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THE AMERICAN PRESIDENTS
Information & Resources

1ST PRESIDENT:
George Washington (1789-97)
On April 30, 1789, George Washington, standing on the balcony of Federal Hall on Wall Street in New York, took his oath of office as the first President of the United States. "As the first of every thing, in our situation will serve to establish a Precedent," he wrote James Madison, "it is devoutly wished on my part, that these precedents may be fixed on true principles." . . . MORE
ONLINE RESOURCES:
Washington Papers at the Library of Congress

The Papers of George Washington from the University of Virginia
George Washington Resources
Guide to the Washington Research Collections
The Avalon Project—George Washington
Washington on The American President Series
Washington on American Presidents: Life Portraits

2ND PRESIDENT:
John Adams (1797-1801)
Learned and thoughtful, John Adams was more remarkable as a political philosopher than as a politician. "People and nations are forged in the fires of adversity," he said, doubtless thinking of his own as well as the American experience. . . . MORE
ONLINE RESOURCES:
Adams Papers at the Massachusetts Histoical Society
Guide to the Adams Research Collections
The Avalon Project—John Adams
Adams on The American President Series
Adams on American Presidents: Life Portraits

3RD PRESIDENT:
Thomas Jefferson (1801-09)
In the thick of party conflict in 1800, Thomas Jefferson wrote in a private letter, "I have sworn upon the altar of God eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man." . . . MORE
ONLINE RESOURCES:
The Jefferson Library
Thomas Jefferson Digital Archives
PBS—Thomas Jefferson Archives Online
Jefferson Papers at the Library of Congress
Jefferson Papers at The Massachusetts Historical Society
Guide to the Jefferson Research Collections
The Avalon Project—Thomas Jefferson
Jefferson on The American President Series
Jefferson on American Presidents: Life Portraits

4TH PRESIDENT:
James Madison (1809-17)
At his inauguration, James Madison, a small, wizened man, appeared old and worn; Washington Irving described him as "but a withered little apple-John." But whatever his deficiencies in charm, Madison's buxom wife Dolley compensated for them with her warmth and gaiety. She was the toast of Washington. . . . MORE
ONLINE RESOURCES:
The Papers of James Madison
The Avalon Project—James Madison
The James Madison Project
Selected Works of James Madison
Guide to the Madison Research Collections
Madison on The American President Series
Madison on American Presidents: Life Portraits

5TH PRESIDENT:
James Monroe (1817-25)
Born in Westmoreland County, Virginia, in 1758, Monroe attended the College of William and Mary, fought with distinction in the Continental Army, and practiced law in Fredericksburg, Virginia. . . . MORE
ONLINE RESOURCES:
James Monroe Memorial Library
James Monroe Foundation
The Avalon Project—James Monroe
Guide to Monroe Research Collections
Monroe on The American President Series
Monroe on American Presidents: Life Portraits

6TH PRESIDENT:
John Quincy Adams (1825-29)
The first President who was the son of a President, John Quincy Adams in many respects paralleled the career as well as the temperament and viewpoints of his illustrious father. Born in Braintree, Massachusetts, in 1767, he watched the Battle of Bunker Hill from the top of Penn's Hill above the family farm. As secretary to his father in Europe, he became an accomplished linguist and assiduous diarist. . . . MORE
ONLINE RESOURCES:
Adams Papers at the Massachusetts Histoical Society
Guide to the Adams Research Collections
Adams on The American President Series
Adams on American Presidents: Life Portraits

7TH PRESIDENT:
Andrew Jackson (1829-37)
More nearly than any of his predecessors, Andrew Jackson was elected by popular vote; as President he sought to act as the direct representative of the common man. . . . MORE
ONLINE RESOURCES:
Andrew Jackson Papers (Vanderbuilt)
Jackson Papers at the Library of Congress
Guide to the Jackson Research Collections
The Avalon Project—Andrew Jackson
Jackson on The American President Series
Jackson on American Presidents: Life Portraits

8TH PRESIDENT:
Martin Van Buren (1837-41)
Only about 5 feet, 6 inches tall, but trim and erect, Martin Van Buren dressed fastidiously. His impeccable appearance belied his amiability--and his humble background. Of Dutch descent, he was born in 1782, the son of a tavernkeeper and farmer, in Kinderhook, New York. . . . MORE
ONLINE RESOURCES:
Guide to the Van Buren Research Collections
Van Buren on The American President Series
Van Buren on American Presidents: Life Portraits

