U.S. Presidents

Fun Facts and InformationBy: K. Wilson

8/2010

George Washington1789-1797Federalist

Born a British subject

Never attended college

Only president elected unanimously.

Never served in Congress

Only one tooth at inauguration

Nickname:The Father of his country

John Adams1797-1801Federalist

Wrote a majority of the Mass. State constitution.

Nominated Washington as commander-in-chief and John Marshall as Chief Justice

Bitter enemy with Alexander Hamilton, attacked by his own party because of ideals

Graduated Harvard in 1755

One of 2 presidents to sign Declaration Nickname:

Atlas of Independence

Thomas Jefferson1801-1809Democratic-Republican

First president to shake hands with his guests

Had a library of 6,000 books, this was the basis for the Library of Congress

Designed his own tombstone

Omitted he was president when writing his epitaph

Never vetoed a bill from Congress while president

Nickname:Man of the People

James Madison1809-1817Democratic-RepublicanFirst president with prior congress experience

First president to wear trousers instead of knee breeches

Wrote over 1/3 of the Federalist Papers

Worked with Jefferson to create the Dem-Rep Party

Wife was expelled from the Society of Friends by marrying Madison, a non- Quaker.

Nickname:Father of the Constitution

James Monroe1817-1825Democratic-Republican

First president to ride a steamboat

Had the first outdoor inauguration

Daughter was the first to hold a White House wedding.

Started the tradition for the Marine Band to play at inaugurations (Began with his 2nd)

First senator to become president.Nickname:The Last Cocked Hat

John Quincy Adams1825-1829Democratic-RepublicanSwam nude in the Potomac River every morning (weather permitting).

First president elected to the House after serving his term

Achieved more success in the 17 years after his presidency than the 4 years served

Only president to have a foreign born First Lady

Collapsed during discussion on the House floor, 2 days later he died (cerebral hemorrhage)

Nickname:Old Man Eloquent

Andrew Jackson1829-1837DemocratReceived no formal education

First man elected from TN to the House of Rep.

Only president to have a debt free United States.

First president nominated by a political party

First president to ride a railroad train.

Died with a bullet near his heart that he received at age 39 while in battle

Nickname:Old Hickory

Martin Van Buren1837-1841DemocratFirst president to be born in the United States of America.

Dutch was his 1st language

Took his 4 year presidential salary at the end of his term- $100,000

Took he and his friends a decade and a half to form the Democratic Party

Etymologists regard his 1840 election as the foundation of the term ÖK”- he was referred to as Old Kinderhook- OK

Nickname:The Little Magician

William Henry HarrisonMarch 4- April 4, 1841WhigLongest inaugural address (1:45), this was after Daniel Webster edited it for length

Only president who studied to become a doctor

First president to die in office, after 32 days, shortest term in history

Only official act of consequence was calling Congress into special session

Because of his death 3 presidents served in a single year

First president to have his photograph taken Nickname:

Old Tippecanoe

John Tyler1841-1845Whig

After vetoing a tariff bill Congress introduced impeachment measures, but the resolutions were defeated

First vice-president to assume office after death of president.

Was disowned by his party because he vetoed Whig supported bills, thus serving under no party

After his presidency he removed himself from electoral politics, although Democrats sought out his advice

Because of his allegiance to the Confederacy his death was the only one

not mourned in Washington D.C.

Nickname:His Accidency

James K. Polk1845-1849DemocratSurvived gallstone operation at 17 before anesthetics or antiseptic

Was so satisfied with his accomplishments as president he chose not to run again

Is called the “Least known consequential president”

Considered the strongest president between Jackson and Lincoln, making the US a coast-to-coast nation

Only Speaker of the House to become President Nickname:

Young Hickory

Zachary Taylor1849-1850WhigServed in the army for 40 years.

Never voted and never belonged to political party until he ran for election.

