Thomas Jefferson and John Adams die - Jul 04, 1826 - HISTORY.com An unlikely pair whose tumultuous friendship lasted half a century, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams both died on July 4, 1826, 50 years after signing the Declaration of Independence. Presidential Thomas Jefferson and John Adams die Share this: Thomas Jefferson and John Adams die Author Thomas Jefferson and John Adams die URL Publisher A+E Networks On this day in 1826, former Presidents Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, who were once fellow Patriots and then adversaries, die on the same day within five hours of each other. Thomas Jefferson and John Adams were the last surviving members of the original American revolutionaries who had stood up to the British empire and forged a new political system in the former colonies. However, while they both believed in democracy and life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, their opinions on how to achieve these ideals diverged over time. Adams preceded Jefferson as president (1797-1800); it was during this time that their ideas about policy-making became as distinct as their personalities.

The irascible and hot-tempered Adams was a firm believer in a strong centralized government, while the erudite and gentile Jefferson believed federal government should take a more hands-off approach and defer to individual states’ rights. As Adams’ vice president, Jefferson was so horrified by what he considered to be Adams’ abuse of the presidency–particularly his passage of the restrictive Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798–that he abandoned Adams and Washington for his estate at Monticello. There, he plotted how to bring his Republican faction back into power in the presidential election of 1800. After an exceptionally bitter campaign, in which both parties engaged in slanderous attacks on each other in print, Jefferson emerged victorious. It appeared the former friends would be eternal enemies. After serving two presidential terms (1801-1809), Jefferson and Adams each expressed to third parties their respect the other and their desire to renew their friendship. Adams was the first to break the silence; he sent Jefferson a letter dated January 1, 1812, in which he wished Jefferson many happy new years to come.

Jefferson responded with a note in which he fondly recalled when they were fellow laborers in the same cause. The former revolutionaries went on to resume their friendship over 14 years of correspondence during their golden years. On July 4, 1826, at the age of 90, Adams lay on his deathbed while the country celebrated Independence Day. His last words were Thomas Jefferson still survives. He was mistaken: Jefferson had died five hours earlier at Monticello at the age of 82. Related Videos Dead Presidents: July 4 Frequently Asked Dead Presidents Questions Which Two Presidents Died On The Same Day?? I don't know why (maybe it's on a lesson plan for schools around the country) but this little question with a quick answer (and one that is quickly found in any ready reference) has been asked of me so often that I finally decided to list the answer here. The answer is John Adams (second President) and Thomas Jefferson (third President). These two men died on the same day. But that's not all; read on.... The question with an even more interesting answer is, "On which day did they die?" Both Adams and Jefferson died on July 4, 1826.

The fiftieth anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. As we all know, Thomas Jefferson drafted the Declaration in committee with John Adams (and Benjamin Franklin). After George Washington retired from the Presidency, John Adams became President and Thomas Jefferson became Vice-President. The two men had disagreed politically throughout the Washington Administration, and were only both elected because in those days, whomever came in second in the Presidential vote became Vice-President. During the Adams Administration, the two differed on almost every issue, and Jefferson defeated Adams and took the Presidency in 1800. To make a long story short, although they had worked together in the cause for independence, Adams and Jefferson became truly bitter enemies when political parties began to form around each of them. Luckily, Adams and Jefferson reconciled in their retirement and they became the absolute best of friends as they lived out their final years. Both men were conscious of living to see the fiftieth Fourth of July, and both, despite knowing they were on their death beds, made genuine efforts to hang on to dear life until the day had come. John Adams's final words were (supposedly), "Thomas Jefferson survives." But he was wrong. Jefferson had died just hours earlier at Monticello.