9TH PRESIDENT:
William Henry Harrison (1841)
"Give him a barrel of hard cider and settle a pension of two thousand a year on him, and my word for it," a Democratic newspaper foolishly gibed, "he will sit ... by the side of a 'sea coal' fire, and study moral philosophy. " The Whigs, seizing on this political misstep, in 1840 presented their candidate William Henry Harrison as a simple frontier Indian fighter, living in a log cabin and drinking cider, in sharp contrast to an aristocratic champagne-sipping Van Buren. . . . MORE
ONLINE RESOURCES:
The Papers of Harrison
Guide to the Harrison Research Collections
Harrison on The American President Series
Harrison on American Presidents: Life Portraits

10TH PRESIDENT:
John Tyler (1841-45)
Dubbed "His Accidency" by his detractors, John Tyler was the first Vice President to be elevated to the office of President by the death of his predecessor. . . . MORE
ONLINE RESOURCES:
Guide to the Tyler Research Collections
Tyler on The American President Series
Tyler on American Presidents: Life Portraits

11TH PRESIDENT:
James Polk (1845-49)
Often referred to as the first "dark horse" President, James K. Polk was the last of the Jacksonians to sit in the White House, and the last strong President until the Civil War. . . . MORE
ONLINE RESOURCES:
The Avalon Project—James Polk
Guide to the Polk Research Collections
Polk on The American President Series
Polk on American Presidents: Life Portraits

12TH PRESIDENT:
Zachary Taylor (1849-50)
Northerners and Southerners disputed sharply whether the territories wrested from Mexico should be opened to slavery, and some Southerners even threatened secession. Standing firm, Zachary Taylor was prepared to hold the Union together by armed force rather than by compromise. . . . MORE
ONLINE RESOURCES:
Taylor on The American President Series
Taylor on American Presidents: Life Portraits

13TH PRESIDENT:
Millard Fillmore (1850-53)
In his rise from a log cabin to wealth and the White House, Millard Fillmore demonstrated that through methodical industry and some competence an uninspiring man could make the American dream come true. . . . MORE
ONLINE RESOURCES:
Fillmore Family Papers
Fillmore Papers from Cornell University Library
Guide to the Fillmore Research Collections
Fillmore on The American President Series
Fillmore on American Presidents: Life Portraits

14TH PRESIDENT:
Franklin Pierce (1853-57)
Franklin Pierce became President at a time of apparent tranquillity. The United States, by virtue of the Compromise of 1850, seemed to have weathered its sectional storm. By pursuing the recommendations of southern advisers, Pierce--a New Englander--hoped to prevent still another outbreak of that storm. But his policies, far from preserving calm, hastened the disruption of the Union. . . . MORE
ONLINE RESOURCES:
The Franklin Pierce Pages
Guide to the Pierce Research Collections
Pierce on The American President Series
Pierce on American Presidents: Life Portraits

15TH PRESIDENT:
James Buchanan (1857-61)
Tall, stately, stiffly formal in the high stock he wore around his jowls, James Buchanan was the only President who never married. Presiding over a rapidly dividing Nation, Buchanan grasped inadequately the political realities of the time. . . . MORE
ONLINE RESOURCES:
Inventory of Buchanan Papers
Guide to the Buchanan Research Collections
Buchanan on The American President Series
Buchanan on American Presidents: Life Portraits

16TH PRESIDENT:
Abraham Lincoln (1861-65)
Lincoln thought secession illegal, and was willing to use force to defend Federal law and the Union. When Confederate batteries fired on Fort Sumter and forced its surrender, he called on the states for 75,000 volunteers. Four more slave states joined the Confederacy but four remained within the Union. The Civil War had begun. . . . MORE
ONLINE RESOURCES:
Lincoln Presidential Library
Lincoln at the Library of Congress
Collected works of Lincoln
The Lincoln Legal Papers
The Papers of Abraham Lincoln
Presidential Papers of Lincoln
Guide to the Lincoln Research Collections
Lincoln on The American President Series
Lincoln on American Presidents: Life Portraits

