History UsefulNotes / ThePresidents

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** UsefulNotes/TheVicePresidents: A list of the vice-presidents of the United States.

''[=UsefulNotes/ThePresidents=]'' has been disambiguated due to its ambiguous name. It may refer to:

** UsefulNotes/TheVicePresidentsOfTheUnitedStates: A list of the vice-presidents of the United States.

[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/us_presidential_seal.png]]
[[caption-width-right:300:''"My fellow Americans..."'']]

->''"Heigh ho, do you know?\\
The names of the US residents\\
Who then became the presidents\\
And got a view, from the White House loo,\\
Of Pennsylvania Avenue?"''
-->-- '''''WesternAnimation/{{Animaniacs}}''''', "The Presidents Song"

%% One quote is enough. Others can go on the Quotes page.

Ladies and gentlemen (and if it's the State of the Union, Mister/Madam Speaker), the presidents of the UsefulNotes/UnitedStates! ''("Hail to the Chief" starts playing.)''

Specifically, the presidents of the United States of America; more specifically, the presidents of the United States under the Constitution, whose duties and powers are explained in length on the UsefulNotes/AmericanPoliticalSystem page.[[note]]There were presidents under the Articles of Confederation, who presided over the Continental Congress and the Congress of the Confederation, the first (transitional) national governments, but they held barely any authority and the Articles themselves were replaced with the establishment of the Constitution, so few people actually remember them.[[/note]] They are, in order:
----
[[index]]
# UsefulNotes/GeorgeWashington (1789–97, independent/de facto Federalist). Led the [[UsefulNotes/TheAmericanRevolution Continental Army]]. Only president not to be a member of any political party (even advising against them, not that anybody listened). Only one of two presidents -- the other being James Monroe -- to run unopposed and consequently one of the only two to be elected unanimously. Often held up as a real-life case of FirstInstallmentWins, with only Lincoln ranking higher than him on popularity polls. Generally regarded as having made a lot of very good suggestions for the country's future upon his departure that nobody bothered to follow. First president from Virginia. Only president to lead the U.S. Army in the field personally, during the Whiskey Rebellion, though it never escalated into actual combat. Set the two-term precedent that most of his successors would follow, though it wouldn't be until Franklin D. Roosevelt successfully and controversially defied that precedent--twice--that it was agreed that ThereShouldBeALaw for it and it went from being a recommendation to legislation via the 22nd Amendment. Also set the precedent of eschewing fancy titles; this is why the President is introduced domestically as "The President of the United States" and addressed as "Mr. President" (though "Excellency" is often used internationally and "Honorable" is an official domestic title). Died soon after leaving office in 1799, making him the only president to die in the 18th century. Featured on the $1 bill and the quarter.
# UsefulNotes/JohnAdams (1797–1801, Federalist). An active member of the Continental Congress, an important foreign minister in the nation's early years, and the first vice president (and thus the first VP to be elected president). A rather different president than his predecessor in literal and figurative stature, but also set many precedents: First president from Massachusetts, first to receive the oath of office from a Chief Justice of the Supreme Court (Oliver Ellsworth), first to live in the Executive Mansion (now known as TheWhiteHouse), first to be part of a political party; first without a military background, first who did not own slaves, and first to veto no bills while in office. Saw the controversial Alien and Sedition Acts passed, leading to accusations of despotism that lost him the 1800 election to Thomas Jefferson, which also made him the first incumbent president to lose re-election to a second term. Resentfully but gracefully returned home after his loss, and in doing so quietly instituted the tradition of peaceful transitions of power that would (mostly) remain standard for the remainder of America's history. Died on the Fourth of July (Independence Day) of 1826, the same day as...
# UsefulNotes/ThomasJefferson (1801–09, Democratic-Republican). Wrote the Declaration of Independence before serving as governor of Virginia, first Secretary of State under Washington, and second vice president under Adams (and thus the second VP elected to the presidency, though he actually ran ''against'' Adams). Though normally an advocate for a smaller federal government, notably expanded its power while president, most notably by ratifying the Louisiana Purchase that doubled the size of the nation's territory claims. Also the first wartime president, having declared the First Barbary War. As a public and vocal UsefulNotes/{{Deis|m}}t, arguably the only non-Christian president; indeed, he explored a wide variety of religions in his lifetime, including, most notably, Islam; to this day, many Muslim Congressmen have opted to be sworn in on his copy of the Qu'ran. Invented the swivel chair. While normally considered one of the better--or at least most important--presidents, his gravestone ''omits'' his presidency in favor of other accomplishments, such as writing the Declaration and his work in his home state, which also included founding the University of Virginia. Remains condemned by many for fathering many children with an enslaved woman, Sally Hemmings, without acknowledging his patronage and claiming all of them as his slaves. Featured on the $2 bill and the nickel.
# UsefulNotes/JamesMadison (1809–17, Democratic-Republican). Shortest president[[note]]He was five feet, four inches (163 cm).[[/note]] and the last who was a Founding Father. Drafted the Virginia Plan, which became the basis of the Constitution, wrote several of the Federalist Papers, and helped get Virginia to agree to the Constitution. Served as a representative and later Secretary of State under Jefferson. [[UsefulNotes/WarOf1812 First wartime president on U.S. soil]]; the British burnt the White House down during his second term. Post-presidency, succeeded Jefferson once again as Chancellor of the University of Virginia and was one of the last living Founding Fathers before he passed away in 1836.
# UsefulNotes/JamesMonroe (1817–25, Democratic-Republican). Former senator and governor of Virginia, then Secretary of State and War under Madison. Last president to be elected unopposed, presided over an "Era of Good Feelings". Famous for his "Monroe Doctrine", a fairly vague declaration that declared independent nations in the Western Hemisphere out of European jurisdiction that has influenced ''centuries'' of U.S. foreign policy. The capital of UsefulNotes/{{Liberia}}, Monrovia, is named after him due to his contributions to the American Colonization Society, which [[ValuesDissonance sought to return freed slaves to Africa]]. Last president of whom no photography exists. ''Also'' died on Independence Day, in 1831.
# UsefulNotes/JohnQuincyAdams (1825–29, Democratic-Republican/National Republican). First president to be directly related to a previous officeholder (John Adams, his father); alongside UsefulNotes/GeorgeWBush, one of the only two presidents to be the son of a previous president. Served as a foreign minister, senator of Massachusetts, and Secretary of State under Monroe. In contrast to his unanimously-elected-and-appointed predecessor, first president to lose the popular vote (twice!) and the only president to be elected by the House of Representatives.[[note]]For those unfamiliar with the UsefulNotes/AmericanPoliticalSystem, when the people "vote" for president, they are actually voting for members of the Electoral College, a council of people who later meet to vote for president themselves, usually the candidate for whom the most people in their state voted. If said college deadlocks with no majority victor, the House (by states, with each state's delegation getting one vote) decides who becomes president while the Senate votes for the vice president. While Andrew Jackson won the plurality of the votes, none of the four leading candidates won the majority, and the House awarded the position to Adams after he struck a deal with opponent UsefulNotes/HenryClay.[[/note]] Had a long and rather productive stint in the House of Representatives after his presidency, the only president to be elected to that chamber post-presidency; he was a vocal opponent of slavery, protested the invasion of Mexico, and successfully campaigned for the creation of the Smithsonian Institute. Earliest known president to be photographed, albeit several years after he left the presidency. Suffered a cerebral hemorrhage on the House floor in 1848 and died shortly after.
# UsefulNotes/AndrewJackson (1829–37, Democrat; creator of the Democratic Party and first Democratic president). Remembered largely for his violent temper, lack of sophistication, controversial policies, and reorienting of the presidency to a populist "agent of the people" role that still continues to this day. A popular general in the War of 1812 and senator from Tennessee from 1797 to 1798 and 1823 to 1825, and the first governor of the Florida Territory for most of 1821; the first president elected from outside of the original colonies, signifying the nation's westward shift.[[note]]Jackson was born on the Carolina frontier but spent most of his life in Tennessee.[[/note]] Malicious slander regarding the circumstances of his marriage is credited with having broken his wife down and sent her to an early grave shortly after his election; Jackson never recovered from the loss. Broke the 28-year-long sequence of Democratic-Republican presidents who were the Secretary of State of their predecessor. First president targeted in an AssassinationAttempt; only president to almost personally kill his attempted assassin after he failed (also killed at least one man in a duel, something he enjoyed bragging about). Infamously and illegally overruled the Supreme Court in his push to drive out the Native American population of the South. Threatened to use force to [[{{Foreshadowing}} keep South Carolina from nullifying federal law]]. Fought to shut down the national bank and deregulate the monetary system, which contributed to the subsequent financial panic after he left office; ironically, he is now featured on the $20 bill, though is planned to be shoved off to the back in favor of UsefulNotes/HarrietTubman in 2028. Died in 1845.
# UsefulNotes/MartinVanBuren (1837–41, Democrat). Former senator (1821–28) and (briefly in 1829) governor of New York, then Jackson's Secretary of State and vice president. First president to have been born an American citizen after America declared its independence;[[note]]UsefulNotes/TheAmericanRevolution ended with Britain recognizing the former colonies as their own country the year after he was born.[[/note]] first president from New York; only president to have English as a second language (he came from a Dutch-speaking family). Had a pretty poor run at it due largely to having to clean up many of Jackson's messes, most notably the financial Panic of 1837, costing him reelection. Later became a prominent abolitionist and launched two failed attempts at re-election, failing to win the Democratic nomination in 1844 and running as a third-party "Free Soil" candidate in 1848. Died in 1862.
# UsefulNotes/WilliamHenryHarrison (March–April 1841, first Whig president). A Virginia native, former frontier general/governor, and first Ohio politician (he served in the House from 1816 to 1819 and in the Senate from 1825 to 1828, serving in the Ohio state Senate inbetween from 1819 to 1821) to be elected president. Oldest president inaugurated at the time, at 68 years old, until Ronald Reagan was inaugurated at 69 140 years later. Died of pneumonia one month after taking office; first president to die in office and had the shortest presidency, which is the only reason people remember him (can't really be remembered for much as a president if the only noteworthy thing you did while in office was get sick and ''die''). Last president to have been born before America declared independence. First president to be photographed while in office, though the photo has been lost to time (which only further contributes to his death being the only commonly remembered thing about him).
# UsefulNotes/JohnTyler (1841–45, Whig/Independent). A former Virginia representative (1816–1821), governor (1825–1827), and senator (1827–1836), and last from that state to serve.[[note]]Woodrow Wilson was born in Virginia but left with his family when he was two and lived most of his life in Georgia and New Jersey, with the latter being his home state at the time he was elected into office.[[/note]] First president to have been born after the ratification of the Constitution. First vice president to inherit the presidency, setting a precedent that was contested and wouldn't be codified until the 25th Amendment over a century later, and had the longest administration of a non-elected president. Only joined the Whigs due to opposing Andrew Jackson and got kicked out of the party for constantly impeding them once in office; first president to have a veto overridden. First president to marry in office and fathered most children of any president (15); despite dying over 150 years ago, still has a living grandson. Sided with the Confederacy when UsefulNotes/TheAmericanCivilWar began in 1861, served in the unelected Confederate Provisional Congress and won election to the Confederate House of Representatives,[[note]]Making him the only former president ever to run for an office outside the United States (as in, the Union).[[/note]] but died the following year before being seated; he was buried with the Confederate flag, making him the [[TheLastOfTheseIsNotLikeTheOthers only president not laid to rest under the flag of the United States]].[[note]]It has been posited that this makes Tyler the only president to be laid to rest under a foreign flag, but it's unclear if the Confederate States count as a "foreign country" since no foreign government ever recognized it as an independent country, although Great Britain and France granted it belligerent status.