American Presidents:
Key dates, events, and achievements.
George Washington (1789-1797)
Elected first president in 1789
Oversaw the creation of the Constitution and Bill of Rights
Established precedents for a strong executive branch and peaceful transition of power
Managed tensions with Britain and France during his tenure
John Adams (1797-1801)
Elected president in 1796 after serving as Washington's Vice President
Oversaw the construction of the Navy, Marine Corps, and Washington D.C. as the new capital
His Alien and Sedition Acts limited freedoms and hurt his popularity'
First president to live in the White House
Thomas Jefferson (1801-1809)
Defeated Adams in 1800 and oversaw peaceful transfer of power between parties
Oversaw the Louisiana Purchase, doubling the country's size
Sent Lewis and Clark on an expedition West to map and explore new territories
Established good relations with Britain and France as their war continued
Banned import of slaves in 1808 to eventually abolish slavery
James Madison (1809-1817)
Oversaw the War of 1812 with Britain, Burning of the White House
Strengthened the economy and promoted free trade
Expanded country's borders with victories over Natives like Tecumseh
Established Second National Bank to regulate currency
James Monroe (1817-1825)
Last Founding Father president, oversaw "Era of Good Feelings"
Issued Monroe Doctrine opposing more European colonization in Americas
Acquired Florida from Spain, settled border disputes with Britain over Canada
Supported growth of American System - infrastructure, industry, national bank
John Quincy Adams (1825-1829)
First president who was the son of a former president
Supported growth of infrastructure and exploration
His "American System" plans faced opposition in Congress
Lost reelection to Andrew Jackson in 1828
Andrew Jackson (1829-1837)
First president from the Democratic party
Signed Indian Removal Act leading to Trail of Tears
Opposed renewing charter for Second National Bank
Known as first "populist" president representing common man
Martin Van Buren (1837-1841)
Served as Secretary of State under Jackson
Oversaw financial panic and depression of 1837
Opposed Texas annexation to avoid tensions over slavery
Lost reelection bid in 1840
William Henry Harrison (1841)
First president to die in office, only served 31 days
Known for making lengthy Inaugural Address in cold rain
Had shortest tenure of any president
John Tyler (1841-1845)
First vice president to assume presidency due to death
Clashed with Whigs in Congress over states' rights
Supported Manifest Destiny and Texas annexation
First president subject to impeachment proceedings
James K. Polk (1845-1849)
Expanded country West through Mexican-American War
Added California and the Southwest as new territories
Reduced tariffs and supported Independent Treasury system
Did not seek reelection after achieving his goals
Zachary Taylor (1849-1850)
Hero of the Mexican-American War elected in 1848
Died suddenly after 16 months in office
Last president to own slaves while in office
Had little impact due to his short time as president
Millard Fillmore (1850-1853)
Assumed presidency after Taylor's death
Signed Compromise of 1850 to allow slavery in new territories
Opposed abolitionists and enforced Fugitive Slave Act
Lost 1852 Whig nomination to Winfield Scott
Franklin Pierce (1853-1857)
Signed Kansas-Nebraska Act, leading to bloody clashes over slavery
His enforcement of Fugitive Slave Act increased sectional tensions
Supported failed attempts to acquire Cuba from Spain
Denied renomination by Democrats due to controversies
James Buchanan (1857-1861)
Failed to address tensions between North and South over slavery
Allowed Southern states to seize federal property after secession
Helped divide Democrats at 1860 convention won by Lincoln
Only president never to marry
Abraham Lincoln (1861-1865)
Issued Emancipation Proclamation and promoted 13th Amendment to abolish slavery
Led Union through Civil War and ensured Confederate surrender
Delivered iconic Gettysburg Address defining equal rights
First president assassinated - shot by John Wilkes Booth
Andrew Johnson (1865-1869)
Became president after Lincoln's assassination
Clashed with Radical Republicans in Congress over Reconstruction
Impeached but acquitted by one vote in Senate
Granted amnesty to Confederates and opposed civil rights for freed slaves
Ulysses S. Grant (1869-1877)
Union general during Civil War elected president in 1868
Oversaw Reconstruction Era and pushed for citizenship for freed slaves
Marred by scandals like the Whiskey Ring and Credit Mobilier
Supported Native American tribes and modernized economy
Rutherford B. Hayes (1877-1881)
Won disputed election of 1876 settled by Compromise of 1877
Ended Reconstruction and withdrew federal troops from South
Clashed with Congress over patronage and vetoes
Did not seek reelection after one term
James A. Garfield (1881)
Assassinated just 200 days into his term by Charles Guiteau
Supported civil service reform and attempted to unite the Republican Party
Brief presidency allowed little impact or legacy
Chester A. Arthur (1881-1885)
Succeeded Garfield and enacted Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act
Supported modernization of U.S. Navy fleet
Restricted Chinese immigration via Chinese Exclusion Act
Failed to win Republican nomination in 1884
Grover Cleveland (1885-1889; 1893-1897)
Only president to serve two non-consecutive terms
Supported merit-based civil service and fiscal responsibility
Vetoed hundreds of pension bills he viewed as unnecessary spending