Five years to the day after Adams and Jefferson died -- on July 4, 1831 -- the fifth President, James Monroe, passed away. So three presidents have died on the same date: July 4th. One more Presidential fact about the Fourth of July. Calvin Coolidge, the 30th President, was born in Vermont on July 4th, 1872! In addition to the trio of Adams, Jefferson, and Monrow, there is another pair of Presidents who died on the same date: Harry Truman and Gerald Ford both died on December 26 (Boxing Day), Truman in 1972 and Ford in 2006. How Did Thomas Jefferson Die? Thomas Jefferson was the author of the Declaration of Independence and third president of the United States. He was born on April 13, 1743, at Shadwell, Virginia and died on July 4, 1826, at his home, Monticello, at the age of 83. Thomas Jefferson's Death After being president, Jefferson retired to Monticello. He sold his book collection to be the base of the Library of Congress.

At 76 years old, he played a major role in the founding of Virginia University. He died of unknown causes on July 4, 1826, just hours before his friend, John Adams. Since he was 83 years old, it is assumed he died of natural causes. Advocate of Liberty As a child, Jefferson was tutored by Reverend James Maury. When he was nine years old, he began to study Latin, French, and Greek. At sixteen, he attended William and Mary College, and continued his law education with George Wythe, the first professor of law in America. As a student, he witnessed Patrick Henry’s passionate stand in 1765 against the Stamp Act at the House of Burgess in Virginia. He became a lawyer in 1769 and was elected to the House of Burgess the same year. It was there that he began his career in revolutionary politics. He married Martha Wayles Skelton in 1772, and they lived in the not quite finished Monticello. He inherited lands from his father and good social standing from his mother. He was not a vocal member of Congress, but rather let his thoughts be known by writing.

He was 33 when he drafted the Declaration of Independence . He was voted the governor of Virginia in 1779, succeeding Patrick Henry . Since the nation was still at war, he felt that Virginia would have done better with a military man. He served one term and declined re-election. In the following years, he wrote a bill for religious freedom in Virginia, which was enacted in 1786. He was appointed ambassador to France in 1785 and resigned in 1793. Two political parties started to form in the US, the Federalists and the Democratic-Republicans. Politically, he sided with the Democratic-Republicans, and opposed a strong central government and promoted state’s rights. He was one of the first presidents of the United States. As president from 1801-1809, he cut the budget and military spending, eliminated the whiskey tax, and reduced the national debt. He sent the Navy to fight the Barbary pirates and acquired the Louisiana Purchase from Napoleon in 1803. He also supported the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Declaration of Independence Many think of Jefferson as a great statesman and a patriot.

The word “patriotism” comes from the Latin “patria” meaning “fatherland” or “homeland”, and Thomas Jefferson was one of the founding fathers of the United States. “When in the course of human events” is the opening of the Declaration of Independence. In 1776, negotiations with England and King George III were at a stalemate. The main reason the Declaration of Independence was necessary was taxation without representation. The Continental Congress voted on July 2, 1776 to declare their independence from the British Empire, and Jefferson finished the text on July 4th. All 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence were not present at that time, and they signed at a later date. Most historians agree that the document was signed by August 2nd. The Declaration was signed at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Death of the founding fathers - Jul 04, 1826 - HISTORY.com Death of the founding fathers Share this: Death of the founding fathers Author Death of the founding fathers URL Publisher A+E Networks John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, the second and third presidents of the United States, respectively, die on this day, the 50th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. Both men had been central in the drafting of the historic document; Jefferson had authored it, and Adams, who was known as the “colossus of the debate,” served on the drafting committee and had argued eloquently for the declaration’s passage. After July 4, 1776, Adams traveled to France as a diplomat, where he proved instrumental in winning French support for the Patriot cause, and Jefferson returned to Virginia, where he served as state governor during the dark days of the American Revolution. After the British defeat at the Battle of Yorktown in 1781, Adams was one of the negotiators of the Treaty of Paris that ended the war, and with Jefferson he returned to Europe to try to negotiate a U.S.-British trade treaty. After the ratification of the U.S.

