U.S. Presidents
America’s Founding Fathers decided that one elected civilian—the U.S. president—would lead the executive branch of the federal government, a structure that has remained in place for nearly 250 years. Learn about U.S. presidents and presidential elections, from George Washington and Thomas Jefferson to John F. Kennedy and Donald Trump.
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Framers of the Constitution identified just three requirements. The 14th and 22nd Amendments added two more.
Over a span of six decades, the first 10 presidents of the United States helped define the role of the executive branch.
His privileged childhood on a Virginia plantation gave him access to a rich education. He fell in love with Enlightenment ideas.
From carefully staged speeches to radio to Twitter, U.S. presidents have always leveraged the cutting edge to connect directly with voters.
Presidential Advice
Advice from the Founding Fathers: George Washington
When George Washington was young, he copied down 101 rules of social behavior that would later become a book of his titled Rules of Civility & Decent Behavior in Company and Conversation.
3 Surprising Facts
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James Buchanan’s Early Years and Personal Life James Buchanan was born on April 23, 1791, in Cove Gap, Pennsylvania, to James Buchanan Sr. (1761-1833), a merchant who had emigrated from Ireland, and Elizabeth Speer Buchanan (1767-1833). The younger Buch...
James Monroe (1758-1831), the fifth U.S. president, oversaw major westward expansion of the U.S. He also strengthened American foreign policy in 1823 with the Monroe Doctrine, a warning to European countries against further colonization and intervention in the Western Hemisphere.
John Quincy Adams (1767-1848) served as the 6th U.S. president, from 1825 to 1829. He was the son of former president John Adams, a Founding Father. Quincy Adams was outspoken in his opposition to slavery and support of freedom of speech.
Early Years and Congressional Career Gerald Rudolph Ford Jr. was born in Omaha, Nebraska, on July 14, 1913. His name at birth was Leslie Lynch King Jr., after his biological father. His mother, Dorothy, divorced King when her son was a baby and moved to...
Hush money to mistresses, secret payments for an out-of-wedlock child and far-reaching corruption tainted the 29th president’s legacy.
Warren Harding (1865-1923) was the 29th U.S. president, who served from 1921 to 1923 before dying of an apparent heart attack. Harding’s presidency was overshadowed by the criminal activities of some of his cabinet members and other government officials, although he himself was not directly involved in any wrongdoing.
Martin Van Buren’s Early Life Martin Van Buren was born on December 5, 1782, six years after the colonists declared their independence from Britain. His parents were both of Dutch descent, and his father was a tavern keeper and farmer in Kinderhook, New...
He knew the bride since her birth—and had been her guardian.
President Cleveland lost his first reelection bid in 1888—then returned four years later to win back the White House.
Early Career Stephen Grover Cleveland was born in Caldwell, New Jersey, on March 18, 1837. He was the fifth of nine children of Richard Falley Cleveland (1804-53), a Presbyterian minister, and Anne Neal Cleveland (1806-82). In 1841, the family moved to ...
Research suggests the ninth U.S. president may not have caught a deadly case of pneumonia after his long-winded inaugural address.
William Henry Harrison was an Army general, governor, congressman and senator before becoming the ninth U.S. president and the first to die in office.
Explore 10 surprising facts about the man often called the 'Father of the Constitution.'
James Madison was a Founding Father of the United States and the fourth American president, serving in office from 1809 to 1817. An advocate for a strong federal government, the Virginia-born Madison composed the first drafts of the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights and earned the nickname “Father of the Constitution.”
John Adams (1735-1826) was a leader of the American Revolution, and served as the second U.S. president from 1797 to 1801. Read facts about his diplomacy and leadership as well as about his wife, Abigail, and their son who became the nation's sixth president.
Martial law is a temporary state of military rule during an emergency. Leaders have exploited martial law to suppress political opposition.
