Photos | Videos | Interactives

President George Washington

Presidents' Day

President George Washington

Previous Next 1 of 17

Advertisement
Advertisement

Photo Galleries (6)

Videos (49)

  • Bet You Didn't Know: Founding Fathers
    Bet You Didn't Know: Founding Fathers

    Video Clip (1:25)

    Our Founding Fathers were responsible for a lot more than the Declaration of Independence. Find out more about their legacy of innovation.

    Video Clip (1:25)
  • Presidential Fun Facts
    Presidential Fun Facts

    Video Clip (1:21)

    The Oval Office has been filled with extraordinary presidents, but did you know about these not-so-famous firsts?

    Video Clip (1:21)
  • Deconstructing History: White House
    Deconstructing History: White House

    Video Clip (1:35)

    It may not have been home to the president until 1800 or even called the White House until 1901, but it remains a symbol of freedom and democracy throughout the world.

    Video Clip (1:35)
  • George Washington
    George Washington

    Video Clip (2:19)

    How did George Washington turn a rag-tag group of men into a disciplined fighting machine?

    Video Clip (2:19)
  • Abraham Lincoln
    Abraham Lincoln

    Video Clip (3:48)

    Today he is known as one of the greatest American presidents, but at the time of his election no one would have predicted Lincoln's success.

    Video Clip (3:48)
  • Washington, D.C.
    Washington, D.C.

    Video Clip (2:21)

    How was Washington, D.C. chosen as the capital of the United States?

    Video Clip (2:21)
  • First Ladies
    First Ladies

    Video Clip (1:50)

    These U.S. first ladies made their mark during their stays at the White House.

    Video Clip (1:50)
  • James Madison: Did You Know?
    James Madison: Did You Know?

    Video Clip (1:36)

    At just 5'4", James Madison was hardly a commanding presence, but that didn't stop him from shaping American history.

    Video Clip (1:36)
  • Andrew Jackson Fights Off Assassin
    Andrew Jackson Fights Off Assassin

    Video Clip (1:57)

    Andrew Jackson lived up to his tough reputation when a would-be assassin attempted to shoot him at point-blank range.

    Video Clip (1:57)
  • Jackson and the $20 Bill
    Jackson and the $20 Bill

    Video Clip (2:02)

    Why is Andrew Jackson--a staunch opponent of paper money--featured on the $20 bill?

    Video Clip (2:02)
  • Humor of Abraham Lincoln
    Humor of Abraham Lincoln

    Video Clip (2:07)

    Lincoln often utilized his sense of humor when making political statements, and also to silence his critics.

    Video Clip (2:07)
  • Abraham Lincoln: Death Threats
    Abraham Lincoln: Death Threats

    Video Clip (1:51)

    Abraham Lincoln began receiving death threats almost as soon as he took office, and didn't have the luxury of modern Secret Service protection.

    Video Clip (1:51)
  • Andrew Johnson and Alaska
    Andrew Johnson and Alaska

    Video Clip (2:08)

    Andrew Johnson's deal for the purchase of Alaska was initially mocked, but has since proven to be a monumental bargain for the nation.

    Video Clip (2:08)
  • The OK President
    The OK President

    Video Clip (1:55)

    Find out why Martin Van Buren is known as the "ok" president, and why he's considered the first professional politician to hold the office.

    Video Clip (1:55)
  • Grover Cleveland's Sex Scandal
    Grover Cleveland's Sex Scandal

    Video Clip (2:04)

    In 1884, speculation swirled around Grover Cleveland, and the idea that he may have fathered a child out of wedlock.

    Video Clip (2:04)
  • The Talented Mr. Roosevelt
    The Talented Mr. Roosevelt

    Video Clip (1:46)

    Theodore Roosevelt believed in a vigorous lifestyle. During his presidency, he even participated in a boxing match that left him blind in one eye.

    Video Clip (1:46)
  • Woodrow Wilson's Health Crisis
    Woodrow Wilson's Health Crisis

    Video Clip (2:16)

    Find out what happened when poor health sidelined Woodrow Wilson for several years of his presidency.