Constitution, Adams was elected vice president to George Washington, and Jefferson was appointed secretary of state. During Washington’s administration, Jefferson, with his democratic ideals and concept of states’ rights, often came into conflict with Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton, who supported a strong federal government and conservative property rights. Adams often arbitrated between Hamilton and his old friend Jefferson, though in politics he was generally allied with Hamilton. In 1796, Adams defeated Jefferson in the presidential election, but the latter became vice president, because at that time the office was still filled by the candidate who finished second. As president, Adams’ main concern was America’s deteriorating relationship with France, and war was only averted because of his considerable diplomatic talents. In 1800, Jefferson’s Democratic-Republicans (the forerunner of the Democratic Party) defeated the Federalist party of Adams and Hamilton, and Adams retired to his estate in Quincy, Massachusetts. As president, Jefferson reduced the power and expenditures of the central government but advocated the purchase of the Louisiana Territory from France, which more than doubled the size of the United States.

During his second administration, Jefferson faced renewed conflict with Great Britain, but he left office before the War of 1812 began. Jefferson retired to his estate in Monticello, Virginia, but he often advised his presidential successors and helped establish the University of Virginia. Jefferson also corresponded with John Adams to discuss politics, and these famous letters are regarded as masterpieces of the American enlightenment. By remarkable coincidence, Jefferson and Adams died on the same day, Independence Day in 1826, the 50th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. Adams’ last words were, “Thomas Jefferson still survives,” though his old friend and political adversary had died a few hours before. Related Videos Thomas Jefferson | whitehouse.gov Air Force One Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson, a spokesman for democracy, was an American Founding Father, the principal author of the Declaration of Independence (1776), and the third President of the United States (1801–1809).

In the thick of party conflict in 1800, Thomas Jefferson wrote in a private letter, "I have sworn upon the altar of God eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man." This powerful advocate of liberty was born in 1743 in Albemarle County, Virginia, inheriting from his father, a planter and surveyor, some 5,000 acres of land, and from his mother, a Randolph, high social standing. He studied at the College of William and Mary, then read law. In 1772 he married Martha Wayles Skelton, a widow, and took her to live in his partly constructed mountaintop home, Monticello. Freckled and sandy-haired, rather tall and awkward, Jefferson was eloquent as a correspondent, but he was no public speaker. In the Virginia House of Burgesses and the Continental Congress, he contributed his pen rather than his voice to the patriot cause. As the "silent member" of the Congress, Jefferson, at 33, drafted the Declaration of Independence. In years following he labored to make its words a reality in Virginia.

Most notably, he wrote a bill establishing religious freedom, enacted in 1786. Jefferson succeeded Benjamin Franklin as minister to France in 1785. His sympathy for the French Revolution led him into conflict with Alexander Hamilton when Jefferson was Secretary of State in President Washington's Cabinet. He resigned in 1793. Sharp political conflict developed, and two separate parties, the Federalists and the Democratic-Republicans, began to form. Jefferson gradually assumed leadership of the Republicans, who sympathized with the revolutionary cause in France. Attacking Federalist policies, he opposed a strong centralized Government and championed the rights of states. As a reluctant candidate for President in 1796, Jefferson came within three votes of election. Through a flaw in the Constitution, he became Vice President, although an opponent of President Adams. In 1800 the defect caused a more serious problem. Republican electors, attempting to name both a President and a Vice President from their own party, cast a tie vote between Jefferson and Aaron Burr. The House of Representatives settled the tie. Hamilton, disliking both Jefferson and Burr, nevertheless urged Jefferson's election. When Jefferson assumed the Presidency, the crisis in France had passed.

He slashed Army and Navy expenditures, cut the budget, eliminated the tax on whiskey so unpopular in the West, yet reduced the national debt by a third. He also sent a naval squadron to fight the Barbary pirates, who were harassing American commerce in the Mediterranean. Further, although the Constitution made no provision for the acquisition of new land, Jefferson suppressed his qualms over constitutionality when he had the opportunity to acquire the Louisiana Territory from Napoleon in 1803. During Jefferson's second term, he was increasingly preoccupied with keeping the Nation from involvement in the Napoleonic wars, though both England and France interfered with the neutral rights of American merchantmen. Jefferson's attempted solution, an embargo upon American shipping, worked badly and was unpopular. Jefferson retired to Monticello to ponder such projects as his grand designs for the University of Virginia. A French nobleman observed that he had placed his house and his mind "on an elevated situation, from which he might contemplate the universe." He died on July 4, 1826. The Presidential biographies on WhiteHouse.gov are from “The Presidents of the United States of America,” by Frank Freidel and Hugh Sidey.