Elected in the first national election held on the same day, Nov. 7, 1848

Pastured his army horse on White House grounds and allowed visitors to take horse hair as souveniers

Last president to hold slaves while in office

Nickname:Old Rough and Ready

Millard Fillmore1850-1853WhigVice President under Taylor, never met him until they were elected

He and wife, Abigail, installed the first White House library

He also installed bathtub, and kitchen stove

Refused an honorary degree from Oxford University, stating that he shouldn’t accept a degree he couldn’t read (the degree was in Latin)

After the Whig party ceased he refused to join the Republican Party, joining the American Party

Nickname:The American Louis Philippe

Franklin Pierce1853-1857DemocratBecause of religious considerations he affirmed rather than swore the Presidential Oath of Office.

Gave inaugural address from memory.

Installed the first central heating system in the White House

Had an inoffensive personality and because of this was dubbed the worst president in U.S. history

While in college he met and became lasting friends with Nathaniel Hawthorne and Henry W. Longfellow

Nickname:Young Hickory of the Granite Hills

James Buchanan1857-1861DemocratBy age 30 he amassed a fortune of $300,000

Never having married his niece, Harriet Lane, preformed the duties of White House hostess

One eye was nearsighted, the other farsighted, as a result he cocked his head to the left

He claimed being tired of the presidency therefore refused to run for another term

Vetoed a bill to create more colleges stating that “there were already too many educated people”

Nickname:Old Buck

Abraham Lincoln1861-1865RepublicanFirst president to receive a patent for a device that lifted boats over shoals.

Had 18 months of formal education, was an avid reader, writer, poet, and skilled wrestler

Served as a postmaster early in his political career

Was largely responsible for the institution of Thanksgiving, officially declared the last Thursday in Nov. be set aside for this holiday

Was the first president to lie in state

Nickname:Honest Abe

Andrew Johnson1865-1869DemocratHosted Queen Emma from Hawaii at the White House, making him first to host a queen

First president to be impeached by the House but was acquitted by the Senate by one vote

Was 17 years old before his wife taught him to read

Only president to not have any type of schooling

Only former president to be elected to the U.S. Senate

Nickname:The Tennessee Tailor

Ulysses S. Grant1869-1877RepublicanWhile president, arrested for driving horse too fast and fined $20.

Term “lobbyist” comes from his distaste for the presidency.

Smoked 20 cigars a day, possibly leading to his death of throat cancer

Could not stand the sight of animal blood, rare steak made him nauseous.

He and his wife took a 2 year world trip after his term, which bankrupt him Nickname:

Hero of Appomattox

Rutherford B. Hayes1877-1881RepublicanNot the first lawyer to be president, but was the first to graduate law school

Wife was dubbed “Lemonade Lucy," because she refused to serve alcohol at the White House

Had Alexander Graham Bell install the first telephone in the White House.

Hosted the first Easter egg roll on the White House lawn.

Took his oath of office inside the White House, which was done in secret due to the previous election being bitterly divisive.

Nickname:Dark-Horse President

James A. GarfieldMarch 4- September 19, 1881RepublicanFirst left-handed president

On election day, Nov. 2, 1880, he was a member of the House, Senator- elect, and President-elect

Was shot after only 131 days in office.

After his shooting, repeated attempts to remove the bullet with non-sterile equipment resulted in blood poisoning, which lead to his death

Was a classical languages teacher at the Eclectic Institute, later became the principal

Only executive order was to give government workers the day off for Memorial Day, May 30, 1881

A.G. Bell invented a metal detector to find the bullet lodged in his body

Nickname:Boatman Jim

Chester Alan Arthur1881-1885RepublicanEnjoyed walking about at night and seldom went to bed before 2am.

Destroyed all his personal papers before his death.

