FIRSTS
George Washington was elected the first president of the United States on February 4, 1789.
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| Portrait of George Washington (1732–99) |
In 1844, Latter Day Saints founder Joseph Smith became the first Mormon to run for President of the United States. On June 27, 1844 Smith was killed by an angry mob, making him the first American presidential candidate to be assassinated.
In 1845 The U.S. Congress passed legislation overriding a President's veto for the first time. President John Tyler was in office at the time.
The tradition of using "Hail to the Chief" to announce the arrival of the US President was established by 11th President James K. Polk's wife, Sarah. Polk himself was not deemed an impressive figure, so Sarah had a band play the song to end his embarrassment of entering a room and no-one noticing.
James K. Polk was laid to rest in Nashville, Tennessee in 1849. He was the first and so far only president buried on the grounds of a state capital.
Victoria Woodhall, the radical feminist, was the first woman to run for president of the United States in 1872.
In 1881 Eliza Garfield became the first mother of a U.S. President to live in the executive mansion. She moved into the White House with her son James, the President.
In 1886 Grover Cleveland became the first and so far only U.S. President to marry in the White House when he wed Frances Folsom.
In 1892 former President Cleveland defeated incumbent Benjamin Harrison in 1892, becoming the first (and, to date, only) chief executive to win non-consecutive terms to the White House.
Benjamin Harrison had served as the 23rd President of the United States from 1889 to 1893; he was the grandson of the ninth president, William Henry Harrison. John Harrison was the only person to be both the child (William Henry Harrison) and the parent (Benjamin Harrison) of U.S. Presidents.
In 1906 Theodore Roosevelt became the first sitting President of the United States to make an official trip outside the country. He did so to inspect progress on the Panama Canal.
When former U.S. President William Howard Taft was sworn in as 10th Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court in 1921, he became the only person to ever be both President and Chief Justice.
U.S. President Warren G. Harding was the first Chief Executive to pay taxes and account for his income in 1923. Harding's tax bill amounted to nearly $18,000.
A presidential address was broadcast on radio for the first time in 1923 as President Coolidge spoke to a joint session of Congress.
When Calvin Coolidge took the oath of office in Washington DC for his second term in 1925, it was the first presidential inauguration to be broadcast on radio.
In 1937 Franklin Roosevelt became the first U.S. President to be inaugurated on January 20th. The 20th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution set the date, officially, for the swearing in of the President and Vice President. The amendment was ratified by Congress in 1933.
Harry S Truman was the first U.S. President to use radio and television to say farewell as he left office in 1953.
In 1953 Dwight D. Eisenhower became the first person to be elected U.S. President after the ratification of the 22nd Amendment (which limits a person's presidential service to two terms).
A presidential news conference was filmed for television (and in movie newsreels) for the first time in 1955, with the permission of President Eisenhower. The thirty three-minute conference was cut to twenty eight-and-a-half minutes to fit TV formats.
The first televised presidential debate was September 26, 1960, between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon. Kennedy's quick wit made him "an immediate sensation," according to reporters gathered at the scene.
In 1972, Shirley Chisholm became the first black candidate for a major party's nomination for President of the United States, and the first woman to run for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination.
Richard Nixon was the first American president to resign from office in 1974.
Richard Millhouse Nixon was the first US president whose name contains all the letters from the word "criminal." The second was William Jefferson Clinton.
Gerald Ford became the first non-elected President of the U.S. after Richard Nixon resigned. He said "I know that you have not elected me as President with your votes, but I ask that you confirm me with your prayers."
On November 4, 2008, Barack Obama was voted in as the first black President of the United States.
George Washington was the wealthiest US President, with $525 million (adjusted for inflation). His salary was 2% of the total US budget in 1789, and he owned over 50,000 acres of land.
James K. Polk was laid to rest in Nashville, Tennessee in 1849. He was the first and so far only president buried on the grounds of a state capital.
Victoria Woodhall, the radical feminist, was the first woman to run for president of the United States in 1872.
In 1881 Eliza Garfield became the first mother of a U.S. President to live in the executive mansion. She moved into the White House with her son James, the President.
In 1886 Grover Cleveland became the first and so far only U.S. President to marry in the White House when he wed Frances Folsom.
In 1892 former President Cleveland defeated incumbent Benjamin Harrison in 1892, becoming the first (and, to date, only) chief executive to win non-consecutive terms to the White House.
Benjamin Harrison had served as the 23rd President of the United States from 1889 to 1893; he was the grandson of the ninth president, William Henry Harrison. John Harrison was the only person to be both the child (William Henry Harrison) and the parent (Benjamin Harrison) of U.S. Presidents.
In 1906 Theodore Roosevelt became the first sitting President of the United States to make an official trip outside the country. He did so to inspect progress on the Panama Canal.
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| President Theodore Roosevelt sitting on a steam shovel at Culebra Cut, 1906 |
When former U.S. President William Howard Taft was sworn in as 10th Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court in 1921, he became the only person to ever be both President and Chief Justice.
U.S. President Warren G. Harding was the first Chief Executive to pay taxes and account for his income in 1923. Harding's tax bill amounted to nearly $18,000.
A presidential address was broadcast on radio for the first time in 1923 as President Coolidge spoke to a joint session of Congress.
When Calvin Coolidge took the oath of office in Washington DC for his second term in 1925, it was the first presidential inauguration to be broadcast on radio.
In 1937 Franklin Roosevelt became the first U.S. President to be inaugurated on January 20th. The 20th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution set the date, officially, for the swearing in of the President and Vice President. The amendment was ratified by Congress in 1933.
