U.S. Presidents

The top secret "nuclear football" accompanies the president at all times.

Learn more about the 37th U.S. president, Calvin Coolidge, and why he had the nickname "Silent Cal."

Theodore Roosevelt was William McKinley's vice president until tragedy struck and Roosevelt landed in McKinley's seat.

The ability to identify with other points of view can be a breakthrough leadership trait for a president. Presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin highlights how empathy impacted President Johnson’s role in shaping the Civil Rights Act and the Great Society.

The U.S. president represents many things to Americans and people across the globe.

Which of President Lincoln's many eloquent speeches was the most important?

After Abraham Lincoln's death, President Andrew Johnson did everything he could to undermine the legacy of his predecessor.

The Emancipation Proclamation refocuses the purpose of the Civil War to address the issue of slavery.

Follow these presidential lessons in love to win a second term with your Valentine.

Presidential debates are the final spectacle on a long campaign trail. Jon Favreau explains that they're a far more recent creation than many imagine.

Less than two months into his presidency, JFK signed Executive Order 10924, formally creating the Peace Corps as an agency within the U.S. State Department. By the end of 1961, 750 inaugural Peace Corps volunteers had served in 13 countries.

Excerpts from Ronald Reagon's inaugural address on Tuesday, January 20, 1981.

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

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

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

David Eisenbach explains the origin of the donkey as a symbol of the Democratic party.

America knew them as POTUS and FLOTUS, but here are the names they gave each other in private.

Find out more about Jimmy Carter's life after leaving the Oval Office, including his Nobel Peace Prize win.

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

Excerpts from Bill Clinton's first inaugural address on Wednesday, January 21, 1993.

Ulysses S. Grant overcomes a lifetime of failures to lead the Union Army to victory in the Civil War.

Excerpts from Harry Truman's inaugural address on Thursday, January 30, 1940.

Lyndon Johnson's presidency is remembered in part for his handling of the Vietnam War, but he also deeply advanced civil rights.

Sometimes knowing what not to say is as important as what a president says. Presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin pinpoints moments in history when presidents bit their tongue – and were better for it.

What is it like to be the president of the United States? Find out what it's like to occupy the most important seat in the free world.

Jon Favreau, a former speechwriter for President Obama, sheds light on the formula for crafting a perfect stump speech.

President Kennedy is forced to improvise a stump speech in Tennessee, after discovering that his speech didn't make the trip.

George Washington wasn't just the first president of the U.S. - he also loved dogs, and even created a new dog breed!

Lyndon Johnson beats Barry Goldwater for the presidential election in 1964.

After President Warren Harding's death, Calvin Coolidge was left to deal with the fallout of his predecessor's corrupt legacy.

David Eisenbach explains how the Republican party and the symbol of the elephant came together.

From Franklin Roosevelt to Abraham Lincoln, America’s most iconic presidents knew that getting away from the White House could help them become better leaders. Presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin explores the key to this presidential leadership trait.

The Daisy ad, one of the most famous political ads of all time, aired only once, but was replayed on the news and elsewhere throughout LBJs campaign. The ad, which implies that a Goldwater presidency could lead to nuclear war, is believed to have played a major role in Johnsons defeat of his opponent.

Discover the family life of Theodore Roosevelt and their home in Oyster Bay, Long Island named Sagamore Hill.

Ice Cream first aired on Saturday, September 12, 1964, days after the broadcast of the controversial Peace Little Girl/Daisy ad. It was part of a series of LBJ's spots against Barry Goldwater.

In 1968, Richard Nixon ran on a platform for the presidency that included a "secret plan" to end the war in Vietnam.

As a young man in Virginia, Thomas Jefferson pursues an education based on the ideals of the Enlightenment.

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

When it came to words of affection, these presidents didn't need the aid of speechwriters.

Another classic spot in the history of campaign ads. Russia is calling. In the midst of the Cold War, who would you rather pick up the phone? By the vanguard Madison Avenue ad agency, Doyle Dane Bernbach (DDB).

Find out why Nixon described himself as an introvert in an extrovert's job, and how his personality type may have affected his presidency.

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.

Lara Spencer breaks down how presidential politics can sometimes feel like a family reunion.

Two former friends became fierce rivals, and it all played out on one of the biggest stages in politics.

General Ulysses S. Grant parlayed his celebrity after the Civil War into a successful bid for the presidency.

On August 8, 1974, Richard M. Nixon addressed the American people to announce his resignation.

Ebro Darden describes how it's not the popular vote but rather the Electoral College that officially elects the president.

Over the course of his life, Thomas Jefferson developed a list of ideas for those wishing to be on their best personal behavior. A Dozen Canons of Conduct in Life, is a list he sent to his granddaughter, Cornelia Jefferson Randolph.

After retiring as general of the Continental Army in 1783, the future president wrote a letter called “Circular to the States” in which he shared his vision of how America and its citizens could succeed or fail in the years to come.

Franklin D. Roosevelt pushed the Tennessee Valley Act as part of his New Deal agenda.

Theodore Roosevelt believed America's greatest evil was too much power in the hands of corporate America.

