U.S. Presidents

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

In Sacramento California on September 5, 1975, Lynette Fromme attempted to kill President Gerald Ford.

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

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

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."

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

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

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

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

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

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

Grover Cleveland was the first U.S. president to serve two non-consecutive terms. Find out about his first years in office.

Discover how President Jackson went head-to-head with Henry Clay in the Bank War, the central controversy of Jackson's administration.

Find out how Franklin D. Roosevelt responded to being called a communist by his detractors during his 1936 presidential campaign.

Jackie Kennedy epitomized the youth and glamour of the Kennedy family.

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

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

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

Abraham Lincoln was plagued by bouts of melancholy and depression throughout his life.

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

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

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

Explore the role of Teddy Roosevelt and the Rough Riders during the Spanish-American War.

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

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

Trace Theodore Roosevelt's legacy of reforming deplorable labor conditions and preserving the American landscape.

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

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

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

Voting on the first Tuesday in November might seem arbitrary, but there's actually a logical reason for it.

Presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin describes how past presidents, including Abraham Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, Franklin Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, and Ronald Reagan, mastered the technology of their times to bring their message to the masses.

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thomas Jefferson spends years designing and building Monticello, his retreat from the demands and derision of politics.

Thomas Jefferson is known for penning The Declaration of Independence, but some of his earlier writings establish the pattern of challenging the British monarchy.

Jefferson soaks up the culture, art and architecture of Paris while on assignment as a trade representative.

Historian David Eisenbach uncovers some little-known, eye-opening details about the life of John F. Kennedy.

“Washington” will premiere over Presidents’ Day weekend airing consecutively on Sunday, 2/16, Monday, 2/17 and Tuesday, 2/18 at 9/8x. George Washington retired as General of the Continental Army in 1783. Upon his retirement he wrote a letter called the “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.

Mini-biography on the life of Harry S. Truman.

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

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

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

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

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

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

LBJ spent time after college teaching impoverished Mexican-American immigrants on the border of Texas and Mexico, an experience that shaped his personality and presidential ambitions.

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

Did JFK actually say he was a jelly doughnut? Find out the real translation of “Ich bin ein Berliner.”

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

Find out about John Adams' political career in the newly formed United States, from his vice presidency under George Washington to his rocky term as America's chief executive.

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

Carter reminds his fellow southerners that there had not been a president from the deep South since 1848, in a radio commercial meant to appeal to the deep South. Ultimately Carter won this region, but Ford got more white southern votes.

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

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

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

A newsreel film report on the 1953 marriage of John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Bouvier.

During the election of 1960, presidential candidate John F. Kennedy had to overcome public concern that he might be overly influenced by his Catholic faith and the pope.

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

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

When the lame duck period was much longer than it is today, two U.S. presidents let their personal animosity drag the country further into crisis.

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

Host David Eisenbach explains the history of the long election process a candidate must go through to become President of the United States.

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

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.

Ben Stein explains the history and current state of the president's group of closest advisors, the Cabinet.

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

People around the world mourn the death of the thirty-fifth president of the United States, John Fitzgerald Kennedy.

Kevin O’Leary of "Shark Tank" explains the evolution of money in politics.

Just after 9/11, President George W. Bush sent a message of perseverance to all Americans, with a perfect pitch

The vice presidency is more than just a stepping stone to the presidency. Ebro Darden of Hot97 explains what really goes into being the nation's second-in-command.

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.

With all the talk about experience, you might be surprised to learn there are actually only a few qualifications to become President. Ebro Darden explains.

A new president has been elected! What happens next? Franchesca Ramsey explores the big day for the change in presidency, from the Oath of Office to moving into the White House.

With talk about this election supposedly being rigged, what happens if a candidate contests? Historian David Eisenbach looks at what a contested election is and shares examples from the 1800s to 2000.

Lara Spencer discusses the political figures who come out of nowhere to take America by storm.

In 1933, Italian immigrant Giuseppe Zangara attempted to assassinate President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

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

Democrats and Republicans dominate the headlines, but there are dozens of third parties active in the United States. David Eisenbach explains how we became a two-party system.

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

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

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

Red and blue are closely associated with the top two parties in the United States, but it's only been that way for a little more than a decade. George Stephanopoulos discusses where the colors came from.