Copyright 2006 by the White House Historical Association. What Presidents Died On July 4 What Presidents Died On July 4 What Presidents Died On July 4 ? July 4 is a significant national holiday in the US as this was the day the Declaration of Independence was adopted by the thirteen colonies. This particular day has a lot of significance for the people of the country. And, as the president of the country is an important person, many people wonder whether there are any presidents who died on this momentous day. The answer is yes. There are actually three presidents who died on July 4. The three US presidents who died on July 4 are John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and James Moore. The strange thing is that John Adams and Thomas Jefferson both died on July 4, 1826. This was five years after the signing of the Declaration to which both the men had contributed immensely. John Adams was ninety years old at the time of his demise. In fact, he was the oldest US president till Ronald Reagan took office many decades later. Adams died due to natural causes. However, there is some speculation that he could have had a congestive heart failure. Thomas Jefferson was eighty-three years old when he died.

There is some mention that when John Adams said Jefferson's name just before he died. However, this is debated. Adams was unaware that Jefferson had in fact died a few hours earlier the same day. Jefferson died due to many factors, namely old age, problems with the kidney and diarrhea. The last president to die on July 4 was James Monroe. He was seventy-three years old when he died in the year 1831. A year before he died, Monroe had problems with his lungs, and it is believed he died due to those problems. It is believed that Monroe succumbed to tuberculosis, though there was no diagnosis made of the same. More Articles : Nine Things You Never Knew About the Fourth of July - ABC News ABC News Nine Things You Never Knew About the Fourth of July By AMY BINGHAM ABCNEWS.com Sparklers? Check. Head-to-toe red, white and blue outfit? Check. Pocket-sized Declaration of Independence? Heck yes. The Fourth of July may be known for its stellar picnics, fabulous fireworks and heavy doses of patriotism, but what about the coincidental deaths and jumbo-sized gifts that have also marked America's 236 birthdays?

If the Fourth of July had a greatest hits reel, this would be it. 1776: Pomp and Parade, Two Days Late America's second president John Adams is notorious for his love of Independence Day. But if you ask Adams, the country has gotten the date wrong for the past 236 years. Adams wrote that July 2, the date the Second Continental Congress voted to declare independence from Britain, not July 4, the date Congress' president John Hancock signed the Declaration of Independence, should be "the great anniversary Festival." "The Second Day of July 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America," Adams wrote on July 3, 1776. "It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more." At least he got the pomp and parade part right.

1826 and 1831: The Death of a President (or Three) For America's first five presidents, the Fourth of July was not only a celebration of their great achievement, but it was also, apparently, a prime day to die. Three of America's first five presidents died on Independence Day. John Adams, the second president, and Thomas Jefferson, the third president, were bitter rivals throughout their political careers, but nearly twins in their deaths. They died hours apart on July 4, 1826, Adams at age 90 in Massachusetts and Jefferson at age 83 in Virginia. James Monroe, the fifth president, also died on July 4, five years after Adams and Jefferson in 1831. The 30th president, Calvin Coolidge, was born on the Fourth of July in 1872. 1863: Vicksburg Victory After one month, 15 miles of trenches, countless battles, near-constant bombing, Confederate Gen. John Pemberton surrendered to Union forces at Vicksburg, Miss.

That surrender, on July 4, 1863 would mark a turning point in the Civil War, when the scales tipped in the North's favor. The South did not surrender for another two years. The town of Vicksburg refused to celebrate the Fourth of July for the next 81 years. 1870: Congress Makes It Official It took nearly 100 years for Congress to make the Fourth of July an official holiday, despite the widespread celebrations that had been ringing in America's birthday since the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776. Boston was ahead of the national curve , becoming the first city to designate the Fourth a city-wide holiday in 1783. That's the same year Gov. Alexander Martin issued a state order making North Carolina the first state to officially celebrate U.S. independence on July 4. 1884: A French Birthday Present, Size XXL The United States got what may be the country's largest physical birthday present on July 4, 1884, when the French presented it with the Statue of Liberty. It took four months to assemble the 151-foot-tall statue, which was shipped from Paris in hundreds of pieces.