During WWII, sheep were herded onto the White House lawn to keep the lawn cut.

Excerts from Gerold R. Ford's inaugural address on Friday, August 9, 1974.

At 33, Thomas Jefferson wrote the original draft of America's historic Declaration of Independence.

The top secret "nuclear football" accompanies the president at all times.

Despite what many considered a bland administration, Millard Fillmore managed to turn his predecessor's legacy around.

Take a look back at examples of foreign entities interfering with U.S. elections throughout history.

John F. Kennedy is remembered in part for his youth and good looks, but did you know that during the 1960 presidential campaign JFK was seriously ill and needed testosterone treatments?

In the 1984 presidential debates President Ronald Reagan relied on wit and poise to win a second term in office.

Diagnosed with terminal cancer and on the brink on financial ruin, Grant races to finish his memoirs to provide for his family.

Teddy Roosevelt takes on the most powerful and influential people to put a stop to corruption.

J.P. Morgan's attempt to play by his own rules doesn't go over too well with Roosevelt. Later on, Roosevelt must also deal with a major coal strike.

Dan Quayle daringly compares his experience to that of Jack Kennedy's thus sparking the response by his opponent "you're no Jack Kennedy."

From the early settlers and the Revolutionary War against Britain, soldiers have played a key role in the seminal events that have shaped America.

Trace the evolution of America's fighting men and women over the 250-year history of the nation.

After George Washington took office on April 30, 1789, at Federal Hall in New York City, a variety of challenges, he was faced with a variety of tough challenges, both foreign and domestic.

During the Democratic Convention of 1964, Robert Kennedy addressed a supportive and vocal crowd.

Former President Jimmy Carter, the 39th President of the United States, has passed away at the age of 100. Carter was the longest living president in U.S. history.

Richard Nixon accepted the Republican Party's nomination for president (for the second time) on August 8, 1968, in Miami, Florida. Nixon narrowly beat out fellow Republican and then-California Governor Ronald Reagan, delivering a speech that reflected his desire to "bring us together again" and reunite the country in divisive times.

Ulysses Grant took an unconventional path to the White House, rising from a leather goods salesman to a general in a matter of months.

As global tensions spiral toward the brink, Eisenhower must decide how far he’s willing to go to project American power.

When the Cold War’s first great showdown erupts, Truman is forced to choose between backing down or risking everything to stand firm.

In the 1800s, John Quincy Adams was asked to fund an exploration to go deep beneath the Earth's surface.

When U.S. spy planes discovered Soviet missiles in Cuba, John F. Kennedy faced the greatest test of the nuclear age.

As the Civil War teetered, Lincoln weighed the Emancipation Proclamation—an audacious act that reshaped the nation’s course.

Doris Kearns Goodwin shares how President Lyndon B. Johnson, despite fierce resistance, rose to meet a defining moment in U.S. history.

A young George Washington hungers for fame and prestige as an officer in the British military.

Take a look back at the origins of and history behind the customary salute to the American flag.

The final months of John F. Kennedy's life and the legacy he left behind.

After nuclear weapons are placed 90 miles from the Florida coast in Cuba, Kennedy faces his ultimate trial.

Kennedy pursues diplomacy with the Soviets and decides to address civil rights in a way no president has before.

When the United States joins the war against Nazi Germany and Japan, Kennedy volunteers for the Navy and is deployed to the Pacific.

During the 1944 presidential campaign, the Democratic Party, knowing that the health of Franklin Delano Roosevelt was fading, chose Harry Truman as their candidate for Vice President.

Kennedy embarks on an unprecedented 5-year campaign for the presidency, revolutionizing modern campaigning and the use of television.

Kennedy navigates his formative years, including his time in school, relationship with his family and early interests in history.

The youngest president ever elected, Kennedy faces the height of the Cold War and a national civil rights crisis.

Learn about the enigmatic bond between JFK and Jackie and their journey from courtship to marriage in this video from "Kennedy."

See how the relationship between John Adams and Abigail Smith began. They wrote passionate letters to each other and talked for hours, but John's work made it hard for them to set a wedding date.

Lyndon B. Johnson was sworn in as president on Air Force One the day after the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Here's what came next.

FDR holds his first ever fireside chat as president of the United States.

FDR hopes to get an inside track to Washington to one day become president of the United States.

FDR lends military supplies to aid the United Kingdom in WWII.

Twenty-three days before his assassination, JFK signed his final bill: the Community Mental Health Act, funding local mental health care.

Historians chime in on traits our most successful presidents have had in common.

Friedrich and Elisabeth Trump came to New York City as immigrants from Germany in 1902. The Trumps' early days in America were not unlike their counterparts, struggling to find footing in a new and unfamiliar country. However, the elder Trumps planted the seeds that would grow the family into a household name.

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

Did a young George Washington really chop down his father’s cherry tree? Get the answers.

President Teddy Roosevelt, a die-hard football fan, saved the sport from collapse and helped reshape the rules to create the game we know today.

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

In this ad, McGoverns defense cuts are criticized, questioning the candidates priorities for national security.