, 1853) Nickname: "The American Louis Philippe“

Religion: UnitarianEducation: No formal educationOccupation: LawyerPolitical Party: Whig

1850Congress passed the Compromise of 1850 and Fugitive Slave Act in September.

The White House's first library, bathtub and kitchen stove were installed by the Fillmore's.

# Pierce, Franklin 1853-57

14th President of the United States(March 4, 1853 to March 3, 1857) Nickname: "Young Hickory of the Granite Hills“

Religion: EpiscopalianEducation: Graduated from Bowdoin College (1824)Occupation: Lawyer, public officialPolitical Party: Democrat

1853 Gadsden Purchase

1854 Kansas-Nebraska Act Ostend Manifesto Treaty with Japan negotiated by Commodore Matthew Perry

Pierce was the only elected President who sought but did not win his party's nomination for a second term.

#15 Buchanan, James 1857-61

15th President of the United States(March 4, 1857 to March 3, 1861) Nickname: "Old Buck“

Religion: PresbyterianEducation: Graduated from Dickinson College (1809)Occupation: LawyerPolitical Party: Democrat

Supreme Court declared in the Dred Scott case that Congress had no power over slavery in the territories

The sectional controversy grew steadily more serious during the last two years of Buchanan's presidency. Creation of the Confederate States of America during Buchanan's last months in office.

He refused to turn over Fort Pickens in Florida and Fort Sumter in South Carolina to the authorities in those secessionist states.

#16 Lincoln, Abraham1861-65

16th President of the United States(March 4, 1861 to April 15, 1865) Nicknames: "Honest Abe"; "Illinois Rail-Splitter“

Religion: No formal affiliationEducation: No formal educationOccupation: LawyerPolitical Party: Republican

Lincoln was the first president to die by assassination.

President during the Civil War

He believed the national government had the power to crush the rebellion.

The Gettysburg Address

Signed the Emancipation Proclamation

#17 Johnson, Andrew 1865-69

17th President of the United States(April 15, 1865 to March 3, 1869) Nickname: None Religion: No formal affiliationEducation: No formal educationOccupation: Tailor, public officialPolitical Party: Democratic

14th Amendment passed

Was unsuccessful in passing a reconstruction plan for the South

#18 Grant, Ulysses S. 1869-77

Reconstruction Transcontinental Railroad Completed (1869) Fifteenth Amendment Ratified (1870) Credit Mobilier Scandal (1872) Panic of 1873 Whiskey Ring Scandal (1875) Battle of Little Bighorn (1876)

18th President

Religion: MethodistEducation: Graduated from the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, N.Y. (1843)Occupation: SoldierPolitical Party: Republican

Hayes, Rutherford B. 1877-81

Compromise of 1877 (End of Reconstruction)

Bland-Allison Act (1878)

Pronounced the necessity of creating an American controlled canal in Panama (1880)

Nineteenth President of the United States

Religion: No formal affiliationEducation: Graduated from Kenyon College (1842) and Harvard Law School (1845)Occupation: LawyerPolitical Party: Republican

#20 Garfield, James 1881

Was shot on July 1, 1881 by Charles Guiteau and later died in office from this wound.

Twentieth President

Religion: Disciples of ChristEducation: Graduated from Williams College (1856)Occupation: Teacher, public officialPolitical Party: Republican

#21 Arthur, Chester 1881-85

Twenty-First President

Religion: EpiscopalianEducation: Graduated from Union College (1848)Occupation: LawyerPolitical Party: Republican

Chinese Exclusion Act (1882)

Pendleton Act (1883)

#22 Cleveland, Grover 1885-89

Twenty-Second President

Religion: PresbyterianEducation: No formal educationOccupation: LawyerPolitical Party: Democrat

Presidential Succession Act (1886) Dedication of Statue of Liberty (1886)

Harrison, Benjamin 1889-93

Twenty-Third President

Religion: PresbyterianEducation: Graduated from Miami University, Oxford, Ohio (1852)Occupation: LawyerPolitical Party: Republican

Sherman Anti-Trust Act (1890)

Electricity Installed in White House (1891)

Cleveland, Grover 1893-97

Twenty-Fourth President of the United States

Panic of 1893 Chicago World's Fair (1893) Pullman's Strike (1894)

McKinley, William 1897-1901

Twenty-Fifth President

Religion: MethodistEducation: Attended Allegheny CollegeOccupation: LawyerPolitical Party: Republican

Spanish-American War (1898) Annexation of Hawaii (1898)

Open Door Policy/Boxer Rebellion (1899-1900)

Was assassinated soon after being elected to his second term.

Roosevelt, Theodore 1901-09

Twenty-Sixth President

Religion: Dutch ReformedEducation: Graduated from Harvard College (1880)Occupation: Author, lawyer, public officialPolitical Party: Republican

Roosevelt Corollary (1904/05)

Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905) Won Nobel Peace Prize (1906)

Pure Food and Drug Act (1906)

San Francisco Earthquake (1906)

Panic of 1907

#27 Taft, William H. 1909-13

Twenty-Seventh President

Religion: UnitarianEducation: Graduated from Yale College (1878); Cincinnati Law School (1880)Occupation: Lawyer, public officialPolitical Party: Republican

Payne-Aldrich Tariff Act (1909) Sixteenth Amendment Ratified (1913)

Dollar Diplomacy

Antitrust Policy

#28 Wilson, Woodrow 1913-21

Twenty-Eighth President

Religion: PresbyterianEducation: Graduated from the College of New Jersey Occupation: Teacher, public officialPolitical Party: Democrat

Seventeenth Amendment

World War I (1914-1918)

Lusitania Sunk (1915) United States entered World War I by declaring war on Germany (1917)

Treaty of Versailles (1919)

Eighteenth Amendment ratified)