While the statue was intended to commemorate America's centennial, it was not formally dedicated until 10 years after the fact, when President Grover Cleveland held a Statue of Liberty ceremony on October 28, 1886. In other 1884 news, miners in Swan City, Colo., blew up their local post office on Independence Day because the town did not supply them with fireworks. 1912: The Fourth Goes Global It may be America's birthday, but the United States isn't the only country that celebrates it. Denmark started throwing a Fourth of July bash in 1912 after thousands of Danes emigrated to the United States. Thousands of Danish Americans and U.S. military personnel stationed in Europe celebrate Independence Day at the annual outdoor festival in Rebild, Denmark. The Danish tourism office bills it as the largest Fourth of July celebration outside the United States. Former presidents such as Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush have been keynote speakers at the celebration, as have other famous Americans like Walter Cronkite and Walt Disney, according to the Rebild National Park Society .

1938: Federal Employees Rejoice Congress officially declared July 4 a federal holiday back in 1870, but it took them nearly 70 years to give federal employees a paid day off. July 4, 1938, was the first Independence Day that federal employees picnicked, barbequed and fireworked without denting their paychecks. 1998: A Presidential Premonition? The current president's first-born daughter, Malia, was born on the Fourth of July 14 years ago. For the past three years she has celebrated her birthday with hundreds of military families at a picnic on the White House lawn. Also in 1998, Congress passed a bill declaring the 21 days between Flag Day and Independence Day as "Honor America Days," encouraging Americans to celebrate their country for nearly a solid month. No more feeling guilty about throwing a barbeque and lighting sparklers every night in June. 2011: 21st Century Problems Three presidents have already died on Independence Day and last year hackers tried to trick Twitter users into thinking President Obama had become the fourth.

Hackers broke into Fox News' Twitter account and fired off six tweets declaring Obama had been shot and killed in Iowa. In reality, the president was barbequing at the White House. The Secret Service investigated the tweets and Fox, after regaining control of its Twitter password, promptly declared them "malicious" and "false." Who Is the Only U.S. President Born on July 4? Only one U.S. president was born on July 4. It’s not Ann Landers, Neil Simon or Gina Lollobrigida, although they were all born on the 4th of July. And Malia Obama, daughter of President Barack Obama was born on July 4, 1998, but she’ll have to wait a few years still if she wants to follow in her father’s footsteps and become the 2nd U.S. president born on July 4. Only U.S. President Born on July 4 The only American president to have been born on the 4th of July is Calvin Coolidge . The 30th president of the United States was born on July 4, 1872 in Plymouth Notch, Vermont.

He was the first of two children born to John Calvin Coolidge Sr. and Victoria Josephine Moor. Coolidge’s younger sister, Abigail Grace Coolidge, died at the age of 15, just six years after his mother had passed away, presumably from tuberculosis . Coolidge Sr. went on to remarry and live a life of public service on a local level while his son moved to Massachusetts to learn and practice law. There, the future president rose through the political ranks, holding positions as City Councilman, City Solicitor, Representative in the state legislature, mayor of Northampton, MA, Massachusetts State Senator, Lieutentant Governor, and Governor of Massachusetts. All of this happened from 1898 to 1918. Then, in 1920, Calvin Coolidge was selected to run for Vice President alongside Ohio Senator, Warren G. Harding . At the time, the office of vice president did not come with many official duties, but Coolidge became well-known in Washington society, probably due more to the outgoing nature of his wife Grace than anything else.