[[/note]]
# UsefulNotes/JamesKPolk (1845–49, Democrat). Former Tennessee representative (1825–39) and governor (1839–41); only president to have been Speaker of the House, which he was from December 1835 until he went back to state politics. Pledged to serve just one term and in that time did everything he said he would: namely, vastly expand the country to the Pacific by annexing the Republic of Texas, settling border disputes with Britain in the Northwest, and [[UsefulNotes/MexicanAmericanWar going to war with Mexico]] to conquer and claim vast tracts of that country's territory, including UsefulNotes/{{California}}. Despite the importance of his administration, is only slightly less obscure than the other presidents between Jackson and Lincoln, potentially because of the brevity of his run. Died of cholera barely over 100 days after leaving office and had the shortest natural lifespan of any president, dying at age 53.
# UsefulNotes/ZacharyTaylor (1849–50, Whig). A popular Mexican-American War general from the South, pushed into office by the Whigs despite not being interested in it; first president to have held no prior political office and last to have been born before the ratification of the Constitution. Last president to have been a slave owner while in office. Died in office, possibly of gastroenteritis from eating spoiled cherries, possibly from [[MeatgrinderSurgery 19th-century medicine]].
# UsefulNotes/MillardFillmore (1850–53, Whig). Former U.S. Representative from upstate New York (1833 to 1835 and from 1837 to 1843) and state Comptroller from 1848 to 1849. Made fun of for his name and remembered for pretty much nothing else. First president born in the 19th century. Second vice president to take office after his predecessor's death. Credited in his time with delaying the eventual Civil War thanks to the Compromise of 1850, nowadays seen as a counter-intuitive empowering of slave states. Sent Matthew Perry to Japan to make it open its borders and consequently can be considered responsible for Japan's entrance into the international political and economic theater. Later ran as a third-party presidential candidate in 1856 for the anti-immigrant and -Catholic American (or, more popularly, "Know Nothing") party. Founded the University of Buffalo the same year and acted as its first chancellor. Died in 1874.
# UsefulNotes/FranklinPierce (1853–57, Democrat). First and only president from New Hampshire. Chosen as a compromise candidate by the divided Democrats after a career as a Congressman (he represented the state in the House at large from 1833 to 1837 and in the Senate from 1837 until 1842) and general. A deeply unlucky man who suffered from deep depression and alcoholism for most of his life. Kicked the slavery can down the road one more time but contributed to mounting tensions by supporting the nullification of the Missouri Compromise; was immensely unpopular and not nominated by the Democrats to run for reelection. Died in 1869.
# UsefulNotes/JamesBuchanan (1857–61, Democrat). Consistently considered one of the worst to ever hold the office, if not ''the'' worst, since UsefulNotes/TheAmericanCivilWar started at the end of his tenure and he did little to try and stop it. Ironically selected as the Democratic nominee due to his ''distance'' from the slavery issue due to serving as ambassador to Britain during Pierce's administration. First president from Pennsylvania, which he had represented in both houses of Congress (1821–31 as a representative, 1834–45 as a senator). Last president born in the 18th century. Only president never to have been married; may have been secretly homosexual, with many biographers giving as much or more attention to his very close friendship with his roommate (and Pierce's short-lived vice-president) William R. King than to his actual political actions. First president to face a serious impeachment attempt for corruption--it went as far as the investigative process, but the investigating committee ultimately recommended against it while at the same time finding his administration the most corrupt yet.[[note]]It would remain so until the Harding Cabinet's wrongdoing was exposed after Harding's death in 1923, while Buchanan himself would go down in history as the single most corrupt pre-Nixon president.[[/note]] Died in 1868.
# UsefulNotes/AbrahamLincoln (1861–65, Republican/National Union; first Republican president). Consistently ranked in polls as the greatest president in US history, above even Washington, because of his successful leadership during the Civil War and his vital importance to the abolition of slavery in America. Born in Kentucky, but he moved with his family to Illinois as a boy and would become the president from that state. Only served a single term as a representative (1847–49), during which he had witnessed the passing of former President John Quincy Adams on the House floor, and had not won an election for over a decade before winning the presidency, but his exemplary oratory performance in the debates during a later campaign for the Senate (and his relative distance from Congress' last decade of fighting) set him up to win the presidency; despite being a moderate, his party's anti-slavery platform led seven Southern states to secede after his election, making him the first president not to experience a peaceful transition of power. Only President to have busted a quorum during his Congressional career, albeit unsuccessfully. Greatly expanded the power of the federal government and executive branch as part of the war effort, becoming in some ways the first "modern" president. Tallest president.[[note]]He was six feet, four inches (193 cm), with only LBJ tying him.[[/note]] First president to have facial hair in office. Assassinated by Confederate sympathizer UsefulNotes/JohnWilkesBooth and thus was the first to be ''successfully'' assassinated and third to die in office. Featured on the penny and the $5 bill.
# UsefulNotes/AndrewJohnson (1865–69, National Union/de facto Democrat). A representative (1843–53), governor (1853–57), and senator (1857–62) of Tennessee and the only Southern senator to stick with the Union after secession; Lincoln subsequently made him military governor of his state and his running mate for his second election campaign on a unity platform. Became third VP to inherit office, resulting in a complete shift in executive priorities; he is a fixture of modern lists of "the worst presidents" due to his Southern sympathies and obstruction of the supermajority Republican Congress ([[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking and]] [[TheAlcoholic alcoholism]]). First president to be impeached but was acquitted [[DecidedByOneVote by a single vote]]; his charge was mostly politically motivated, as he ignored (probably unconstitutional) laws that Congress passed just to limit his power that were repealed soon after he left office. Also oversaw improved relations with Britain and signed the Alaska Purchase. Despite his unpopularity, only former president to be elected to the Senate, though he died in 1875 soon after returning to Congress.[[note]]For the next two years, there were no living former presidents.[[/note]]
# UsefulNotes/UlyssesSGrant (1869–77, Republican). The greatest [[UsefulNotes/TheAmericanCivilWar Civil War]] general. Initially considered a subpar president due to corruption scandals, but his reputation is on the rise due to his FairForItsDay civil rights record, which included defeating the first UsefulNotes/KuKluxKlan. First president to have been a four-star general.[[note]]In fact, he was the ''first'' four-star general in American history, the rank having been created specifically for him.[[/note]] Last president to have owned a slave at some point in his life.[[note]]He had acquired one slave from his father-in-law in 1858, but could not bring himself to force the man to do work, so he freed him by a manumission deed the following year, [[ScrewTheMoneyIHaveRules when selling him could have potentially been worth at least $1,000 (about $30,000 in 2020) when Grant needed the money to get out of an incredible tight spot financially.]][[/note]] Lived in near poverty for much of his post-presidency and died of cancer in 1885 (probably caused by his well-known [[CigarChomper cigar habit]]). Featured on the $50 bill.
# UsefulNotes/RutherfordBHayes (1877–81, Republican). A former representative (1865–67) from and governor (1868–72 and 1876–77) of Ohio and Civil War general. Won the closest (and potentially most fraudulent) election in American history, winning by literally '''[[DecidedByOneVote one electoral vote]]'''; second president to lose the popular vote, only president to win despite his opponent having over 50% of the popular vote. As part of the compromise that made him president, agreed not to run for re-election and to end Reconstruction in the South that had ramped up in earnest under Grant. Died in 1893.
# UsefulNotes/JamesGarfield (March–September 1881, Republican). A long-time Ohio Representative (1863–80) with an impressive beard. Won nomination on the 36th ballot of the GOP convention against former President Grant and won the popular vote by just 2,000 votes out of some nine million cast;[[note]]Because of the concentration of the Democratic vote in the South at the time, this translated into a somewhat beefier 214–155 electoral triumph.[[/note]] only sitting member of the House of Representatives to be elected president. Assassinated by a disgruntled office seeker and thus the second president to be assassinated.
# UsefulNotes/ChesterAArthur (1881–85, Republican). First president born in Vermont and fourth vice president to inherit office; previously, he was the customs collector of the Port of New York from 1871 to 1878. Democrats alleged that he was born a British subject, first in Ireland and later in Canada. Despite coming from the corrupt New York political machine, [[{{Irony}} finally gave civil service meaningful reform]], likely influenced by Garfield's assassination. Had crazy facial hair. Installed an elevator in the White House. Died of a cerebral hemorrhage barely a year after his term, giving him the second-shortest post-presidency.
# UsefulNotes/GroverCleveland (1885–89, Democrat). Former governor (1882–83) of New York. First (and only) president born in New Jersey. First president to marry in the White House, to a woman who was effectively his [[ValuesDissonance adopted]] [[WifeHusbandry daughter]].
# UsefulNotes/BenjaminHarrison (1889–93, Republican). William Henry Harrison's grandson and the first president to be grandson of a former president. Born and raised in Ohio but later became the first and only Indiana politician (in his case, senator, having been so from 1881 to 1887) to become president. Third president to lose the popular vote and the second to do so twice. A major technophile: he installed electricity in the White House, was the first to put a lighted Christmas tree in the White House, and was the first president to have his voice recorded. Died in 1901.
# UsefulNotes/GroverCleveland (1893–97, Democrat). Only president to serve two non-consecutive terms; although folks tend to prefer his first term. Became the first president to be captured on motion picture film during this term, while inaugurating William [=McKinley=]. Died in 1908.
# UsefulNotes/WilliamMcKinley (1897–1901, Republican). Former Congressman (1877–84 and 1885–91) from and governor (1892–96) of Ohio. Drove up the international/imperial (depending on whom you ask) turn in high-level American policy. First president whose opponent publicly and formally conceded their loss in the presidential election, with UsefulNotes/WilliamJenningsBryan doing so by telegram in 1896.[[note]]Peaceful transition of power had been the norm since John Adams quietly returned home after his failed reelection bid in 1800, and losing candidates privately conceding happened since then, such as Stephen Douglas conceding to Abraham Lincoln after the 1860 election, but not until the 1896 elections did a formal statement of concession by the losing candidate become the norm.[[/note]] Third president to be assassinated, specifically by anarchist Leon Czolgosz, [[ForWantOfANail ironically next to an X-ray machine that could have been used to save his life]].[[note]]Though he didn't die of the shots themselves but of subsequent gangrene on the wounds.[[/note]]
# UsefulNotes/TheodoreRoosevelt (1901–09, Republican). Definitely a MemeticBadass, perhaps the biggest to hold the office. Former governor of New York (1899–1900) before becoming [=McKinley=]'s VP; previously, he was also assistant secretary of the Navy (1897–98). Youngest person to become president; fifth vice president to inherit the office and first to be subsequently elected to a full term. Known for trustbusting, conservation, and supporting progressive reforms (though not the kind of "progressive" we think of today). First president to win a Nobel Peace Prize. First president to run on the ballot for a third term and first to run as part of a different party than when he was in office (his own Progressive Party, aka "the Bull Moose Party"), splitting the party and costing the Republicans the presidency. Eventually reconciled with his old party and became their top pick for nomination in the 1920 election but died of a pulmonary embolism in 1919 before that could come to fruition.
# UsefulNotes/WilliamHowardTaft (1909–13, Republican). First president to be elected without having served in the military or been elected to a prior office; was a judge, the appointed civilian governor of the Philippines (and, briefly, Cuba), and Roosevelt's Secretary of War. The heaviest president and last to sport facial hair in office; [[NeverLiveItDown most frequently remembered]] for getting stuck in the White House bathtub, which never actually happened. Placed ''third'' in the 1912 election when Teddy Roosevelt came out of retirement and split the Republican vote. The only president to have been [[OverlyNarrowSuperlative born in September]]. Only president to serve on the US Supreme Court (as Chief Justice, no less, from 1921 until his retirement due to poor health 33 days before his death in 1930), thereby being the only person to have been head of two branches.[[note]]He wanted to be chief justice but not president, and only accepted the 1908 presidential nomination at TR's insistence.