INAUGURAL

JUNIOR RANGER

ACTIVITY GUIDE

National Park Service President’s Park U.S. Department of the Interior 

 Guide

SIDENT’S PARK

EHOUSEVISITOR CENTER

ENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, NW

SHINGTON, D.C. 20230

(202) 208-1631

ww.nps.gov/whho
o President’s Park!

ng the new President of the United

009, the newly- elected President will

n the Capitol steps. He’ll take part in

m the Capitol to the White House, and

away at his inaugural ball. These events

 national tradition, and taken together,

ca’s dedication to the peaceful transfer

tion.

ce plays a vital role in preserving the

g to tell its important story. You will

merican landmark in the pages of this

Activity Guide. Do your best to com

an adult complete the certificate on the

Along the way you will find answers to

was the first President to be sworn in?

ce? In what year did the first Inaugural

u will also learn who takes care of the

make sure it will be here for future gen

nior Ranger you will agree to help the

otect and take care of not only this

er special places across the nation. 

nger career will take you to each of the

k Service sites, if not in person, then

r. The journey could begin soon: after

Junior Ranger Activity Guide, we invite

ident’s Park Junior Ranger Program.

ior Ranger Guide will help you to find

ortant statues, monuments, and memo

ort walk from the White House. No

s as a Junior Ranger may take you, we

u have in your National Parks continue

 for others to explore, protect and

es of our nation! 

This Certifies That

is an official

JUNIORRANGER

through completion of the

Inaugural 

Junior Ranger Activity Guide

Ranger: Date: 
Contents

Welcome 1Junior Ranger Pledge 2Story of the Presidential Inauguration 3Inaugural History in Images 5Did You Know? 6Inaugural History Activities 7Inaugural Word Search 8Inaugural Crossword 9The National Park Service 10Need A Ride? 11Further Junior Ranger Adventures 12Activity Guide Answers 13

Junior Ranger Pledge

I, , am proud to be a National Park Service Junior Ranger. I promiseto appreciate, respect, and protect all National Parks.I also promise to continue learning about the landscape, plants, animals, and history of these specialplaces. I will share what I learn with my friends andfamily.

(print your name here)

Junior Ranger SignatureRanger / Parent Signature

2

 Answers

d

; 8. Balls; 9. Flag

apitol; 5. March; 6. Oath

ctivities

an - A; 3. Polk - C; 4. McKinley - B

; 4. True

rch

s

 5 - D; 6 - A

3. Lincoln; 4. Harding
esidential Inauguration 

residential inauguration occurs every

me a spectacular day of festivities.

09, at noon on the West Front of the

ent begins his own day of statesman

ssion, feasting, and even dancing. In

dred years that we have celebrated the

nt much has changed and been added

r all. 

he date and length of term, and the

ffice: “I do solemnly swear that I will

fice of the President of the United

est of my ability, preserve, protect,

ution of the United States.”, the cere

stivities are based on tradition rather

 the oldest and most visible way of

nt. This custom dates from the earli

ngton, D.C. In the 19th century

ted the new President to and from

pitol. President Jefferson walked to

, William Henry Harrison rode his

n Harding was the first president to

12

Further Junior Ranger AdventuresThe reviewing stand is usually seen every four years onPennsylvania Avenue on thenorth of the White House.James Garfield was the firstpresident to review the procession from a stand in thefront of the White House in1881.In a similar way we hope that this Inaugural Junior RangerActivity Guide will be the starting point of a lifelong journeythrough your National Parks. Here are just a few ways tocontinue the National Park Service Junior Ranger adventure!Junior Ranger ProgramsAre you interested in exploring? Do you like art, science,history or nature? How about animals, sailing ships,dinosaurs or trains? Would you like to learn more about thenational parks that belong to you? Find out more aboutNational Park Service Junior Ranger programs at: http://www.nps.gov/learn/juniorranger.htmWebRanger ProgramsAs a WebRanger you will have one important job: to have funwhile learning new things. You will solve mysteries and puzzles, play games, take part in stories, and gather secret wordswhile exploring some of the greatest places on earth! Find out more about National Park Service WebRanger programs at: http://www.nps.gov/webrangers/

 speech at his inauguration on March 4, 1865 on the

brary of Congress Prints and Photographs
any forms of transportation to

ol for their Inaugural Ceremony.

s!

h 4, 1801, our third President WALKED

n Capitol Hill to his swearing- in cere

ers of Congress and the public. 

 R E N J S F O E ________________

d his own lively parade to the Capitol

tey, on Thursday, March 4, 1841. After

ent led the inaugural procession back

A R I H ________________________

 die in office – one month later

rmoil, our 16th President’s open CAR

on all sides by soldiers to protect the

r 1,000 people marched in the pre

Monday, March 4, 1861. 

“Honest Abe” N I L C N O L

as used for the first time to transport

Inaugural ceremony on Friday, March

w touring car was escorted by a small

ad to gallop to stay ahead of the cars! 