Lost 1888 election but won again 4 years later
Benjamin Harrison (1889-1893)
Grandson of William Henry Harrison
Expanded U.S. Navy and passed early antitrust laws
Oversaw addition of 6 new states to the Union
Lost reelection bid to second Cleveland term
William McKinley (1897-1901)
Led nation to victory in Spanish-American War
Pursued American imperialism in Hawaii, Philippines and Cuba
Promoted high tariffs and maintained gold standard
Assassinated by anarchist Leon Czolgosz in 1901
Theodore Roosevelt (1901-1909)
Became president after McKinley's death at 42, youngest ever
Pursued Square Deal domestic policies like antitrust lawsuits
Supported conservation and establishing national parks
Brokered end to Russo-Japanese War, earning Nobel Peace Prize
William Howard Taft (1909-1913)
Appointed by TR, drifted away from his policies
Broke up monopolies more than Roosevelt
Established federal income tax with 16th Amendment
Alienated Progressives, lost 1912 GOP nomination to TR
Woodrow Wilson (1913-1921)
Oversaw passage of Federal Reserve Act, antitrust laws
Led U.S. in World War I and secured Allied victory
Helped negotiate Treaty of Versailles and propose League of Nations
Suffered stroke in office; wife Edith served as de facto president
Warren G. Harding (1921-1923)
Returned U.S. to "normalcy" after WWI involvement
Teapot Dome scandal revealed corruption in administration
Supported bans on immigration from Asia and Southern Europe
Died suddenly ending hopes for full term
Calvin Coolidge (1923-1929)
Succeeded Harding and restored trust in White House
Maintained laissez-faire economic policy favoring business
Signed Indian Citizenship Act granting citizenship to Natives
Did not seek reelection following death of teenage son
Herbert Hoover (1929-1933)
Secretary of Commerce before taking office in 1929
Onset of Great Depression weeks into his term
Passage of Smoot-Hawley tariffs worsened economic woes
Crushed by FDR in 1932 election due to Depression handling
Franklin D. Roosevelt (1933-1945)
Oversaw New Deal economic programs during Great Depression
Led U.S. to victory in World War II as Allied powers
First and only president elected to more than 2 terms (4)
Died in office months before end of WWII
Harry S. Truman (1945-1953)
Became president after FDR's death
Made decision to drop atomic bombs on Japan
Oversaw start of Cold War, Marshall Plan, Berlin Airlift
Desegregated armed forces and recognized Israel
Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953-1961)
Allied commander in Europe during World War II
Oversaw programs like Interstate Highway System
Dispatched federal troops to enforce desegregation
Warned of military-industrial complex at end of term
John F. Kennedy (1961-1963)
Youngest man ever elected president
Handled Cuban Missile Crisis and growing Cold War tensions
Supported Space Race and proposed Peace Corps creation
Assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald in Dallas in 1963
Lyndon B. Johnson (1963-1969)
Succeeded Kennedy and won full term in 1964
Passed extensive Great Society domestic programs
Signed landmark Civil Rights Act and Voting Rights Act
Declined to seek reelection due to unpopularity of Vietnam War
Richard Nixon (1969-1974)
Ended U.S. involvement in Vietnam War
Opened relations with China during Ping-Pong Diplomacy
Created government agencies like EPA and OSHA
Resigned in disgrace over Watergate scandal cover-up
Gerald Ford (1974-1977)
Succeeded Nixon and pardoned him over Watergate
Suffered from a poor economy and energy crisis
Presided over U.S. bicentennial celebrations
Lost very close 1976 election to Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter (1977-1981)
Emphasized human rights in foreign policy
Oversaw energy crisis, recession, and Iran hostage crisis
Brokered historic Camp David Accords between Israel and Egypt
Lost reelection bid plagued by high inflation and unemployment
Ronald Reagan (1981-1989)
Implemented supply-side "Reaganomics" economic policy
Escalated Cold War arms race with USSR
Survived assassination attempt by John Hinckley
Publicly appealed for Gorbachev to "tear down" Berlin Wall
George H.W. Bush (1989-1993)
Oversaw Gulf War victory over Iraq's invasion of Kuwait
Signed Americans with Disabilities Act into law
Faced recession and broke "no new taxes" pledge
Lost reelection to Bill Clinton amid sluggish economy
Bill Clinton (1993-2001)
Guided 1990s economic expansion and dot-com bubble
Signed NAFTA agreement, Don't Ask Don't Tell, Defense of Marriage Act
Impeached but acquitted over lying about Lewinsky affair
Oversaw federal budgets with surpluses in late 1990s
George W. Bush (2001-2009)
Battled War on Terror after 9/11 attacks
Invaded Afghanistan and Iraq, toppling Saddam Hussein
Passed expansive tax cuts and No Child Left Behind education reforms
Oversaw creation of Department of Homeland Security
Barack Obama (2009-2017)
First African American president, elected in 2008
Signed Affordable Care Act to expand health insurance coverage
Authorized operation killing Osama bin Laden
Oversaw legalization of gay marriage and lifting of Cuba embargo
Donald Trump (2017-2021)
Defeated Hillary Clinton in upset 2016 election
Passed tax cuts and appointed conservative justices
Impeached twice but acquitted by Senate
Promoted "America First" policy and stricter immigration
Joe Biden (2021-present)
Oldest president ever elected, age 78 in 2020
Signed major infrastructure and climate change bills
Has battled high inflation and recession fears
Oversaw U.S. response supporting Ukraine in war vs. Russia