[[/note]]
# UsefulNotes/WoodrowWilson (1913–21, Democrat). First Southerner elected president since before the Civil War;[[note]]Born in Virginia, the last president ever born there, but lived in several other Southern states in his youth, most notably Georgia, making him also the first from that state.[[/note]] later served as the president of [[UsefulNotes/IvyLeague Princeton]] before being elected governor of New Jersey (an office he held from 1911 to 1913), making him also the only Jersey politician to be elected president; only president with a doctorate, a [=Ph.D.=] (though nobody ever invoked the title when referring to him, in part because "Mr. President" had already been set-in-stone tradition for 124 years). Was re-elected for keeping America out of UsefulNotes/WorldWarI, but sent men to Europe--with popular support--less than a year later in part due to the interception of the Zimmermann Telegram by British intelligence and German attacks on American merchant ships; helped set up the UsefulNotes/LeagueOfNations after the war but couldn't get a hostile Congress on board (after the Democrats held both houses for his first six years, the Republicans flipped them in 1918). Had a stroke and his wife secretly ran the country for the last few months of his second term. A fairly popular president during most of his tenure, lost most of said popularity by the end, and his reputation spiraled even further downward in later decades thanks to increased awareness of his overt racism; was notably responsible for re-segregating federal agencies and enabling the racially tense environment that led to the revival of the UsefulNotes/KuKluxKlan. Died in 1924.
# UsefulNotes/WarrenGHarding (1921–23, Republican). Former Senator from Ohio (1915–21; the first president elected as such directly from the Senate), ran on a "Return to Normalcy" platform after WWI. An infamously bad public speaker, to the extent where contemporaries referred to his phrasing as if it were another language entirely. Notorious for corruption under his administration, especially after it ended with his early death from a heart attack or stroke midway through his term, though some believe his wife poisoned him for his many infidelities; the only president proven to have fathered a child from an extramarital affair.[[note]]Jefferson is widely believed to have done so too, but in Harding's case it was confirmed via direct DNA testing.[[/note]]
# UsefulNotes/CalvinCoolidge (1923–29, Republican). Second and latest president born in Vermont, first Massachusetts politician (he was a member of the state house from 1907 to 1909, the state senate from 1912 to 1915, lieutenant governor from 1916 to 1919, and governor from 1919 to 1921) to be elected president since the Adamses. [[TheQuietOne Often silent, to the point where he had the tersest oath of office on record ("I do").]] First president to have his inauguration broadcast on radio. So far the only president to have been born on the Fourth of July (Independence Day). Second VP to inherit the office and then win re-election. Died in 1933.
# UsefulNotes/HerbertHoover (1929–33, Republican). Second president to have not served in elected office or the military prior to taking the office; previously a mining engineer, then humanitarian ([[ImAHumanitarian not that kind]]) who had served as the director of the Food Administration during WWI and later as Secretary of Commerce under Harding and Coolidge before running for office. Frequently scorned by historians for his [[HeadInTheSandManagement inaction]] towards or compounding of problems during TheGreatDepression. First president to win with a non-White running mate (Charles Curtis, a member of Kaw Nation and the only person of Native American heritage to sit as vice president so far). Had the second-longest retirement of any president, living 31 more years and outliving Kennedy.
# UsefulNotes/FranklinDRoosevelt (1933–45, Democrat). Fifth cousin of Theodore Roosevelt and, like him, former governor of New York (1929–32) and assistant secretary of the Navy (1913–20); only president directly related to a previous one without being their descendant. Served [[LongRunners four terms]], two more than any other president (though he died a few months into the fourth), leading the nation through the Great Depression and most of World War II. Introduced New Deal programs, especially Social Security, that were immensely popular with the working class and forever transformed American ideas of the role of government. Won the highest percentage of electoral votes out of any candidate in a non-unanimous election, at 98.5% in 1936, and had [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roosevelt_dictatorship a significant movement]] among his supporters to try installing him as a dictator (back when such a position wasn't associated with brutal authoritarianism), but ultimately governed pretty much within the extent of his constitutionally-imposed limits. Only serving president to have a disability, being paralyzed from the waist down,[[note]]The exact cause of his paralysis has been debated; he was diagnosed with polio at the time, which was believed to be the reason for years, but a clinical reassesment found that it could have been [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guillain–Barré_syndrome Guillain–Barré syndrome]]; the debate led to the unspecified illness having [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paralytic_illness_of_Franklin_D._Roosevelt its own article]] on Wiki/{{Wikipedia}}.[[/note]] though he kept this a well-dressed OpenSecret and refrained from using a wheelchair in public up until shortly before his death. First president to appear in a televised broadcast. Last president to die of natural causes while in office. First president to be inaugurated on January 20 (his second inauguration), owing to the 20th Amendment shifting Inauguration Day from March 4. Only sitting president to die from {{Retirony}} (he had planned to resign due to declining health once World War II was over, but a cerebral hemorrhage did him in the month before), and the only sitting president to be listed a casualty of war while in office (it was said at the time that the years of responsibility had taken their toll on his health, culminating in said hemorrhage). Featured on the dime.
# UsefulNotes/HarrySTruman (1945–53, Democrat). The only president from Missouri, which he represented in the Senate from 1935 to 1945. Party leaders nominated him as vice president for Roosevelt's fourth campaign due to having more moderate views than predecessor Henry A. Wallace, then inherited the office three months after inauguration, becoming the seventh VP to do so. Oversaw the end of WWII and authorized the [[UsefulNotes/AtomicBombingsOfHiroshimaAndNagasaki first and only use of nuclear weapons in war]]. Oversaw the creation of the UsefulNotes/UnitedNations and UsefulNotes/{{NATO}}, desegregated the military and the civil service. Third VP to inherit office to win re-election. Was exempted from the 22nd Amendment[[note]]Which limits the president to two four-year terms in office at most, following FDR's controversially long tenure.[[/note]] through ex post facto (as it was ratified during his tenure) but decided to stick to just two terms anyway due to the waning popularity of his second term. Despite many decisions controversial both now and at the time, had a [[VindicatedByHistory better civil rights record]] than many of his contemporaries. Likely the poorest ever president; Congress doubled the president's salary and created a pension just to keep him financially afloat prior to his death in 1972. Also famous for the "S" in his name [[OneLetterName actually being his full middle name, not an initial]], giving him the distinction of having [[OverlyNarrowSuperlative the shortest middle name of any president, discounting those who had no middle names]].
# UsefulNotes/DwightDEisenhower (1953–61, Republican). The Supreme Commander of the Allies in Europe in UsefulNotes/WorldWarII; as a result, had a litany of military presidential firsts, including the first president since Grant who was a general officer; first president to earn a knighthood from a foreign nation (22 in fact).[[note]]His honors include being first president to receive: the Army Distinguished Service Medal, the Navy Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Philippine Distinguished Service Star, the French Médaille militaire, the French Croix de guerre 1939–1945, the Belgian Croix de guerre, the Luxembourgish Military Medal, the British Order of Merit, a Grand Cordon of the Japanese Order of the Chrysanthemum, and the Soviet Order of Victory.[[/note]] Final president born in the 19th century. Only president from Kansas. First to be limited to two terms (per the 22nd Amendment), and first to appear in a color television broadcast. Kicked off the Space Race and signed the [[UsefulNotes/{{NASA}} National Aeronautics and Space Act]]. Also started American involvement in Vietnam and reluctantly lent executive support to the ''Brown v. Board of Education'' decision regarding racial integration of public schools. Died in 1969.
# UsefulNotes/JohnFKennedy (1961–63, Democrat). A representative (1947–1953) and senator (1953–1960) from Massachusetts, and a member of one of the state's [[BlueBlood most prominent political families]]. Youngest elected president, with many associating his successful campaign with his good looks and stirring oratory, especially during the televised presidential debates (the first of their kind). First non-WASP, non-Old Stock, White-ethnic, and Catholic president, and last Northeastern president until Trump. A notorious womanizer, which is still a popular subject of parody to this day, alongside his distinctively thick New England accent. Oversaw the Cuban Missile Crisis, instigated the mission to put a man on the moon (which would take the rest of the decade to fulfill), and voiced support of the burgeoning UsefulNotes/CivilRightsMovement. Last president to be assassinated and last to die in office; his death is still plagued by conspiracy theories, to the point where it has [[WhoShotJFK its own trope]], and the fact that it was [[UsefulNotes/ZapruderFilm caught on film]] gives him the odd distinction of being the only president to ever be the subject of a SnuffFilm.[[note]]Coincidentally, his assassin was the only Presidential assassin to be the subject of a snuff film, being himself assassinated live on television two days later.[[/note]] Due to the aforementioned trope, earliest-appointed president to have his own trope on this wiki and only one of two (alongside Trump) to hold such a distinction. Featured on the half dollar.
# UsefulNotes/LyndonJohnson (1963–69, Democrat). [[EverythingIsBigInTexas Very Texan]], very aggressive, [[BunnyEarsLawyer very odd]], and very different from Kennedy, but tried his best to continue his legacy after his assassination, becoming the eighth VP to inherit the office. The first president from the Lone Star State,[[note]]Eisenhower was born there but grew up in Kansas.[[/note]] becoming vice president after a long career in the Senate. Won election to a full term in a landslide carried by national unity after Kennedy's death and his opponent UsefulNotes/BarryGoldwater being viewed as an extremist (an interpretation Johnson himself encouraged). Last Democrat to carry Alaska, the Dakotas, Idaho, Kansas, Oklahoma, Utah, and Wyoming. Used this support to pass landmark Civil Rights legislation at the cost of splitting the Democratic Party -- it encouraged most of the Democratic officeholders and voters in the South who didn't die or retire to flip to the Republicans. Tried to launch a "War on Poverty" to expand social welfare but ultimately diverted funds towards escalating UsefulNotes/TheVietnamWar (though he tried unsuccessfully to sue for peace). Chose not to run for re-election in 1968, despite being allowed to under the 22nd Amendment,[[note]]Under the amendment, vice presidents who ascend to the presidency during the first half of somebody else's term are only allowed to pursue one full term of their own, but those who do so in the second half are allowed to bid for two full terms. Kennedy was nearly three-quarters of the way through his term when he was assassinated.[[/note]] due to his unpopular handling of the war in Vietnam. Died in 1973.
# UsefulNotes/RichardNixon (1969–74, Republican). First non-incumbent vice president to become president, having previously lost in the race against Kennedy after serving under Eisenhower. Only native-born Californian to be president; before being veep, he represented it in the House (1947-1950) and the Senate (1950-1953).[[note]]Hoover and Reagan had California as their home state at the time they were elected into office (the former ran a business out of San Francisco and the latter was a former governor of the state) but they were both born and grew up in the Midwest; Hoover in Iowa and Reagan in Illinois.[[/note]] Presided over the moon landing and the end of the Space Race. Passed some environmental and workplace regulatory legislation seen as fairly progressive by modern Republican standards. Opened relations with RedChina and sought "peace with honor" in UsefulNotes/TheVietnamWar while aiming to cool down the Cold War. Definitely corrupt--er, [[MemeticMutation not a crook]], fueled in part by worsening paranoia regarding his political opponents. Did [[{{Scandalgate}} Watergate]] despite [[DickDastardlyStopsToCheat easily winning reelection]] (becoming the last Republican to carry Minnesota) and decided to resign (the only president to do so) before impeachment proceedings could begin, which remains [[NeverLiveItDown all most remember about him]] despite having a fairly solid record prior to that. Last president to die during the 20th century, passing in 1994.
# UsefulNotes/GeraldFord (1974–77, Republican). Only president who wasn't elected as either president or vice president; his predecessor as VP, UsefulNotes/SpiroAgnew, had to resign due to his own scandal, so Ford, the House minority leader, was appointed before Nixon's resignation. Controversially pardoned Nixon at the start of his term.[[note]]He himself regretted this almost immediately, though historians tend to view the decision in a better light nowadays.