. G R I N D H A 

4

ride in an automobile to his swearing in ceremony. And thecrowds followed. It did not take long for the escorts both walking and onhorseback to develop into parades. The 1841 Inaugural Paradefeatured the first floats for the entertainment of the paradespectators. Today’s parades proceed from the Capitol to theWhite House. In 1977, President Carter stunned the crowdsalong Pennsylvania Avenue by walking from the Capitol tothe White House accompanied by his family. With the progression of time the parades became longer and more elaborate with at least 25,000 marchers participating in GroverCleveland’s 1885 parade which required three hours to passthe reviewing stand. As presidents chose to watch theparades, they required a suitable place to review the procession. These temporary reviewing stands have featured a variety of designs over the years. Images of early reviewingstands reveal them to be fanciful, flamboyant, bedecked withflags, swaddled in bunting and decorated with flowers andgreenery. In recent times, the 1985 stand has been reassembled for the last five inaugurations! 

"I do solemnly swear(or affirm) that I willfaithfully execute theoffice of President ofthe United States,and will to the best ofmy ability, preserve,protect and defendthe Constitution ofthe United States." Article II, Section 1 of the U.S. Constitution
10

The National Park ServiceNational Parks are managed by the federal government, butwho owns them? All Americans, even you! As a JuniorRanger, you have an important responsibility to helptake care of your National Parks. Our National Parks are set aside “to conserve the sceneryand the natural and historic objects and the wildlife thereinand to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for theenjoyment of future generations.”

The National Park Service arrowhead is a symbol of stewardship – it reminds us of the reasonswe protect park resources for the future. 

Arrowhead Activities

Can you find these items in the arrowhead above?Draw a line to match each part of the Arrowhead with what itstands for.

1. Arrowhead A. Wildlife2. National Park Service B. Vegetation3. Mountain C. U.S. Government Agency4. Sequoia Tree and Grass D. Clean Water5. Lake E. History and Archeology6. Bison F. Land Formations

ing’s Own”leads every inaugural parade, a tradition

n of President Calvin Coolidge. (NPS Photo)

pouse to

 vehicle. 

s

In 1963 President Lyndon B. Johnson wassworn in on Air Force One. Library of

Congress Prints and Photographs

At his 1981 Inauguration, PresidentRonald Reagan was first sworn in on theWest Terrace of the Capitol. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

ent to take

Capitol.

hs

ory in Images 
6

sword

takes the Oath of Office in this month.

esidence of the President.

 held in the evening, welcome our new

bol will fly from lamp posts and buildings

l route.

n in at this ceremony.

y, this event concludes at the White 

mony takes place on the west portico of 

augural ceremony took place during this 

 in, the President recites these 35 words.

Did You Know?APRIL 30, 1789 - George Washington was the first to be sworn in asPresident of the United States. The ceremony took place on the balconyof Federal Hall in New York, New York. MARCH 4, 1797 - John Adams was the first president to receive theoath from the Chief Justice of the United States at the House Chamberof Congress Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Oliver Ellsworth)MARCH 4, 1801 - Thomas Jefferson was the first president to be inaugurated at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.MARCH 5, 1849 - President Zachary Taylor refused to take the inaugural oath on Inauguration Day, 1849, because it fell on a Sunday. He tookthe oath of office one day later on the East Portico at the U.S. Capitol.APRIL 15, 1865 - President Andrew Johnson was sworn in at theKirkwood Hotel located on the corner of 12th Street and PennsylvaniaAvenue.MARCH 3, 1877 - Rutherford B. Hayes was the first president to takethe oath in the Red Room of the White House.SEPTEMBER 20, 1881 - President Chester A. Arthur was sworn in privately at his residence located at 123 Lexington Avenue in New York,New York.SEPTEMBER 14, 1901 - President Theodore Roosevelt was sworn in atAnsley Wilcox House in Buffalo, New York. This site is now a NationalPark, Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historical Site.MARCH 4, 1925 - This was the first time a former President deliveredthe oath of office to an incoming President. (Calvin Coolidge) FormerPresident William H. Taft had become Chief Justice of the SupremeCourt since his term in office.JANUARY 20, 1937 - Franklin D. Roosevelt was the first president to beinaugurated on the January 20th date, a change made by the 20thAmendment to the Constitution.NOVEMBER 22, 1963 - Sarah T. Hughes, a federal judge of theNorthern District of Texas, was the first female to swear in a president,Lyndon B. Johnson.
8

tory Activities

 President with the technology and cere

inaugural.

gural facts are true or false.

ation Day has not always been on 

th.

Washington was inaugurated in New York 

9.

ugural parade on Pennsylvania Avenue is 

tely one mile.

nt William Henry Harrison gave the 

ugural Address ever, talking almost two 

eliver 8,445 words.

Inaugural Word Search

Bison Junior RangerCapitol Oath SolemnlyCeremony NPS SpeechDance Parade StandFlags Park SwearFun Preserve TreeGreen President USAInauguration Protect White House

s w p r e s i d e n t y

o h a a z c n a d p e n

l i r n s t a n d s d o

e t k g a p u c p p a m

m e n e e r g e e e r e

n h x r m o u v n e a r

l o a t h t r d l c p e

y u w s w e a r p h t c

l s e b s c t s g a l f

n e e e q t i b i s o nu v r z n l o t i p a c

f p t r o i n u j u s a

A. His inauguration was thefirst photographed. Citizenswere able to share in the festivities through pictures in 1857.B. Movie cameras recordedhighlights of his 1897Inauguration, giving viewers anew window into history.C. Samuel Morse sat near himon the platform tapping outthe news on his miraculousmachine, the electric telegraph,in 1845.D. In 1949, television audiencesviewed the first live broadcastof a President taking the oathof office.