Nineteenth Amendment ratified giving women the right to vote (1920)

Harding, Warren 1921-23

Twenty-Ninth President

Religion: BaptistEducation: Graduated from Ohio Central College (1882)Occupation: Editor-PublisherPolitical Party: Republican

Teapot Dome Scandal

Harding officially opposed entry into the League of Nations (1921) World War I was formally ended by joint resolution (1921)

#30 Coolidge, Calvin 1923-29

Thirtieth President Religion: CongregationalistEducation: Graduated from Amherst College (1895)Occupation: LawyerPolitical Party: Republican

Immigration Act of 1924

Revenue Acts of 1924 and 1926

Charles Lindbergh make his historic transatlantic flight (1927) Kellogg-Briand Pact (1928)

Hoover, Herbert 1929-33

Thirty-First President

Religion: Society of Friends (Quaker)Education: Graduated from Stanford University (1895).Occupation: EngineerPolitical Party: Republican

Stock Market Crash (1929)

Start of the Great Depression (1929) Lame Duck Amendment Ratified (1933)

Roosevelt, Franklin D. 1933-45

Thirty-Second President

Religion: EpiscopalianEducation: Graduated from Harvard College (1903); Attended Columbia Law SchoolOccupation: Public official, lawyerPolitical Party: Democrat

Twenty-First Amendment - Repeal of Prohibition (1933)

New Deal policies

Social Security Act (1935)

World War II (1939-1945)

Pearl Harbor attacked; US enters World War II (1941)

Truman, Harry 1945-53

Thirty-Third President

Religion: BaptistEducation: Attended the University of Kansas City Law SchoolOccupation: Farmer, public officialPolitical Party: Democrat

Atomic Bombs Dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki (1945)

End of World War II (1945)

United Nations Created (1945)

Truman Doctrine (1947)

Korean Conflict (1950-1953)

Twenty-Second Amendment Ratified (1951)

Hydrogen Bomb Detonated (1952)

Eisenhower, Dwight 1953-61

Thirty-Fourth President

Religion: PresbyterianEducation: Graduated from U.S. Military Academy, West Point, N.Y. (1915)Occupation: SoldierPolitical Party: Republican

End of the Korean War (1953)

Brown v. Board of Education (1954)

Interstate Highway System Created (1956)

Eisenhower Doctrine (1957)

Commander of Allied Forces during WWII

#35 Kennedy, John F. 1961-63

Thirty-Fifth President

Religion: Roman CatholicEducation: Graduated from Harvard College (1940)Occupation: Author, public officialPolitical Party: Democrat

Bay of Pigs (1961)

Berlin Wall built (1961)

Alan Shepard, Jr. became the first American in space (1961)

Twenty-Third Amendment

Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)

Was assassinated while in office

#36 Johnson, Lyndon 1963-69

Thirty-Sixth President

Religion: Disciples of ChristEducation: Graduated from Southwest Texas State Teachers College (1930)Occupation: Teacher, public officialPolitical Party: Democrat

Vietnam Conflict Continues (1963 - 1969)

Civil Rights Act (1964)

Medicare and Medicaid (1965)

Twenty-Fifth Amendment

#37 Nixon, Richard 1969-74

Thirty-Seventh President

Religion: Society of Friends (Quaker)Education: Graduated from Whittier College (1934) and Duke University Law School (1937)Occupation: Lawyer, public officialPolitical Party: Republican

Twenty-Sixth Amendment ratified giving 18-year-olds the right to vote (1971)

Break-in at Watergate occurs (1972)

End of the Vietnam War (1973)

Nixon resign (1974)

#38 Ford, Gerald 1974-77

Thirty-Eighth President

Religion: EpiscopalianEducation: Graduated from the University of Michigan (1935) and Yale University Law School (1941)Occupation: Lawyer, public officialPolitical Party: Republican

Ford grants Nixon an unconditional pardon (1974)

Communist victory in Southeast Asia (1975-76)

Helsinki Agreement (1975)

#39 Carter, Jimmy 1977-81

Thirty-Ninth President

Religion: BaptistEducation: Graduated from U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Md. (1946)Occupation: Farmer, public officialPolitical Party: Democrat

Vietnam War era draft evaders pardoned (1977)

Panama Canal Treaty (1977)

Three Mile Island incident (1979) Iran Hostage Crisis (1979-81)

Reagan, Ronald 1981-89

Fortieth President

Religion: Disciples of ChristEducation: Graduated from Eureka College (1932)Occupation: Actor, public officialPolitical Party: Republican

Sandra Day O'Connor named first woman Supreme Court justice (1981)

Attempted assassination (1981)

Glasnost with the Soviet Union (1985-1991)

Stark incident in Gulf War (1987)

Bush, George H.W. 1989-93

Forty-First President

Religion: EpiscopalianEducation: Graduated from Yale University (1948)Occupation: Businessman, public officialPolitical Party: Republican

Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska (1989) Break up of the Soviet Union (1991)

Persian Gulf War (1990-91)

Clinton, William J. 1993-2001

Forty-Second President

Religion: BaptistEducation: Graduated from Georgetown University (1968); Attended Oxford University (1968-70); Graduated from Yale University Law School (1973)Occupation: Lawyer, public officialPolitical Party: Democrat

NAFTA (1993)

World Trade Center Terrorist Bombing (1993) Oklahoma City federal building Terrorist bombing (1995)

Impeachment (1999)

Bush, George W. 2001-present

Forty-Third President

Religion: MethodistEducation: Graduated from Yale University (1968); Graduated from Harvard Business School (1975)Occupation: Businessman

Political Party: Republican

Terrorist Attack on the Pentagon and the World Trade Center in New York City (September 11, 2001)

War in Afghanistan (2001)

War in Iraq (2003)

To be continued…….