17TH PRESIDENT:
Andrew Johnson (1865-69)
With the Assassination of Lincoln, the Presidency fell upon an old-fashioned southern Jacksonian Democrat of pronounced states' rights views. Although an honest and honorable man, Andrew Johnson was one of the most unfortunate of Presidents. Arrayed against him were the Radical Republicans in Congress, brilliantly led and ruthless in their tactics. Johnson was no match for them. . . . MORE
ONLINE RESOURCES:
Johnson Museum and Library
Guide to the Johnson Research Collections
Johnson on The American President Series
Johnson on American Presidents: Life Portraits

18TH PRESIDENT:
Ulysses S. Grant (1869-77)
Late in the administration of Andrew Johnson, Gen. Ulysses S. Grant quarreled with the President and aligned himself with the Radical Republicans. He was, as the symbol of Union victory during the Civil War, their logical candidate for President in 1868. . . . MORE
ONLINE RESOURCES:
Grant Home Page
Grant on The American President Series
Grant on American Presidents: Life Portraits

19TH PRESIDENT:
Rutherford B. Hayes (1877-81)
Beneficiary of the most fiercely disputed election in American history, Rutherford B. Hayes brought to the Executive Mansion dignity, honesty, and moderate reform. . . . MORE
ONLINE RESOURCES:
Hayes Presidential Center
Guide to the Hayes Research Collections
Hayes on The American President Series
Hayes on American Presidents: Life Portraits

20TH PRESIDENT:
James A. Garfield (1881)
As the last of the log cabin Presidents, James A. Garfield attacked political corruption and won back for the Presidency a measure of prestige it had lost during the Reconstruction period. . . . MORE
ONLINE RESOURCES:
Guide to the Garfield Research Collections
Garfield on The American President Series
Garfield on American Presidents: Life Portraits

21ST PRESIDENT:
Chester A. Arthur (1881-85)
Dignified, tall, and handsome, with clean-shaven chin and side-whiskers, Chester A. Arthur "looked like a President." . . . MORE
ONLINE RESOURCES:
Guide to the Arthur Research Collections
Arthur on The American President Series
Arthur on American Presidents: Life Portraits

22ND PRESIDENT:
Grover Cleveland (1885-89)
The First Democrat elected after the Civil War, Grover Cleveland was the only President to leave the White House and return for a second term four years later. . . . MORE
ONLINE RESOURCES:
Cleveland on The American President Series
Cleveland on American Presidents: Life Portraits

23RD PRESIDENT:
Benjamin Harrison (1889-93)
Nominated for President on the eighth ballot at the 1888 Republican Convention, Benjamin Harrison conducted one of the first "front-porch" campaigns, delivering short speeches to delegations that visited him in Indianapolis. As he was only 5 feet, 6 inches tall, Democrats called him "Little Ben" . . . MORE
ONLINE RESOURCES:
Harrison Home and Library
Guide to the Harrison Research Collections
Harrison on The American President Series
Harrison on American Presidents: Life Portraits

24TH PRESIDENT:
Grover Cleveland (1893-97)
The First Democrat elected after the Civil War, Grover Cleveland was the only President to leave the White House and return for a second term four years later. . . . MORE
ONLINE RESOURCES:
Cleveland on The American President Series
Cleveland on American Presidents: Life Portraits

25TH PRESIDENT:
William McKinley (1897-1901)
While Hanna used large contributions from eastern Republicans frightened by Bryan's views on silver, McKinley met delegations on his front porch in Canton, Ohio. He won by the largest majority of popular votes since 1872. . . . MORE
ONLINE RESOURCES:
McKinley Library and Museum
McKinley Museum and National Memorial
McKinley at the Hayes Presidential Center
Guide to the McKinley Research Collections
McKinley on The American President Series
McKinley on American Presidents: Life Portraits

26TH PRESIDENT:
Theodore Roosevelt (1901-09)
With the assassination of President McKinley, Theodore Roosevelt, not quite 43, became the youngest President in the Nation's history. He brought new excitement and power to the Presidency, as he vigorously led Congress and the American public toward progressive reforms and a strong foreign policy. . . . MORE
ONLINE RESOURCES:
The Theodore Roosevelt Association
The Avalon Project—Theodore Roosevelt
Almanac of Theodore Roosevelt
Roosevelt Collection at Houghton Library
Guide to the Roosevelt Research Collections
Roosevelt on The American President Series
Roosevelt on American Presidents: Life Portraits