Enjoyed a lavish, partying lifestyle

Civil rights champion, aiding in the desegregation of the NYC public transportation

Had the founder of Tiffany and Company redecorate the White House after he removed 24 wagonloads of the older furniture Nickname:

The Gentleman Boss/ Elegant Arthur

Grover Cleveland1885-1889Democrat

Was a sheriff at 33 and personally hanged two murderers

Being the sole supporter for his family he hired a substitute to fight his place in the Civil War

His daughter, Esther, was the only president’s child to be born in the White House

Only president to be married in the White House, June 2, 1886 in the Blue Room Nickname:

Veto President

Benjamin Harrison1889-1893RepublicanWas an excellent speaker, once made 140 different speeches in 30 days

First president to have his voice preserved on a wax phonograph cylinder (click picture for excerpt)

Installed electricity in the White House, but was afraid to touch the switches for fear of electrocution

Was hired by the Venezuelan government to represent them in a boundary dispute case, he wrote an 800 page brief and argued for more than 25 court hours for their case

Nickname:Kid Gloves Harrison

Grover Cleveland1893-1897Democrat

Was the only Democrat elected to presidency in the era of Republican domination from 1860-1912

Had a secret surgery to remove a tumor in his palate while on a yacht. Had one surgery to remove the tumor, through his mouth. Another was performed to reconstruct his face so they public would have no knowledge of the surgery.

Nickname:Veto President

William McKinley1897-1901Republican

First president to use the telephone while campaigning

Thought to hold the record for presidential handshaking- 2,500 per hour

Last Civil War veteran to be elected president

First president to appear on film extensively, his Presidential inauguration is the first to be filmed

Nickname:Idol of Ohio

Theodore Roosevelt1901-1909 RepublicanFirst president to receive Nobel Peace Prize.

Lost sight in one eye while boxing in the White House

Had photographic memory and could read a page faster than most could write a sentence

Was saved by his speech and eyeglass case during an assassination attempt (click picture for link)

Best friends with Henry Ford, they often went camping together.

Nickname:Teddy

William H. Taft1909-1913RepublicanOnly president to serve as president and Chief Justice.

Started the tradition of the president throwing out the beginning pitch of the baseball season

Wife is responsible for the Japanese cherry trees in Washington

Weighed in at 332 lbs and got stuck in the White House bathtub the first time he used it, a larger was ordered

Owned the last presidential cow and the first White House automobile

Last president to have facial hair, Mr. Wilson will be the next!

Nickname:Big Chief

Woodrow Wilson1913-1921DemocratOnly president to earn a Ph. D

In 1913 held the first regularly presidential press conference, afterwards met with the press 2x a week.

Avid golfer, had the Secret Service paint golf balls black so he could play in the snow

Only president buried in Washington D. C.

First sitting president to attend a World Series game

First president to leave the country while serving as president, he attended meetings on the Treaty of Versailles Nickname:

Schoolmaster in Politics

Warren G. Harding1921-1923RepublicanFirst president to own a radio

Only newspaper publisher to become president

His wife played a larger role in his campaign than any other president’s wife prior, she called him her “hobby.”

First president to ride to his inauguration in an automobile

First president to visit Alaska and Canada.

Nickname:Wobbly Warren

Calvin Coolidge1923-1929RepublicanOnly president sworn in by his father, who was a Justice of the Peace and a Notary Public

Averaged 9 hours of sleep each night, and took afternoon naps lasting 2-4 hours

Only president born on July 4th

A woman once said she could get a more than 3 word conversation out of the quiet president, his response was “You Lose.”

Nickname:Silent Cal

Herbert Hoover1929-1933RepublicanFor the first 3 years he and his wife dined three times, each for their anniversary

First president to donate his entire salary to charity

Wrote more than 16 books

While living in China he and his wife learned Mandarin, they spoke this at the White House when they didn’t want to be overheard

School of Engineering and Applied Science of Columbia University in 1964 said he and Thomas Edison were two of the greatest engineers in U.S. History

Nickname:The Great Humanitarian

Franklin Delano Roosevelt1933-1945DemocratFirst defeated Vice President to become President

Related by blood or marriage to 11 former presidents

Stamp collector, personally responsible for approving ne U.S. stamp designs while president

In 1939 he became the first president on television

Only president to be elected 4 times

Nickname:FDR

Harry S. Truman1945-1953DemocratHis middle initial “S” stands for nothing, his mother gave it to him to appease his grandfathers, both whom had a name beginning with S

In recognition of his role in medical insurance President Johnson presented Truman and his wife with the first two Medicare cards