Harry S Truman was the first U.S. President to use radio and television to say farewell as he left office in 1953.
In 1953 Dwight D. Eisenhower became the first person to be elected U.S. President after the ratification of the 22nd Amendment (which limits a person's presidential service to two terms).
A presidential news conference was filmed for television (and in movie newsreels) for the first time in 1955, with the permission of President Eisenhower. The thirty three-minute conference was cut to twenty eight-and-a-half minutes to fit TV formats.
The first televised presidential debate was September 26, 1960, between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon. Kennedy's quick wit made him "an immediate sensation," according to reporters gathered at the scene.
In 1972, Shirley Chisholm became the first black candidate for a major party's nomination for President of the United States, and the first woman to run for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination.
Richard Nixon was the first American president to resign from office in 1974.
Richard Millhouse Nixon was the first US president whose name contains all the letters from the word "criminal." The second was William Jefferson Clinton.
Gerald Ford became the first non-elected President of the U.S. after Richard Nixon resigned. He said "I know that you have not elected me as President with your votes, but I ask that you confirm me with your prayers."
On November 4, 2008, Barack Obama was voted in as the first black President of the United States.
RECORDS
George Washington was the wealthiest US President, with $525 million (adjusted for inflation). His salary was 2% of the total US budget in 1789, and he owned over 50,000 acres of land.
Adjusted for inflation the time when the president was paid the most was in 1909 earning $2,135,000 compared to the current salary of $400,000.
After delivering a long inauguration speech on a cold day, William Henry Harrison, went down with pneumonia and died 32 days later. He served the shortest term of any U.S. president.
When the 68-year-old Harrison took office in 1841, he was the oldest man elected president, a record that stood for 140 years and was broken by Ronald Reagan, who was 69 years old when he took office.
Theodore Roosevelt was President McKinley's vice-president. When McKinley was assassinated, Roosevelt was 42, making Roosevelt the youngest ever president.
John F. Kennedy, the youngest elected US President, was 43 year 7 months and 22 days when inaugurated.
Abraham Lincoln and Lyndon Johnson were both 193cm (6ft4in) tall, the tallest US presidents.
The shortest US president on record was James Madison, who was 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighed less than 100 pounds.
John Tyler had the most children of any president - 15. His youngest child was born when he was 70. He was married twice.
In order to set a precedent for the future of the office, George Washington chose to be called "Mr. President" instead of the senate proposed titles of "His Excellency" or "His Highness the President."
George Washington declined to run for a third term of office because he believed his death in office would create an image of a lifetime appointment. The precedent of a two-term limit was created by his retirement from office.
November 2 is the only date that was the birthday of two US presidents: Warren Harding (born 1865) and James Polk (1795).
July 4 is the only date on which three US presidents died: John Adams and Thomas Jefferson (both 1826) and James Monroe (1831).
The job with the highest death rate in the USA is the position of President at 18%.
Seven US presidents have died in July, which is more than any other month.
No US President has ever died in May. It is the only month that can make such a claim.
There has never been an only-child US President. Every president has had at least one sibling (although some were only half-siblings).
In USA and many other countries the minimum age to be president is 35 years old.
After delivering a long inauguration speech on a cold day, William Henry Harrison, went down with pneumonia and died 32 days later. He served the shortest term of any U.S. president.
When the 68-year-old Harrison took office in 1841, he was the oldest man elected president, a record that stood for 140 years and was broken by Ronald Reagan, who was 69 years old when he took office.
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| Ronald Reagan |
Theodore Roosevelt was President McKinley's vice-president. When McKinley was assassinated, Roosevelt was 42, making Roosevelt the youngest ever president.
John F. Kennedy, the youngest elected US President, was 43 year 7 months and 22 days when inaugurated.
Abraham Lincoln and Lyndon Johnson were both 193cm (6ft4in) tall, the tallest US presidents.
The shortest US president on record was James Madison, who was 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighed less than 100 pounds.
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| James Madison |
John Tyler had the most children of any president - 15. His youngest child was born when he was 70. He was married twice.
FUN FACTS
In order to set a precedent for the future of the office, George Washington chose to be called "Mr. President" instead of the senate proposed titles of "His Excellency" or "His Highness the President."
George Washington declined to run for a third term of office because he believed his death in office would create an image of a lifetime appointment. The precedent of a two-term limit was created by his retirement from office.
November 2 is the only date that was the birthday of two US presidents: Warren Harding (born 1865) and James Polk (1795).
July 4 is the only date on which three US presidents died: John Adams and Thomas Jefferson (both 1826) and James Monroe (1831).
The job with the highest death rate in the USA is the position of President at 18%.
Seven US presidents have died in July, which is more than any other month.
No US President has ever died in May. It is the only month that can make such a claim.
There has never been an only-child US President. Every president has had at least one sibling (although some were only half-siblings).
In USA and many other countries the minimum age to be president is 35 years old.
It takes a single one-page form and about four minutes to apply to become an official presidential candidate in the U.S.
Six presidents were named James: Madison, Monroe, Polk, Buchanan, Garfield and Carter.
The most common foreign languages for a US President to speak have been Latin (14) and Greek (9).
The U.S. President's Guest House is larger than the White House.
Once you become President of the United States of America you can no longer drive on public roads.
Six presidents were named James: Madison, Monroe, Polk, Buchanan, Garfield and Carter.
The most common foreign languages for a US President to speak have been Latin (14) and Greek (9).
The U.S. President's Guest House is larger than the White House.
Once you become President of the United States of America you can no longer drive on public roads.
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