    Video Clip (2:16)
  • A Warm Roosevelt Welcome
    A Warm Roosevelt Welcome

    Video Clip (2:12)

    Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt were known for warmly welcoming guests to the White House.

    Video Clip (2:12)
  • Harding's Scandals
    Harding's Scandals

    Video Clip (2:23)

    Warren Harding's presidency was rocked by scandal, including one that didn't come to light until after he left office.

    Video Clip (2:23)
  • Andrew Jackson's Firsts
    Andrew Jackson's Firsts

    Video Clip (1:36)

    Andrew Jackson was the seventh president of the United States, but he was the first in many other ways.

    Video Clip (1:36)
  • FDR: A Voice of Hope
    FDR: A Voice of Hope

    Video Clip (4:06)

    Elected in 1933, Franklin D. Roosevelt was a reassuring presence for many Americans through the trials of the Great Depression.

    Video Clip (4:06)
  • JFK: A New Generation
    JFK: A New Generation

    Video Clip (3:57)

    John F. Kennedy's progressive agenda during the 1960s inspired a new generation of optimism in America.

    Video Clip (3:57)
  • The Great Communicator
    The Great Communicator

    Video Clip (4:18)

    Ronald Reagan galvanized the American public through his famous speeches that helped redefine American politics in the 1980s.

    Video Clip (4:18)
  • The White House
    The White House

    Video Clip (5:36)

    The White House has been the home of every U.S. president since John Adams. Without any presidents to house, however, the walls of this iconic building won't be standing for long.

    Video Clip (5:36)
  • Death of President Garfield
    Death of President Garfield

    Video Clip (1:03)

    Timothy Dickinson tells the story of President Garfield's untimely death.

    Video Clip (1:03)
  • Gerald Ford Embraces Chicken
    Gerald Ford Embraces Chicken

    Video Clip (1:11)

    Timothy Dickinson tells us about Gerald Ford and the Chicken.

    Video Clip (1:11)
  • Jimmy Carter vs. 'Killer Rabbit'
    Jimmy Carter vs. 'Killer Rabbit'

    Video Clip (1:03)

    Timothy Dickinson tells us the story of Jimmy Carter vs the killer rabbit.

    Video Clip (1:03)
  • Becoming Barack Obama
    Becoming Barack Obama

    Video Clip (5:49)

    A look at the events of Barack Obama's childhood and youth that influenced and shaped him into the person he is today.

    Video Clip (5:49)
  • The Inauguration
    The Inauguration

    Video Clip (4:15)

    Host David Eisenbach gives the historic significance of the process by which a newly elected candidate assumes the role of President of the United States of America.

    Video Clip (4:15)
  • Inauguration of Dwight D. Eisenhower
    Inauguration of Dwight D. Eisenhower

    Video Clip (3:39)

    Rewind Breaking News The History Channel: Dwight D. Eisenhower becomes the 34th President of the United States at the Capital Building in 1953. This video clip is courtesy of The History Channel.

    Video Clip (3:39)
  • Obama Makes History
    Obama Makes History

    Video Clip (3:42)

    President Barack Obama was elected the first African-American president of the United States on November 5, 2008, transcending centuries of inequality in America.

    Video Clip (3:42)
  • Ask HISTORY: What's the Electoral College?
    Ask HISTORY: What's the Electoral College?

    Video Clip (2:09)

    How does the Electoral College really work? Ask HISTORY gets the answers.

    Video Clip (2:09)
  • The Electoral College
    The Electoral College

    Video Clip (4:00)

    Host David Eisenbach explains what the history and purpose of the Electoral College is and why it is so important to America's democratic process.

    Video Clip (4:00)
  • Romance of John and Abigail Adams
    Romance of John and Abigail Adams

    Video Clip (2:12)

    Watch the budding relationship between John Adams and Abigail Smith.