[[/note]] Only president from Nebraska, where he was born, or Michigan, where he was raised and from where he was a U.S. representative from 1949 until 1973. Only president whose would-be assassins were female. Oversaw the end of the Vietnam War and bolstered the period of détente with the Soviet Union. Marked the increasing involvement of Congress and decreasing involvement of the presidency in foreign policy procedure. Witnessed the worst economic recession since the Great Depression, which bled over into Carter's term. [[NeverLiveItDown Fell down steps of Air Force One]] and consequently became remembered by a generation of Americans for Creator/ChevyChase's caricaturing of him as TheKlutz on ''Series/SaturdayNightLive''.[[note]]Also first president to appear on ''SNL'', via a pre-recorded segment.[[/note]] Had the shortest presidency not cut off by death, at 895 days; conversely, had the third-longest retirement of any president, beaten out only by Hoover and Carter, before dying in 2006.
# UsefulNotes/JimmyCarter (1977–81, Democrat). Living. Was a FarmBoy from Georgia (a state senator from 1963 to 1967 and governor from 1971 to 1975) and was [[NeverLiveItDown attacked by a bunny]]; his Washington-outsider image and wholesome persona helped him win election after the backlash against Nixon's corruption. Last Democrat to carry Alabama, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Texas. Made some progress towards resolving the UsefulNotes/ArabIsraeliConflict and kept the US out of foreign wars, but could not get a handle on the stagflating economy and had several things go wrong abroad in 1979, most notably the Nicaraguan and Iranian revolutions and especially the hostage crisis that followed the latter (which only ended mere minutes after his successor's inauguration). Only president to admit to filing a UFO report (though he suspected the object of being a military project, not aliens). Infinitely more popular as a former president due to his charity work, which got him the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002; longest-lived president, longest post-presidency of any president, and first to live at least 40 years after being inaugurated.
# UsefulNotes/RonaldReagan (1981–89, Republican). Previously governor of California (1967–75), and before that a cowboy actor and president of the Screen Actors Guild, making him the TropeMaker for the "Celebrity President" (even if he was always a B-lister). A very divisive figure in retrospect but very popular while in office; was the last Republican to carry Hawaii, Massachusetts, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Washington, and won the electoral vote against UsefulNotes/WalterMondale everywhere but DC and Mondale's home state of Minnesota when running for his second term. He was a strong believer in "supply-side" or "trickle-down" economics, and as such, oversaw substantial deregulation of the private sector. Credited with helping end the Cold War thanks to his diplomacy and military spending, even if its resolution came during his successor's tenure. Most commonly criticized for his poor handling of the AIDS crisis (deliberately suppressing information about the disease) as well as for instituting the economic policies that worsened later recessions. First president to survive being wounded in an assassination attempt while in office.[[note]]Theodore Roosevelt wasn't president when the attempt on his life occurred.[[/note]] Had several controversies towards the end of his run, possibly due to an undiagnosed onset of Alzheimer's; raised the profile of the disease in his post-presidency before dying from complications of it in 2004, making him the first president to die in the 21st century (just over exactly a decade after Nixon's passing).
# UsefulNotes/GeorgeHWBush (1989–93, Republican). Was the CIA director from 1976 to 1977, U.S. ambassador to the UN from 1971 to 1973, and a U.S. representative from 1967 to 1971 before becoming vice president to Reagan. Despite being the last president born in Massachusetts, he lived in and represented Texas after his WWII service. Rode Reagan's popularity to victory; first sitting vice president elected president since Van Buren 152 years prior; last incumbent vice president to become president; last Republican President to win the popular vote for his first (and only, in his case) term; last Republican to carry California, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, New Jersey, and Vermont. A notoriously bad public speaker, which immediately harmed his reputation as the successor to the charismatic Reagan. Oversaw the end of the Cold War and the entirety of the Gulf War. Vomited on the prime minister of Japan and consequently became a quintessential example of PersonAsVerb over there. Famously said "read my lips: no new taxes", which backfired when he had to raise taxes during a recession and probably cost him reelection. Died in 2018, making him the most recent former president who passed away.
# UsefulNotes/BillClinton (1993–2001, Democrat). Living. Last Democrat to carry Montana, Missouri, Louisiana, Tennessee, Kentucky, West Virginia, and his home state of Arkansas, where he had served as governor (1979–81 and 1983–92) and attorney general (1977–79). A centrist who favored continued deregulation (it was he, not Reagan, who signed the laws that made the large-scale deregulation of America's financial sector possible); last president to sign a budget with a surplus. Often called "the first Black president" in his time, despite being White, due to his background of lower-class struggle that resonated with redlined Black voters. Husband to UsefulNotes/HillaryRodhamClinton, who went on to become the most politically active (and most controversial) former First Lady, becoming U.S. senator for New York (2001–09) and later Secretary of State under Obama (2009–13) in addition to launching two unsuccessful bids for the presidency. Was impeached but not convicted during the Monica Lewinsky scandal, making him the first president since Andrew Johnson to be impeached. Used to be one of the most beloved Democratic presidents since World War II, nowadays one of the more divisive ones on account of his treatment of women and economic policies that led to the 21st century's major recessions.
# UsefulNotes/GeorgeWBush (2001–09, Republican). Living. Former governor of Texas (1995–2000) and second son of a former president to become president himself; fourth and most recent president to have lineage directly traceable to a previous president. Generally considered by historians to be more of [[PuppetKing a figurehead]] under the [[TheManBehindTheMan far more powerful vice president]] UsefulNotes/DickCheney, though public opinion is still fairly split on what to make of him. Inherited his father's bad public speaking skills and consequently added [[{{Malaproper}} countless new words]] [[MemeticMutation to the public]] [[FountainOfMemes consciousness]]. Fourth president to lose the popular vote (and first in over a century) and only one to win reelection with the popular vote; his initial victory had to be decided by the Supreme Court following a flawed vote in Florida that necessitated a recount, but he achieved the highest approval rating ever recorded (92%) after 9/11, making him the last Republican president to serve a second term and to win the popular vote. His approval heavily plummeted after his conception and prosecution of UsefulNotes/TheWarOnTerror and poor response to Hurricane Katrina came under heavy criticism; this and the Great Recession resulted in him leaving with the lowest approval rating ever recorded (19%).[[note]]This was still better than Cheney, whose lowest approval rating was 13%.[[/note]]
# UsefulNotes/BarackObama (2009–17, Democrat). Living. First African-American/interracial president. Only president born in Hawaii, but he moved to Chicago as a young man and (briefly) represented Illinois in the Senate (from 2005 to 2008; he was also a state senator there from 1997 to 2004) before his election. Led the country out of the Great Recession and passed what was regarded as groundbreaking health care reform; arguably the first president since Carter to fight for greater federal regulation and intervention to help the working class, though further legislative aims were mostly impeded by a conservative House for most of his presidency. Received a Nobel Peace Prize a few months into his presidency, which even he pointed out was a little strange, as U.S. military intervention in the Middle East continued throughout his presidency. Also frequently criticized for his inaction towards immigration reform, though he did try to circumvent Congress with executive action to offer protections to immigrant children. Still known as a constant source of (mostly) lighthearted MemeticMutation, thanks to both his charismatic and youthful persona and his presidency overlapping the Internet's expansion into the mainstream.
# UsefulNotes/DonaldTrump (2017–21, Republican). Living. One of the most divisive figures ever to hold the office. Unique in many respects: First president not to have held any prior political (elected or appointed) or military office; likely the wealthiest president;[[note]]Though a staunch refusal to release his official tax returns makes this difficult to confirm, most people judge his global real estate empire and other investments to have been worth more than even George Washington's substantial land holdings would have been today.[[/note]] first to have primary residence in Florida;[[note]]He was born in New York and initially ran from there, making him the first Northeastern president since JFK, but changed his listed residency in the middle of his term and spent nearly as much time in Florida as he did in D.C.[[/note]] first to have hosted a [[Series/TheApprentice reality television show]]; the only president to have managed a ProfessionalWrestling match at Wrestling/WrestleMania. [[UsefulNotes/RonaldReagan Third]] to have "won" a UsefulNotes/GoldenRaspberryAward, [[UsefulNotes/GeorgeWBush second]] to have done so playing himself, and [[Film/GhostsCantDoIt first]] to have done so before his presidency. Ran on a strongly populist and nationalist platform and disrupted or ignored many of the expectations of "presidential" behavior. Fifth president to lose the popular vote and third to lose it twice.[[note]]Paradoxically, also the holder of the second most popular votes of any candidate, behind only his second opponent, Joe Biden.[[/note]] Third president to be impeached/acquitted, in his case for pressuring the Ukrainian president to investigate Joe Biden, whom he expected would be the one to challenge him when he ran for another term. First president to run for re-election after his impeachment. The final year of his presidency was dominated by the UsefulNotes/COVID19Pandemic, which he wavered between denying, ignoring, or downplaying. Most recent incumbent president to lose re-election (and thus the most recent one-term president).[[note]]Though also the first incumbent loser since Van Buren to ''gain'' votes in his second election.[[/note]] First sitting president to refuse to concede an election loss, instead filing lawsuits and pressuring election officials to invalidate Biden's victory in 2020, culminating with his supporters storming the Capitol while Congress counted the ballots, ending the streak of peaceful transfers of power that dated back to the Civil War. Finally conceded after that failed to prevent certification, though continued to insist the election was rigged and did not attend his successor's inauguration, a first since Andrew Johnson snubbed Grant. Was ultimately impeached and acquitted ''again'' on charges of inciting insurrection, making him the first president to be impeached twice and the first to have his trial occur after leaving office.[[note]]Also the [[OverlyNarrowSuperlative most bipartisan]] impeachment, with ten House Republicans siding with every Democrat to impeach, and seven Republican senators siding with every Democrat to convict.[[/note]] Only president other than Kennedy to [[{{Trumplica}} have his own trope]] on this wiki thanks to his longtime status as a FountainOfExpies.
# UsefulNotes/JoeBiden (2021–present, Democrat). Incumbent. Most recent vice president to become president, having served as VP under Obama.[[note]]Second non-incumbent VP to become president, after Nixon; first since Bush Sr. to have previously served two full terms.[[/note]] Previously served for [[LongRunners 36 years]] (1973–2009) as senator of Delaware. Only president to represent Delaware and the first born in Pennsylvania since Buchanan. Oldest person to win a presidential election and oldest president ever; at 78 years, 61 days upon taking office, was older than the second oldest, Reagan, was upon ''leaving'' office (which he did at 77 years, 348 days). Currently the only member of the Silent Generation to be president.[[note]]In terms of generations, the presidential order goes from the Greatest Generation (Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, and H.W. Bush), skips the Silent Generation entirely, and goes to Boomers (Clinton, W. Bush, then, despite being on the younger side, Obama). Trump, born in 1946, when the Boomer generation began, is also one of the oldest Boomers, like Clinton and W. Bush, leaving Biden as the only true representative of the Silent Generation among presidents.[[/note]] First Catholic president since Kennedy;[[note]]He had also been the first Catholic vice president under Obama.[[/note]] first president to win (and only the third major-party presidential candidate) with a female running mate (Walter Mondale ran with UsefulNotes/GeraldineFerraro in 1984 and UsefulNotes/JohnMcCain with UsefulNotes/SarahPalin in 2008) and, after Hoover, second with a non-White person (UsefulNotes/KamalaHarris, of Black and Indian descent) as his running mate. Had more popular votes cast for him than any other presidential candidate in history; won the largest percentage of the popular vote of any challenging candidate since FDR in 1932. First president since Lincoln to lack a peaceful transition of power to his administration, with Trump supporters storming the Capitol building to attempt to stop his certification. Like the final year of his predecessor, Biden's term has so far been defined by its response to COVID-19 and the accompanying recession.
[[/index]]