27TH PRESIDENT:
William H. Taft (1909-13)
Distinguished jurist, effective administrator, but poor politician, William Howard Taft spent four uncomfortable years in the White House. Large, jovial, conscientious, he was caught in the intense battles between Progressives and conservatives, and got scant credit for the achievements of his administration. . . . MORE
ONLINE RESOURCES:
Taft on The American President Series
Taft on American Presidents: Life Portraits

28TH PRESIDENT:
Woodrow Wilson (1913-21)
Like Roosevelt before him, Woodrow Wilson regarded himself as the personal representative of the people. "No one but the President," he said, "seems to be expected ... to look out for the general interests of the country." He developed a program of progressive reform and asserted international leadership in building a new world order. In 1917 he proclaimed American entrance into World War I a crusade to make the world "safe for democracy." . . . MORE
ONLINE RESOURCES:
Woodrow Wilson Birthplace
Wilson on The American President Series
Wilson on American Presidents: Life Portraits

29TH PRESIDENT:
Warren Harding (1921-23)
A Democratic leader, William Gibbs McAdoo, called Harding's speeches "an army of pompous phrases moving across the landscape in search of an idea." Their very murkiness was effective. . . . MORE
ONLINE RESOURCES:
Guide to the Harding Research Collections
Harding on The American President Series
Harding on American Presidents: Life Portraits

30TH PRESIDENT:
Calvin Coolidge (1923-29)
At 2:30 on the morning of August 3, 1923, while visiting in Vermont, Calvin Coolidge received word that he was President. By the light of a kerosene lamp, his father, who was a notary public, administered the oath of office as Coolidge placed his hand on the family Bible. . . . MORE
ONLINE RESOURCES:
Coolidge Library and Museum
Calvin Coolidge Memorial Foundation
Coolidge Links from the JFKLibrary
Guide to the Coolidge Research Collections
Coolidge on The American President Series
Coolidge on American Presidents: Life Portraits

31ST PRESIDENT:
Herbert Hoover (1929-33)

Son of a Quaker blacksmith, Herbert Clark Hoover brought to the Presidency an unparalleled reputation for public service as an engineer, administrator, and humanitarian. . . . MORE
ONLINE RESOURCES:
Herbert Hoover Presidential Library
Hoover National Historic Site
Hoover Links from the JFKLibrary
Hoover on The American President Series
Hoover on American Presidents: Life Portraits

32ND PRESIDENT:
Franklin D. Roosevelt (1933-45)
Assuming the Presidency at the depth of the Great Depression, Franklin D. Roosevelt helped the American people regain faith in themselves. He brought hope as he promised prompt, vigorous action, and asserted in his Inaugural Address, "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself." . . . MORE
ONLINE RESOURCES:
FDR Presidential Library
New Deal Network
The Avalon Project—Franklin Roosevelt
Roosevelt on The American President Series
Roosevelt on American Presidents: Life Portraits

33RD PRESIDENT:
Harry S Truman (1945-53)
During his few weeks as Vice President, Harry S. Truman scarcely saw President Roosevelt, and received no briefing on the development of the atomic bomb or the unfolding difficulties with Soviet Russia. Suddenly these and a host of other wartime problems became Truman's to solve when, on April 12, 1945, he became President. . . . MORE
ONLINE RESOURCES:
Harry Truman Presidential Library
The Avalon Project—Harry Truman
Guide to the Truman Research Collections
Truman on The American President Series
Truman on American Presidents: Life Portraits

34TH PRESIDENT:
Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953-61)
Bringing to the Presidency his prestige as commanding general of the victorious forces in Europe during World War II, Dwight D. Eisenhower obtained a truce in Korea and worked incessantly during his two terms to ease the tensions of the Cold War. . . . MORE
ONLINE RESOURCES:
Dwight Eisenhower Presidential Library
The Avalon Project—Dwight Eisenhower
Eisenhower on The American President Series
Eisenhower on American Presidents: Life Portraits

35TH PRESIDENT:
John F. Kennedy (1961-63)
On November 22, 1963, when he was hardly past his first thousand days in office, John Fitzgerald Kennedy was killed by an assassin's bullets as his motorcade wound through Dallas, Texas. Kennedy was the youngest man elected President; he was the youngest to die. . . . MORE
ONLINE RESOURCES:
JFK Presidential Library
Guide to the Kennedy Research Collections
Kennedy on The American President Series
Kennedy on American Presidents: Life Portraits

