Presidents of the United States have a very busy jobs. They need to not only deal with the challenges that await them at home and abroad but also set an example for other citizens by demonstrating what it means to be a responsible leader. To help promote positive leadership qualities, the office of the preside nt has always had several responsibilities.
Some presidents have focused on issues in their states or even at home. Others have gone further and attempted to tackle larger problems facing their country as a whole. In this article, we’ll highlight some of the most notable events in American presidential history from George Washington to Barack Obama as well as when each one took office so Readers can get acquainted with these leaders before reading about their time in office.
George Washington: 1789-1797
Following the Revolutionary War, George Washington served as the first President of the United States from 1789-1797. Born in 1732, he was a great leader during the Revolutionary War and the following decades. During his reign, a new government was established and many of the Revolutionary War-era issues and challenges were resolved.
Washington’s time in office was short and he retired at the age of 55, but he remains an example of a successful and well-respected president. As Washington is often regarded as one of the greatest presidents in American history, his time in office provides rich background on the early history of the nation.
John Adams: 1797-1801
John Adams was the second president of the United States. He served under the first two presidents, George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, but inherited the office after Jefferson died in 1801. Adams was born in 1735 and served as a representative for Massachusetts from 1777-1789. In 1776, he became a delegate to the Continental Congress, where he served until 1787.
Adams was a well-respected leader and helped establish a strong foundation for the young nation by enacting many of the nation’s first laws and treaties. His time as president, however, was cut short as he died in 1826.
Thomas Jefferson: 1801-1809
Thomas Jefferson was the third and final president of the United States under the constitution put in place by the Constitutional Convention in 1787. Jefferson was the first president to serve under this new constitution.
Born in 1743, he was successful in his efforts to establish a strong government while maintaining the rights of citizens. Jefferson’s time in office was also short, serving from 1801 until he died in 1826.
James Madison: 1813-1817
James Madison was the fourth president of the United States. He was the third president to serve under the Constitution, which was ratified in 1789. Madison was born in 1751 and served as a representative for Virginia from 1781-1788. He became a member of the Constitutional Convention in 1787, where he helped establish the new government.
In 1789, he was elected to the first United States Congress and continued to serve until 1809. Madison was a very well-respected and popular president, and his time in office is often considered one of the most productive in American history.
James Monroe: 1817-1825
James Monroe was the fifth president of the United States and the last to serve under the constitution ratified in 1789. Monroe was born in 1758 and served as a representative for Virginia and Governor of that state before becoming president.
In 1795, he was selected to serve on the committee that drafted the new constitution. Monroe served in the first Congress and became the fifth president in 1817. The Monroe Presidency was one of the shortest in American history, lasting less than three years. Monroe died in 1831.
Andrew Jackson: 1828-1837
Andrew Jackson was the seventh president of the United States. He was the first president to be born in the territory that would later become the United States. Jackson was in the 7th infantry and was known for his strong military background and leadership skills.
As president, Jackson focused on strengthening the government, including the power of the presidency. His time in office was also rather short, lasting less than two terms. Jackson died in 1845.
Martin Van Buren: 1837-1841
Martin Van Buren was the eighth president of the United States. He was born in 1782 and served as a federal judge before being elected president in 1836. Van Buren was a well-respected leader and helped the nation heal following the Panic of 1837. His presidency was also short and was marked by the Panic of 1839. Van Buren died in 1841.
William Henry Harrison: 1841-1841
William Henry Harrison was the ninth president of the United States. He was a commander of the army when he was elected in 1840. In 1841, Harrison became “the oldest man to become president.” Harrison died in office in 1841, the month after taking office. His death was attributed to pneumonia but may have been caused by complications from his injuries from battles in the war with Native Americans.
John Tyler: 1841-1845
John Tyler was the tenth president of the United States and the first to serve under the so-called “Southern Unionist” constitution. Tyler was also the first president to have served as a military officer.
He was born in 1790 and served in the state legislature before being elected to the House of Representatives. Tyler became president upon the death of William Henry Harrison, who died in office. Tyler served one term.
James K. Polk: 1845-1849
James Knox Polk was the 11th president of the United States. He was born in 1795 and served as a representative for North Carolina before being elected to Congress and the Senate.
Polk was elected president in 1845 and oversaw a time of growth and expansion for the United States. His presidency lasted less than two terms. Polk died in 1849.
Zachary Taylor: 1849-1850
Zachary Taylor was the 12th president of the United States. He was born in 1808 and served in the military before becoming a general. Taylor was the only president to serve one term. His presidency was marked by the discovery of gold in California and the Mexican-American War. Taylor died in office in 1850.
Millard Fillmore: 1850-1853
Millard Fillmore was the 13th president of the United States. He was born in 1776 and became a state judge before being elected to Congress and the New York state senate. Fillmore was elected vice president in 1836 and was president when Congress passed the Fugitive Slave Act, which helped return escaped slaves to their masters. Fillmore’s presidency was short and marked by criticism.
Franklin Pierce: 1853-1857
Franklin Pierce was the 14th president of the United States. He was a former military officer and was born in 1804. Pierce’s presidency was short and marked by criticism. His time in office is most notable for the Dred Scott Decision, where the Supreme Court ruled that slaves were not citizens and were therefore not eligible for citizenship.
James Buchanan: 1857-1861
James Buchanan was the 15th president of the United States. He was born in 1791 and served as a U.S. representative and ambassador to Great Britain and the Holy See before being elected president in 1856. Buchanan’s presidency was marked by the growing tension between the North and South.
Abraham Lincoln: 1861-1865
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th president of the United Presidential election. He was born in 1809 and served as a state representative before being elected to the Illinois state senate and the U.S. House of Representatives. Lincoln was elected president in 1860, and as the country was on the brink of civil war, his presidency was short. Lincoln was assassinated in 1865.
Andrew Johnson: 1865-1869
Andrew Johnson was the 17th president of the United States. He was born in 1808 and served as a military officer before being elected to the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. Johnson was the only president to be impeached. Following Lincoln’s death, Johnson became president.