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Despite what ''WesternAnimation/{{Histeria}}'' may have said about his being president for one day between Polk and Taylor, any attempts to put [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Rice_Atchison David Rice Atchison]] on this list will be dismissed in the traditional manner.[[labelnote:Context]]President Polk left office on Sunday, March 4, 1849; President-elect Taylor refused to be sworn in until Monday. In theory, this ''could'' have made Senate President pro tempore Atchison the Acting President for that day, but only if Taylor was incapacitated.[[/labelnote]] So will any attempts to add [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Hanson John Hanson]] or any other presidents of the Continental Congress.

An {{urban legend|s}}, popularized by ''Ripley's Believe It or Not!'' in 1931, claims that there is a curse upon the presidency. This curse, variously known as the "Curse of Tippecanoe", "Tecumseh's Curse" and the "Zero-Year Curse", states that any president who is elected in a year ending in a zero (1840, 1860, etc.) will die in office or have a near miss. It was allegedly placed upon UsefulNotes/WilliamHenryHarrison by Tecumseh's brother Tenskwatana during the Indian wars and the UsefulNotes/WarOf1812, in which Harrison won two decisive battles against Tecumseh in present-day Indiana and Ontario (the latter leading to Tecumseh's death). Whatever the curse's validity, it was apparently "broken" by either UsefulNotes/RonaldReagan (if deaths alone count), or UsefulNotes/GeorgeWBush (if near-misses count as well)[[note]]Unless you count that one time some guy in the country of Georgia [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vladimir_Arutyunian#Assassination_attempt threw a grenade]] at Bush and Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili; the grenade did not detonate.[[/note]] as both survived to serve two full terms. Only time will tell what happens after the 2020 election.[[note]]UsefulNotes/JoeBiden, who won the 2020 presidential election, indirectly {{lampshade|Hanging}}d the curse, stating that his running mate will need to be prepared to step into "the most important job in the White House" at a moment's notice.[[/note]]