    Video Clip (2:12)
  • Louisiana Purchase Doubles U.S.
    Louisiana Purchase Doubles U.S.

    Video Clip (1:24)

    Thomas Jefferson pulls off the land deal of the millennium when he buys 800,000 square miles from the French, stretching from the Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountains

    Video Clip (1:24)
  • James Madison and the War of 1812
    James Madison and the War of 1812

    Video Clip (2:20)

    James Madison is considered to be the "Father of the Constitution," but it was the War of 1812 that ultimately defined his presidency.

    Video Clip (2:20)
  • James Monroe's Presidency
    James Monroe's Presidency

    Video Clip (4:06)

    Follow the presidency of James Monroe, from the birth of the Monroe Doctrine to the controversy that marred his presidency.

    Video Clip (4:06)
  • Benjamin Harrison's Presidency
    Benjamin Harrison's Presidency

    Video Clip (3:25)

    What did Americans think of their 23rd president, Benjamin Harrison? Find out how his hands-off approach to handling the Panic of 1893 turned public opinion against him.

    Video Clip (3:25)
  • Chester A. Arthur's Presidency
    Chester A. Arthur's Presidency

    Video Clip (3:31)

    Why was Chester A. Arthur, a Vermont native, considered a quintessential New Yorker? Find out this and more about the 21st U.S. president.

    Video Clip (3:31)
  • Franklin Pierce's Presidency
    Franklin Pierce's Presidency

    Video Clip (3:53)

    Find out why Franklin Pierce is sometimes remembered as one of the worst presidents in American history.

    Video Clip (3:53)
  • James Buchanan's Presidency
    James Buchanan's Presidency

    Video Clip (2:57)

    Lame-duck President James Buchanan ranks near the bottom in presidential popularity polls. Find out how his mishandling of slavery and secession may have hastened the onset of the Civil War.

    Video Clip (2:57)
  • James Garfield's Presidency
    James Garfield's Presidency

    Video Clip (3:53)

    Watch the events unfold as President James Garfield's involvement in civil service reforms leads to his assassination.

    Video Clip (3:53)
  • John Tyler's Presidency
    John Tyler's Presidency

    Video Clip (3:48)

    Find out how President John Tyler proved his critics who called him weak wrong.

    Video Clip (3:48)
  • Martin Van Buren's Presidency
    Martin Van Buren's Presidency

    Video Clip (2:50)

    Find out why New York Democrat and American President Martin Van Buren was considered the ultimate political machine in American politics.

    Video Clip (2:50)
  • Millard Fillmore's Presidency
    Millard Fillmore's Presidency

    Video Clip (3:08)

    Despite what many considered a bland administration, the "accidental president" Millard Fillmore managed to turn his predecessor's legacy on its head.

    Video Clip (3:08)
  • Religion and The Presidency
    Religion and The Presidency

    Video Clip (3:12)

    The effect of a presidential candidates religion on his campaign is explored on Path to the Podium. John F Kennedy, Mitt Romney, Jimmy Carter, Mike Huckabee, Joseph Lieberman, Al Smith, and Al Gore are explored in this video clip.

    Video Clip (3:12)
  • Warren G. Harding's Presidency
    Warren G. Harding's Presidency

    Video Clip (1:51)

    Why did so many people think Warren G. Harding wasn't fit to be president?

    Video Clip (1:51)
  • William Henry Harrison's Presidency
    William Henry Harrison's Presidency

    Video Clip (3:09)

    Explore the highs and lows of ninth U.S. President William Henry Harrison's administration, from his lengthy inaugural address to his death in office.

    Video Clip (3:09)
  • William McKinley's Presidency
    William McKinley's Presidency

    Video Clip (3:25)

    Explore the presidency of William McKinley, from his modernization of political news distribution to his war policy and assassination.

    Video Clip (3:25)

Interactives (1)

Read More about Presidents' Day

Presidents' Day is an American holiday originally established in recognition of George Washington’s birthday.

Go

Shop HISTORY