36TH PRESIDENT:
Lyndon B. Johnson (1963-69)
"A Great Society" for the American people and their fellow men elsewhere was the vision of Lyndon B. Johnson. In his first years of office he obtained passage of one of the most extensive legislative programs in the Nation's history. Maintaining collective security, he carried on the rapidly growing struggle to restrain Communist encroachment in Viet Nam. . . . MORE
ONLINE RESOURCES:
Lyndon Johnson Presidential Library
LBJ White House Tapes
Guide to the Johnson Research Collections
Johnson on The American President Series
Johnson on American Presidents: Life Portraits

37TH PRESIDENT:
Richard M. Nixon (1969-74)
Reconciliation was the first goal set by President Richard M. Nixon. The Nation was painfully divided, with turbulence in the cities and war overseas. During his Presidency, Nixon succeeded in ending American fighting in Viet Nam and improving relations with the U.S.S.R. and China. But the Watergate scandal brought fresh divisions to the country and ultimately led to his resignation. . . . MORE
ONLINE RESOURCES:
Richard Nixon Foundation
Richard Nixon Presidential Materials
Nixon White House Tapes
Nixon Presidential Materials Staff
Guide to the Nixon Research Collections
Nixon on The American President Series
Nixon on American Presidents: Life Portraits

38TH PRESIDENT:
Gerald R. Ford (1974-77)
When Gerald R. Ford took the oath of office on August 9, 1974, he declared, "I assume the Presidency under extraordinary circumstances.... This is an hour of history that troubles our minds and hurts our hearts." . . . MORE
ONLINE RESOURCES:
Gerald Ford Presidential Library
Guide to the Ford Research Collections
Ford on The American President Series
Ford on American Presidents: Life Portraits

39TH PRESIDENT:
Jimmy Carter (1977-81)
Jimmy Carter aspired to make Government "competent and compassionate," responsive to the American people and their expectations. His achievements were notable, but in an era of rising energy costs, mounting inflation, and continuing tensions, it was impossible for his administration to meet these high expectations. . . . MORE
ONLINE RESOURCES:
Jimmy Carter Presidential Library
Carter on The American President Series
Carter on American Presidents: Life Portraits

40TH PRESIDENT:
Ronald W. Reagan (1981-89)
At the end of his two terms in office, Ronald Reagan viewed with satisfaction the achievements of his innovative program known as the Reagan Revolution, which aimed to reinvigorate the American people and reduce their reliance upon Government. He felt he had fulfilled his campaign pledge of 1980 to restore "the great, confident roar of American progress and growth and optimism." . . . MORE
ONLINE RESOURCES:
Ronald Reagan Presidential Library
Reagan Official Site
Reagan on The American President Series
Reagan on American Presidents: Life Portraits

41ST PRESIDENT:
George Bush (1989-93)
George Bush brought to the White House a dedication to traditional American values and a determination to direct them toward making the United States "a kinder and gentler nation." In his Inaugural Address he pledged in "a moment rich with promise" to use American strength as "a force for good." . . . MORE
ONLINE RESOURCES:
George Bush Presidential Library
Guide to the Bush Research Collections
Bush on The American President Series
Bush on American Presidents: Life Portraits

42ND PRESIDENT:
William J. Clinton (1993-2001)
During the administration of William Jefferson Clinton, the U.S. enjoyed more peace and economic well being than at any time in its history. He was the first Democratic president since Franklin D. Roosevelt to win a second term. He could point to the lowest unemployment rate in modern times, the lowest inflation in 30 years, the highest home ownership in the country's history, dropping crime rates in many places, and reduced welfare roles. . . . MORE
ONLINE RESOURCES:
Clinton Presidential Center
Clinton Presidential Library
The Avalon Project—Bill Clinton
Clinton on The American President Series
Clinton on American Presidents: Life Portraits

43RD PRESIDENT:
George W. Bush (2001-present)
George W. Bush is the 43rd President of the United States. Formerly the 46th Governor of the State of Texas, President Bush has earned a reputation as a compassionate conservative who shapes policy based on the principles of limited government, personal responsibility, strong families and local control. . . . MORE
ONLINE RESOURCES:
WhiteHouse.gov
The Avalon Project—George W. Bush
Bush on The American President Series
Bush on American Presidents: Life Portraits

 

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