There is also a band called Music/ThePresidentsOfTheUnitedStatesOfAmerica; however, no holder of this office has yet been a member of the band. However, the band members did a parody of the presidential race in which each member had a campaign video to be elected president... of the Presidents. They did play at the White House, by Chelsea Clinton's request, though. Rumor has it, Bill Clinton played sax with them during that show.

Music/JonathanCoulton has two songs about them: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdUUywIsIGI One]] ("The Presidents") is simply their names and a small factoid about them, and the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDqCP5kQIbo other]] ("Washy Ad Jeffy") is a mnemonic device designed to help you remember their names and how many full and partial terms together they served (by way of the number of syllables in the name). Other songs include [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vvy0wRLD5s8 this one]] from ''{{WesternAnimation/Animaniacs}}''.

With one exception, every American president is descended from UsefulNotes/KingJohnOfEngland. He's the king from the RobinHood stories and the one who was forced to sign the Magna Carta. The one exception is UsefulNotes/MartinVanBuren (Were you expecting Obama?), whose ancestry is Dutch on both sides. All of the other 45 men[[note]]Due to his non-consecutive terms, Grover Cleveland is counted as both the 22nd and the 24th president, bringing the total to 46 presidencies shared among 45 men.[[/note]] to hold the executive office have British blood in them that can be traced back to King John. And even then, Van Buren is still ''related'' to King John, as his descent has been traced via separate lines of descent from King John's mother and paternal great-grandparents. In fact, Van Buren was still descended from [[UsefulNotes/TheHouseOfNormandy William the Conqueror]], who was also an ancestor of King John, so ''every'' president is descended from the Norman king who conquered England.[[note]]Thanks to how lineages tend to work, [[RealityIsUnrealistic this is actually less unlikely than it sounds]] (bloodlines either explode or die out very quickly, and aristocrats have [[MassiveNumberedSiblings a lot of children]]), but being able to prove it is still pretty impressive.[[/note]]

Presidents who typically rank very high in "greatest presidents" historian/scholar polls include UsefulNotes/GeorgeWashington, UsefulNotes/ThomasJefferson, UsefulNotes/AbrahamLincoln, UsefulNotes/TheodoreRoosevelt, and UsefulNotes/FranklinDRoosevelt. Those who are usually found at the very bottom include UsefulNotes/WilliamHenryHarrison, UsefulNotes/FranklinPierce, UsefulNotes/JamesBuchanan, UsefulNotes/AndrewJohnson, and UsefulNotes/WarrenGHarding. A few are more popular in public polls than in scholarly ones, such as UsefulNotes/AndrewJackson, UsefulNotes/JohnFKennedy, and UsefulNotes/RonaldReagan.[[note]]Said polls have likewise tended to rank UsefulNotes/DonaldTrump near or at the absolute bottom, though time will tell if that sticks.[[/note]] There has been some reappraisal of some presidents for to their civil rights record and ValuesDissonance, which also partly explains, for instance, why Andrew Johnson was slightly more popular with historians until about the 1960s or so than he is today.

Four of the first five presidents were from Virginia, giving rise to the term [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia_dynasty "Virginia Dynasty"]] though they were not related beyond the trivial. Until UsefulNotes/TheAmericanCivilWar most presidents were either Southerners themselves or "Doughfaces", that is, Northerners with Southern sympathies. Since the Civil War, this has turned around quite a bit, with Woodrow Wilson arguably the first with Doughface or Southern leanings[[note]]He was born in UsefulNotes/{{antebellum|America}} Virginia, raised in Georgia, and moved to New Jersey but held on to his, shall we say, [[NobleBigot obsolete racial views]].[[/note]] and most presidents from both parties standing more on the side of Civil Rights than the South from the 1950s onwards. (Fun fact: A disproportionate number of presidents have been either New Yorkers or Ohioans, at thirteen. Statistically speaking, this is likely because New York has always been one of the most populous states in the union since the Revolution, while Ohio has been a crucial swing state in presidential elections for a very, very long time.)

For the action film, see ''Film/DeadPresidents''. For the much-desired ''pictures'' of dead presidents (plus a few other people), see UsefulNotes/AmericanMoney. For the president of the Confederate States of America during UsefulNotes/TheAmericanCivilWar, see UsefulNotes/JeffersonDavis. For a list of those who were "one life away" from being president, see UsefulNotes/TheVicePresidents. And finally, for portrayals of the presidency in fiction, see OurPresidentsAreDifferent.
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->''"The next president to lead the way\\
Well, it just might be yourself one day\\
Then the press will distort everything you say\\
So jump in your plane and fly away!"''
-->-- '''''WesternAnimation/{{Animaniacs}}''''', "The Presidents Song"
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# UsefulNotes/ThomasJefferson (1801–09, Democratic-Republican). Wrote the Declaration of Independence before serving as governor of Virginia, first Secretary of State under Washington, and second vice president under Adams (and thus the second VP elected to the presidency, though he actually ran ''against'' Adams). Though normally an advocate for a smaller federal government, notably expanded its power while president, most notably by ratifying the Louisiana Purchase that doubled the size of the nation's territory claims. Also the first wartime president, having declared the First Barbary War. As a public and vocal UsefulNotes/{{Deis|m}}t, arguably the only non-Christian president; indeed, he explored a wide variety of religions in his lifetime, including, most notably, Islam; to this day, Muslim Congressmen have opted to be sworn in on his copy of the Qu'ran, with few exceptions (the most notable being Rashida Tlaib, who contrary to popular belief was sworn in on her own copy of the Qu'ran). Invented the swivel chair. While normally considered one of the better--or at least most important--presidents, his gravestone ''omits'' his presidency in favor of other accomplishments, such as writing the Declaration and his work in his home state, which also included founding the University of Virginia. Remains condemned by many for fathering many children with an enslaved woman, Sally Hemmings, without acknowledging his patronage and claiming all of them as his slaves. Featured on the $2 bill and the nickel.

# UsefulNotes/FranklinDRoosevelt (1933–45, Democrat). Fifth cousin of Theodore Roosevelt and, like him, former governor of New York (1929–32) and assistant secretary of the Navy (1913–20); only president directly related to a previous one without being their descendant. Served [[LongRunners four terms]], two more than any other president (though he died a few months into the fourth), leading the nation through the Great Depression and most of World War II. Introduced New Deal programs, especially Social Security, that were immensely popular with the working class and forever transformed American ideas of the role of government. Won the highest percentage of electoral votes out of any candidate in a non-unanimous election, at 98.5% in 1936, and had [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roosevelt_dictatorship a significant movement]] among his supporters to try installing him as a dictator (back when such a position wasn't associated with brutal authoritarianism), but ultimately governed pretty much within the extent of his constitutionally-imposed limits. Only serving president to have a disability, being paralyzed from the waist down,[[note]]The exact cause of his paralysis has been debated; he was diagnosed with polio at the time, which was believed to be the reason for years, but a clinical reassesment found that it could have been [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guillain–Barré_syndrome Guillain–Barré syndrome]]; the debate led to the unspecified illness having [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paralytic_illness_of_Franklin_D._Roosevelt its own article]] on Wiki/{{Wikipedia}}.[[/note]] though he kept this a well-dressed OpenSecret and refrained from using a wheelchair in public. First president to appear in a televised broadcast. Last president to die of natural causes while in office. First president to be inaugurated on January 20 (his second inauguration), owing to the 20th Amendment shifting Inauguration Day from March 4. Only sitting president to die from {{Retirony}} (he had planned to resign due to declining health once World War II was over, but a cerebral hemorrhage did him in the month before), and the only sitting president to be listed a casualty of war while in office (it was said at the time that the years of responsibility had taken their toll on his health, culminating in said hemorrhage). Featured on the dime.