Has no college degree

Popularized the phrases “The Buck stops here” and “If you can’t take the heat, get out of the kitchen.” Nickname:

Give ‘em hell Harry

Dwight D. Eisenhower1953-1961RepublicanHeld no other political office

Only president to serve in both World Wars

Skilled chef, was famous for his vegetable soup, steaks, and cornmeal pancakes

First president licensed to fly an airplane

Born David Dwight

First president to appear color television

Instrumental in adding “under God” to the Pledge and “In God we Trust” as the U.S. motto and on currency Nickname:

Ike

John F. Kennedy1961-1963DemocratYoungest man elected president and the youngest to die

Only president to win a Pulitzer Prize for biography, “Profiles in Courage”

First president to have served in the Navy

Only president to appoint his brother to a cabinet post

Underwent spinal surgery for back pain and nearly died, he received his last rites 4 times Nickname:

JFK

Lyndon B. Johnson1963-1969DemocratHe and his wife were married with a $2.50 ring from Sears & Roebuck

Only president to take oath from a female official, Judge Sarah T. Hughes, while aboard Air Force One

Rejected his official White House painting saying it was the ugliest thing he ever saw

First incumbent president to meet with a pope

Was a teacher in rural Texas before becoming a politician Nickname:

LBJ

Richard M. Nixon1969-1974Republican

First to voluntarily leave office

Named after Richard the Lionheart

Received a full ride to Duke Law

Chief builder of Modern Republican Party

Issued 926 pardons or commutations during his term as president

Nickname:The Mad Monk

Gerald Ford1974-1977RepublicanBorn Leslie Lynch King, Jr., mother later gave him the name of her second husband, first husband was abusive.

Both he and his wife were models before they married

First president to release his medical report to the public

First president not elected by the people, became VP when Agnew resigned, became President when Nixon resigned

Only president who was an Eagle Scout

Longest living president

Nickname:Jerry

James E. Carter1977-1981DemocratFirst president sworn in under his nickname

Was a peanut farmer and a naval officer

Cousin to Motown founder, Berry Gordy Jr. and June Carter Cash

Founder of Habitat for Humanity

Received Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1999 and Nobel Peace Prize in 2002

Nickname:Jimmy

Ronald Reagan1981-1989RepublicanFirst president to have been divorced

Was an actor prior to politics, immortalizing the line “Win one for the Gipper.”

Received posthumously the Congressional Medal of Honor

Frist actor to become Governor of California

Loved jelly beans

Nickname:The Great Communicator

George H. W. Bush1989-1993RepublicanWhen he got his military commission in 1943 he became the youngest pilot in the Navy at 19

Related to Benedict Arnold, Marilyn Monroe, Winston Churchill, Presidents F. Pierce, A. Lincoln, T. Roosevelt, G. Ford, and Mr. Wilson!

Founded his own oil company

Played in 1st two College World Series, met Babe Ruth before a game

First CIA spy to become president Nickname:Poppy

William Jefferson Clinton1993-2001DemocratPlayed jazz in a trio called Three Blind Mice, they wore dark glasses while playing

Birth name is William Jefferson Blythe, Jr. , mother remarried Roger Clinton after his father’s death

Met JFK at the White House while on a Boys Nation visit

Rhodes Scholar

Nickname:Bubba

George W. Bush2001-2009RepublicanOnly president to earn his MBA

Part owner of Texas Rangers before becoming president

Is writing a book about his presidency, due out in 2010

Served as F-102 fighter pilot for the Air National Guard

Mother tried to talk him out of running for president

Nickname:W

Barak Obama2010-DemocratFather is Kenyan

First African American president of the Harvard Law Review

Collects Spiderman and Conan the Barbarian comics

First Hawaiian born president

Speaks Indonesian

Known as Barry in his youth

Nickname:Barry (childhood nickname)

Resources

Wikipedia: www.wikipedia.com

Presidential Fun Facts: http://www.littleknownfactsshow.com/presidents.html

American Presidents:http://www.americanpresidents.org/