Interesting facts about American Presidents

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George Washington

The 1st American President

was a planter and a

farmer at his home in

Mount Vernon before

he became the

President

John Adams

The 2d President’s

nickname was “Atlas of

Independence”.

He built up the US Navy.

Thomas Jefferson

The 3d President spent more

than 40 years designing

and building his home in

Charlottesville. The

President admired classical

architecture and

incorporated this style into

his home.

James Madison, Jr.

The 4th President grew up

as the oldest of twelve

children. But he had no

children. Madison

adopted his wife’s one

surviving son.

James Monroe

The 5th President owned

dozens of slaves, and

took some of his slaves

to serve him when he

resided at the White

House from 1817 to

1825

John Quincy Adams

The 6th President was one

of only three Presidents

who chose not to

attend their respective

successor's

inauguration

Andrew Jackson

The 7th President’s estate

outside of Nashville was

known as the

Hermitage.

Martin Van Buren

The 8th President said: "As

to the presidency, the

two happiest days of my

life were those of my

entrance upon the

office and my surrender

of it."

William Henry Harrison

The 9th President was the

first sitting president to

have his photograph

taken. He died of

pneumonia a month

later the inauguration

John Tyler

The 10th President’s death

was the only one in

presidential history not

to be officially

recognized

James K. Polk

The 11th President had the

shortest retirement of all

Presidents at 103 days.

He was the youngest

former president to die

in retirement at the age

of 53.

Zahary Taylor

The 12th President was the

last to hold slaves while

in office, and the second

and also last Whig to win

a presidential election.

He was the second

president to die in office

Millard Fillmore

The 13th President was

called a bookworm. He

started the White

House library when he

found the White House

devoid of books.

Franklin Pierce

In his second year of college the 14th President’s grades were the lowest of his class, but he worked to improve them and ranked third among his classmates. Pierce has been ranked among the least effective Presidents.

James Buchanan, Jr.

The 15th President attended Dickinson College in Pennsylvania. Once he was expelled for poor behavior, but after pleading for a second chance, he graduated with honors. Buchanan served as Minister to Russia (ambassador in Russia)

Abraham Lincoln

The 16th President owned

only one home during

his lifetime -- in

Springfield.

Andrew Johnson

The 17th President was born

in poverty, became a

master tailor and was self-

educated. The purchase of

Alaska from Russia was the

most positive

accomplishment during his

Administration

Ulysses S. Grant

After the end of his second

term in the White House,

the 18th President spent

over two years traveling

the world with his wife. He

visited Britain, Ireland, the

Vatican, Russia, Egypt,

China and Japan.

Rutherford Birchard Hayes

The 19th President won

greater prominence in

Cincinnati as a criminal

defense attorney,

defending several

people accused of

murder. His honesty

was a source of anger

for his political allies.

James Abram Garfield

The 20th President was a preacher. He was the second of four United States Presidents who were assassinated. The wounded President died exactly two months before his 50th birthday. His final words: "My work is done."

Chester Alan Arthur

The 21st President was

nicknamed "Elegant

Arthur" because of his

"dandy" dressing.

He dedicated the

Washington Monument

on February 21, 1885.

Stephen Grover Cleveland

Cleveland is the only

president to serve two

non-consecutive terms

(1885–1889 and 1893–

1897). Cleveland's portrait

was on the U.S. $1000 bill

of series 1928 and series

1934.

Benjamin Harrison

The 23d President is the

only U.S. president from

Indiana and the only

one to be the grandson

of another president.

William McKinley, Jr.

The 25th President led the nation to victory in 100 days in the Spanish-American War. McKinley was the last veteran of the American Civil War in the White House; he was the last president of the 19th century and the first of the 20th.

Theodore Roosevelt

The 26th President is ranked

as one of the greatest US

Presidents. Theodore

“Teddy” Roosevelt was

one of the first presidents

whose voice was

recorded for posterity.

William Howard Taft

William Howard Taft is the

only President who

served as both

President and Chief

Justice of the United

States

Woodrow Wilson

Before he became the 28th

president, Woodrow

Wilson was president of

Princeton University.

Warren Gamaliel Harding

The 29th President was the first newspaper publisher to be elected. He is ranked as one of the worst Presidents. Harding's sudden death led to theories that he had been poisoned or committed suicide.

John Calvin Coolidge, Jr.

Coolidge's inauguration

was the first

presidential

inauguration broadcast

on radio.

Herbert Clark Hoover

The 31st President was the

first president born west of

the Mississippi River and

remains the only Iowan

President. The Polish

capital of Warsaw also has

a square named after

Hoover

Franklin Delano Roosevelt

The 32d President Roosevelt is rated as one of the top three US Presidents. He is the only American president elected to more than two terms. He worked closely with W. Churchill and J.Stalin in leading the Allies against Germany and Japan in World war II, but died just as victory was in sight.

Harry S. Truman

The "S" in Harry S. Truman's name isn't short for anything. The 33d President was named after both of his grandfathers, Anderson Shippe Truman and Solomon Young. The initial honors them both.

Dwight David Eisenhower

The 34th President is the

only US President who

was awarded by the star

of the Soviet Order of

Victory. “Eisenhauer”

means "iron miner“ in

German.

John F. Kennedy

The 35th President won a

Pulitzer Prize in 1957 for

his collection of essays,

Profiles in Courage.

Lyndon Johnson

Before he became the 36th

President, Lyndon

Johnson was a teacher

at a small school in

South Texas

Richard M. Nixon

R. Nixon was offered a position as a player's representative to the Major League Baseball Players Association in 1965. He declined, stating that he was needed in politics. Nixon served as President from 1969 to 1974.

Gerald Rudolph Ford, Jr.

The 38th President lived longer

than any other US

President, dying at 93 years

and 165 days. He is the

only U.S. president who

was an Eagle Scout, a star

athlete and captain of his

football team

Jimmy Carter

The 39th President ran his

family's peanut farm in

Plains, Georgia.

Ronald Wilson Reagan

Reagan's father was a salesman and a storyteller. As a boy, Reagan's father nicknamed his son "Dutch", due to his "fat little Dutchman"-like appearance. Reagan is the oldest man elected to the office of the presidency (at 69).

George H.W. Bush

The 41st President G.Bush

played first base on the

Yale University team

that twice reached the

finals of the College

World Series

William Jefferson Clinton

• The 42d President is tied with five others as the fourth-tallest president in the nation's history (1.88 m). Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president.

George Walker Bush

The 43d President is the only

U.S. President to have

earned a Master of

Business Administration.

The September 11 terrorist

attacks were a major

turning point in Bush's

presidency.

Barack Obama

Before he became the 44th

President , Barack Obama

was a U.S. Senator. Before

that, he was an Illinois

State Senator, and before

that he was a community

organizer in Chicago.