# UsefulNotes/WilliamHowardTaft (1909–13, Republican). First president to be elected without having served in the military or been elected to a prior office; was a judge, the appointed civilian governor of the Philippines (and, briefly, Cuba), and Roosevelt's Secretary of War. The heaviest president and last to sport facial hair in office; [[NeverLiveItDown most frequently remembered]] for getting stuck in the White House bathtub, which never actually happened. Placed ''third'' in the 1912 election when Teddy Roosevelt came out of retirement and split the Republican vote. The only president to have been [[OverlyNarrowSuperlative born in September]]. Only president to serve on the US Supreme Court (as Chief Justice, no less, from 1921 until 33 days before his death in 1930), thereby being the only person to have been head of two branches.[[note]]He wanted to be chief justice but not president, and only accepted the 1908 presidential nomination at TR's insistence.[[/note]]

# UsefulNotes/ThomasJefferson (1801–09, Democratic-Republican). Wrote the Declaration of Independence before serving as governor of Virginia, first Secretary of State under Washington, and second vice president under Adams (and thus the second VP elected to the presidency, though he actually ran ''against'' Adams). Though normally an advocate for a smaller federal government, notably expanded its power while president, most notably by ratifying the Louisiana Purchase that doubled the size of the nation's territory claims. Also the first wartime president, having declared the First Barbary War. As a public and vocal UsefulNotes/{{Deis|m}}t, arguably the only non-Christian president; indeed, he explored a wide variety of religions in his lifetime, including, most notably, Islam; to this day, Muslim Congressmen have opted to be sworn in on his copy of the Qu'ran. Invented the swivel chair. While normally considered one of the better--or at least most important--presidents, his gravestone ''omits'' his presidency in favor of other accomplishments, such as writing the Declaration and his work in his home state, which also included founding the University of Virginia. Remains condemned by many for fathering many children with an enslaved woman, Sally Hemmings, without acknowledging his patronage and claiming all of them as his slaves. Featured on the $2 bill and the nickel.

# UsefulNotes/AndrewJackson (1829–37, Democrat; creator of the Democratic Party and first Democratic president). Remembered largely for his violent temper, lack of sophistication, controversial policies, and reorienting of the presidency to a populist "agent of the people" role that still continues to this day. A popular general in the War of 1812 and senator from Tennessee from 1797 to 1798 and 1823 to 1825, and the first governor of the Florida Territory for most of 1821; the first president elected from outside of the original colonies, signifying the nation's westward shift.[[note]]Jackson was born on the Carolina frontier but spent most of his life in Tennessee.[[/note]] Lost his wife to malicious slander after his election, the slander having broken her down and sent her to an early grave; Jackson never recovered from the loss. Broke the 28-year-long sequence of Democratic-Republican presidents who were the Secretary of State of their predecessor. First president targeted in an AssassinationAttempt; only president to almost personally kill his attempted assassin after he failed (also killed at least one man in a duel, something he enjoyed bragging about). Infamously and illegally overruled the Supreme Court in his push to drive out the Native American population of the South. Threatened to use force to [[{{Foreshadowing}} keep South Carolina from nullifying federal law]]. Fought to shut down the national bank and deregulate the monetary system, which contributed to the subsequent financial panic after he left office; ironically, he is now featured on the $20 bill, though is planned to be shoved off to the back in favor of UsefulNotes/HarrietTubman in 2028. Died in 1845.

# UsefulNotes/AndrewJackson (1829–37, Democrat; creator of the Democratic Party and first Democratic president). Remembered largely for his violent temper, lack of sophistication, controversial policies, and reorienting of the presidency to a populist "agent of the people" role that still continues to this day. A popular general in the War of 1812 and senator from Tennessee from 1797 to 1798 and 1823 to 1825, and the first governor of the Florida Territory for most of 1821; the first president elected from outside of the original colonies, signifying the nation's westward shift.[[note]]Jackson was born on the Carolina frontier but spent most of his life in Tennessee.[[/note]] Broke the 28-year-long sequence of Democratic-Republican presidents who were the Secretary of State of their predecessor. First president targeted in an AssassinationAttempt; only president to almost personally kill his attempted assassin after he failed (also killed at least one man in a duel, something he enjoyed bragging about). Infamously and illegally overruled the Supreme Court in his push to drive out the Native American population of the South. Threatened to use force to [[{{Foreshadowing}} keep South Carolina from nullifying federal law]]. Fought to shut down the national bank and deregulate the monetary system, which contributed to the subsequent financial panic after he left office; ironically, he is now featured on the $20 bill, though is planned to be shoved off to the back in favor of UsefulNotes/HarrietTubman in 2028. Died in 1845.

# UsefulNotes/JohnFKennedy (1961–63, Democrat). A representative (1947–1953) and senator (1953–1960) from Massachusetts, and a member of one of the state's [[BlueBlood most prominent political families]]. Youngest elected president, with many associating his successful campaign with his good looks and stirring oratory, especially during the televised presidential debates (the first of their kind). First non-WASP, non-Old Stock, White-ethnic, and Catholic president, and last Northeastern president until Trump. A notorious womanizer, which is still a popular subject of parody to this day, alongside his distinctively thick New England accent. Oversaw the Cuban Missile Crisis, instigated the mission to put a man on the moon (which would take the rest of the decade to fulfill), and voiced support of the burgeoning UsefulNotes/CivilRightsMovement. Last president to be assassinated and last to die in office; his death is still plagued by conspiracy theories, to the point where it has [[WhoShotJFK its own trope]], and the fact that it was [[UsefulNotes/ZapruderFilm caught on film]] gives him the odd distinction of being the only president to ever be the subject of a SnuffFilm. Coincidentally, his assassin was the only Presidential assassin to be the subject of a SnuffFilm, being himself assassinated live on television two days later. Due to the aforementioned trope, earliest-appointed president to have his own trope on this wiki and only one of two (alongside Trump) to hold such a distinction. Featured on the half dollar.

# UsefulNotes/JohnFKennedy (1961–63, Democrat). A representative (1947–1953) and senator (1953–1960) from Massachusetts, and a member of one of the state's [[BlueBlood most prominent political families]]. Youngest elected president, with many associating his successful campaign with his good looks and stirring oratory, especially during the televised presidential debates (the first of their kind). First non-WASP, non-Old Stock, White-ethnic, and Catholic president, and last Northeastern president until Trump. A notorious womanizer, which is still a popular subject of parody to this day, alongside his distinctively thick New England accent. Oversaw the Cuban Missile Crisis, instigated the mission to put a man on the moon (which would take the rest of the decade to fulfill), and voiced support of the burgeoning UsefulNotes/CivilRightsMovement. Last president to be assassinated and last to die in office; his death is still plagued by conspiracy theories, to the point where it has [[WhoShotJFK its own trope]], and the fact that it was [[UsefulNotes/ZapruderFilm caught on film]] gives him the odd distinction of being the only president to ever be the subject of a SnuffFilm. Due to the aforementioned trope, earliest-appointed president to have his own trope on this wiki and only one of two (alongside Trump) to hold such a distinction. Featured on the half dollar.

Ladies and gentlemen,[[labelnote:*]]And if it's the State of the Union, Mister/Madam Speaker.[[/labelnote]] the presidents of the UsefulNotes/UnitedStates! ''("Hail to the Chief" starts playing.)''

# UsefulNotes/JohnFKennedy (1961–63, Democrat). A representative (1947–1953) and senator (1953–1960) from Massachusetts, and a member of one of the state's [[BlueBlood most prominent political families]]. Youngest elected president, with many associating his successful campaign with his good looks and stirring oratory, especially during the televised presidential debates (the first of their kind). First non-WASP, non-Old Stock, White-ethnic, and Catholic president, and last Northeastern president until Trump. A notorious womanizer, which is still a popular subject of parody to this day, alongside his distinctively thick New England accent. Oversaw the Cuban Missile Crisis, instigated the mission to put a man on the moon (which would take the rest of the decade to fulfill), and voiced support of the burgeoning UsefulNotes/CivilRightsMovement. Last president to be assassinated and last to die in office; his death is still plagued by conspiracy theories, to the point where it has [[WhoShotJFK its own trope]]; earliest-appointed president to have his own trope on this wiki and only one of two (alongside Trump) to hold such a distinction; only president to ever be the subject of a SnuffFilm. Featured on the half dollar.

# UsefulNotes/JohnFKennedy (1961–63, Democrat). A representative (1947–1953) and senator (1953–1960) from Massachusetts, and a member of one of the state's [[BlueBlood most prominent political families]]. Youngest elected president, with many associating his successful campaign with his good looks and stirring oratory, especially during the televised presidential debates (the first of their kind). First non-WASP, non-Old Stock, White-ethnic, and Catholic president, and last Northeastern president until Trump. A notorious womanizer, which is still a popular subject of parody to this day, alongside his distinctively thick New England accent. Oversaw the Cuban Missile Crisis, instigated the mission to put a man on the moon (which would take the rest of the decade to fulfill), and voiced support of the burgeoning UsefulNotes/CivilRightsMovement. Last president to be assassinated and last to die in office; his death is still plagued by conspiracy theories, to the point where it has [[WhoShotJFK its own trope]]; only president to ever be the subject of a SnuffFilm; earliest-appointed president to have his own trope on this wiki and only one of two (alongside Trump) to hold such a distinction. Featured on the half dollar.

# UsefulNotes/JohnFKennedy (1961–63, Democrat). A representative (1947–1953) and senator (1953–1960) from Massachusetts, and a member of one of the state's [[BlueBlood most prominent political families]]. Youngest elected president, with many associating his successful campaign with his good looks and stirring oratory, especially during the televised presidential debates (the first of their kind). First non-WASP, non-Old Stock, White-ethnic, and Catholic president, and last Northeastern president until Trump. A notorious womanizer, which is still a popular subject of parody to this day, alongside his distinctively thick New England accent. Oversaw the Cuban Missile Crisis, instigated the mission to put a man on the moon (which would take the rest of the decade to fulfill), and voiced support of the burgeoning UsefulNotes/CivilRightsMovement. Last president to be assassinated and last to die in office; his death is still plagued by conspiracy theories, to the point where it has [[WhoShotJFK its own trope]]; earliest-appointed president to have his own trope on this wiki and only one of two (alongside Trump) to hold such a distinction. Featured on the half dollar.

# UsefulNotes/LyndonJohnson (1963–69, Democrat). [[EverythingIsBigInTexas Very Texan]], very aggressive, [[BunnyEarsLawyer very odd]], and very different from Kennedy, but tried his best to continue his legacy after his assassination, becoming the eight VP to inherit the office. The first president from the Lone Star State,[[note]]Eisenhower was born there but grew up in Kansas.[[/note]] becoming vice president after a long career in the Senate. Won election to a full term in a landslide carried by national unity after Kennedy's death and his opponent UsefulNotes/BarryGoldwater being viewed as an extremist (an interpretation Johnson himself encouraged). Last Democrat to carry Alaska, the Dakotas, Idaho, Kansas, Oklahoma, Utah, and Wyoming. Used this support to pass landmark Civil Rights legislation at the cost of splitting the Democratic Party -- it encouraged most of the Democratic officeholders and voters in the South who didn't die or retire to flip to the Republicans. Tried to launch a "War on Poverty" to expand social welfare but ultimately diverted funds towards escalating UsefulNotes/TheVietnamWar (though he tried unsuccessfully to sue for peace). Chose not to run for re-election in 1968, despite being allowed to under the 22nd Amendment,[[note]]Under the amendment, vice presidents who ascend to the presidency during the first half of somebody else's term are only allowed to pursue one full term of their own, but those who do so in the second half are allowed to bid for two full terms. Kennedy was nearly three-quarters of the way through his term when he was assassinated.[[/note]] due to his unpopular handling of the war in Vietnam. Died in 1973.

Ladies and gentlemen,[[note]]And if it's the State of the Union, Mister/Madam Speaker.[[/note]] the presidents of the UsefulNotes/UnitedStates! ''("Hail to the Chief" starts playing.)''

[[caption-width-right:300:"My fellow Americans..."]]

# UsefulNotes/AbrahamLincoln (1861–65, Republican/National Union; first Republican president). Consistently ranked in polls as the greatest president in US history, above even Washington, because of his successful leadership during the Civil War and his vital importance to the abolition of slavery in America. Born in Kentucky, but he moved with his family to Illinois as a boy and would become the president from that state. Only served a single term as a representative (1847–49), during which he had witnessed the passing of former President John Quincy Adams on the House floor, and had not won an election for over a decade before winning the presidency, but his exemplary oratory performance in the debates during a later campaign for the Senate (and his relative distance from Congress' last decade of fighting) set him up to win the presidency; despite being a moderate, his party's anti-slavery platform led seven Southern states to secede after his election, making him the first president not to experience a peaceful transition of power. Only President to have broken a quorum during his Congressional career, albeit unsuccessfully. Greatly expanded the power of the federal government and executive branch as part of the war effort, becoming in some ways the first "modern" president. Tallest president.[[note]]He was six feet, four inches (193 cm), with only LBJ tying him.[[/note]] First president to have facial hair in office. Assassinated by Confederate sympathizer UsefulNotes/JohnWilkesBooth and thus was the first to be ''successfully'' assassinated and third to die in office. Featured on the penny and the $5 bill.

# UsefulNotes/AbrahamLincoln (1861–65, Republican/National Union; first Republican president). Consistently ranked in polls as the greatest president in US history, above even Washington, because of his successful leadership during the Civil War and his vital importance to the abolition of slavery in America. Born in Kentucky, but he moved with his family to Illinois as a boy and would become the president from that state. Only served a single term as a representative (1847–49) and had not won an election for over a decade before winning the presidency, but his exemplary oratory performance in the debates during a later campaign for the Senate (and his relative distance from Congress' last decade of fighting) set him up to win the presidency; despite being a moderate, his party's anti-slavery platform led seven Southern states to secede after his election, making him the first president not to experience a peaceful transition of power. Greatly expanded the power of the federal government and executive branch as part of the war effort, becoming in some ways the first "modern" president. Tallest president.[[note]]He was six feet, four inches (193 cm), with only LBJ tying him.[[/note]] First president to have facial hair in office. Assassinated by Confederate sympathizer UsefulNotes/JohnWilkesBooth and thus was the first to be ''successfully'' assassinated and third to die in office. Featured on the penny and the $5 bill.

# UsefulNotes/GeorgeWashington (1789–97, independent/de facto Federalist). Led the [[UsefulNotes/TheAmericanRevolution Continental Army]]. Only president not to be a member of any political party. Only one of two presidents -- the other being James Monroe -- to run unopposed and consequently one of the only two to be elected unanimously. Often held up as a real-life case of FirstInstallmentWins, with only Lincoln ranking higher than him on popularity polls. Generally regarded as having made a lot of very good suggestions for the country's future upon his departure that nobody bothered to follow. First president from Virginia. Only president to lead the U.S. Army in the field personally, during the Whiskey Rebellion, though it never escalated into actual combat. Set the two-term precedent that most of his successors would follow, though it wouldn't be until Franklin D. Roosevelt successfully and controversially defied that precedent--twice--that it was agreed that ThereShouldBeALaw for it and it went from being a recommendation to legislation via the 22nd Amendment. Also set the precedent of eschewing fancy titles; this is why the President is introduced domestically as "The President of the United States" and addressed as "Mr. President" (though "Excellency" is often used internationally and "Honorable" is an official domestic title). Died soon after leaving office in 1799, making him the only president to die in the 18th century. Featured on the $1 bill and the quarter.

# UsefulNotes/ThomasJefferson (1801–09, Democratic-Republican). Wrote the Declaration of Independence before serving as governor of Virginia, first Secretary of State under Washington, and second vice president under Adams (and thus the second VP elected to the presidency, though he actually ran ''against'' Adams). Though normally an advocate for a smaller federal government, notably expanded its power while president, most notably by ratifying the Louisiana Purchase that doubled the size of the nation's territory claims. Also the first wartime president, having declared the First Barbary War. As a public and vocal UsefulNotes/{{Deis|m}}t, arguably the only non-Christian president. Invented the swivel chair. While normally considered one of the better--or at least most important--presidents, his gravestone ''omits'' his presidency in favor of other accomplishments, such as writing the Declaration and his work in his home state, which also included founding the University of Virginia. Remains condemned by many for fathering many children with an enslaved woman, Sally Hemmings, without acknowledging his patronage and claiming all of them as his slaves. Featured on the $2 bill and the nickel.

->''"Washy Ad Jeffy Maddy Monroe\\
Ad Jackson Van Hair Ty Po Tay Fil Pear\\
Bu Lincoln John Grant 2\\
Hayes Gar Thur Cleve Hair Cleve [=McKin=]\\
Roos'velt Taft Wilson Hard Coolidge\\
Hoov Franklin Roos'velt Truman Ikey\\
Ken Johnson Nixon Ford\\
Cart Reagan Bush Clinton Dubya"''
-->-- '''Music/JonathanCoulton[[labelnote:Continued:]]Barack Don Joe[[/labelnote]]'''

%% One quote is enough. If you really want to add others, create a Quotes page and put them there instead.

->''[[WesternAnimation/{{Animaniacs}} "The next president to lead the way\\

So jump in your plane and fly away!"]]''

# UsefulNotes/LyndonJohnson (1963–69, Democrat). [[EverythingIsBigInTexas Very Texan]], very aggressive, [[BunnyEarsLawyer very odd]], and very different from Kennedy, but tried his best to continue his legacy. The first president from the Lone Star State,[[note]]Eisenhower was born there but grew up in Kansas.[[/note]] becoming vice president after a long career in the Senate. Won election to a full term in a landslide carried by national unity after Kennedy's death and his opponent UsefulNotes/BarryGoldwater being viewed as an extremist (an interpretation Johnson himself encouraged). Last Democrat to carry Alaska, the Dakotas, Idaho, Kansas, Oklahoma, Utah, and Wyoming. Used this support to pass landmark Civil Rights legislation at the cost of splitting the Democratic Party -- it encouraged most of the Democratic officeholders and voters in the South who didn't die or retire to flip to the Republicans. Tried to launch a "War on Poverty" to expand social welfare but ultimately diverted funds towards escalating UsefulNotes/TheVietnamWar (though he tried unsuccessfully to sue for peace). Chose not to run for re-election in 1968, despite being allowed to under the 22nd Amendment,[[note]]Under the amendment, vice presidents who ascend to the presidency during the first half of somebody else's term are only allowed to pursue one full term of their own, but those who do so in the second half are allowed to bid for two full terms. Kennedy was nearly three-quarters of the way through his term when he was assassinated.[[/note]] due to his unpopular handling of the war in Vietnam. Died in 1973.