In 1923, while on a speaking tour in California, President Harding died suddenly of a heart attack according to the Naval doctors who examined him. Harding’s wife, Florence, would not consent to an autopsy, leading some to believe that she had been involved in a plot to kill him. Nonetheless, Harding’s death meant that Calvin Coolidge would succeed him as the 30th president. He was sworn in by his father, a notary public, in his family home in Vermont on August 3, 1923 at 2:47 a.m. The following day, he returned to Washington, where he was resworn by District of Columbia Supreme Court Justice Adolph A. Hoehling. The next year, 1924, Coolidge was elected president in his own right. He served one term and chose not to run for re-election in 1928, but instead return to Northampton with his wife. There, he served as chairman, honorary president, director, trustee and board member to various organizations, societies, foundations and colleges. Calvin Coolidge, who is the only U.S.

president born on July 4, died suddenly of a heart attack on January 5, 1933. U.S. Presidents Who Died on July 4 Although Calvin Coolidge is the only U.S. president born on July 4, three of our founding fathers, Thomas Jefferson , John Adams and James Monroe all died on Independence Day. Interestingly, Jefferson and Adams both died on July 4, 1826, leaving Charles Carroll as the last remaining signer of the Declaration of Independence 50 years to the day after they signed it. James Monroe, the 5th president of the United States, died on July 4, 1831. Calvin Coolidge, the only U.S. president born on July 4, spent half of his life in office, serving and protecting the people of Massachusetts and the citizens of the United States, following in the footsteps of the three founding fathers who died on his birthday, and setting the example for future leaders. And who knows? Perhaps in the next few decades, another president who was born on July 4 will take the Oath of Office and lead the United States in wisdom and progress just as Coolidge did.

44 Curious Facts About US Presidents - Listverse 44 Curious Facts About US Presidents LordZB October 24, 2012 There have been 43 presidents (with one serving a second term after a lost term) of the United States. Some have been memorable, others forgettable (See the Simpsons’ song about mediocre presidents). Each of them has been very human however with all the foibles and eccentricities that entails. Here are some of the strange or lesser known facts about the US Presidents. 11 Presidents 1 – 4 1. George Washington – Thinking that shaking hands was beneath the dignity of the President, Washington preferred to bow to greet guests. To avoid being forced into a handshake he would place one hand on his sword and hold his hat in the other. 2. John Adams – Adams, the second President, and Jefferson, the third, both died on the same day, July 4th 1826, exactly fifty years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Adam’s last words, probably apocryphal, are said to be ‘Jefferson survives,’ when in fact Jefferson had died hours earlier. 3.

Thomas Jefferson – While a famous writer, the chief composer of the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson hated public speaking and avoided giving speeches. Jefferson started the tradition of delivering written State of the Union statements, which lasted until the 20th century. 4. James Madison – Madison was the slightest President. Standing at five feet four inches and weighing less than 100lbs you would need three-and-a-half Madisons to make up a Taft, the heaviest President. 10 Presidents 5 – 8 5. James Monroe – In his re-election, Monroe ran unopposed for the Presidency. He failed to receive all the votes in the electoral college however when a rogue member cast his ballot for John Quincy Adams. 6. John Quincy Adams – Adams was fond of swimming naked in the Potomac. When an intrepid female reporter wished to get an interview with the President she stole his clothes until he agreed to an interview. 7. Andrew Jackson – Jackson was a noted duelist. When a man impugned Jackson’s wife they dueled. The man shot Jackson over the heart. Jackson cooly took aim and killed the man . It was too risky to remove the bullet and so it remained in Jackson for the rest of his life.

8. Martin Van Buren – Van Buren’s first language was not English, he was raised speaking Dutch. 9 Presidents 9 – 12 9. William Henry Harrison – Delivered the longest inaugural address and had the shortest Presidency. His long speech in bad weather led to him developing a cold which worsened and caused his death after a month in office. 10. John Tyler – Tyler was the first Vice-President to assume office after the death of a President in office. He had the most children of any President, 15. 11. James Polk – Polk was elected on a promise not to run for a second term in office. 12. Zachary Taylor – Died from contracting cholera from a bowl of cherries washed down with iced milk. 8 Presidents 13 – 16 13. Millard Fillmore – Fillmore refused an honorary degree from the University of Oxford on the basis that he was not classically educated and so could not read the diploma, written in Latin. He said “no man should accept a degree he cannot read.” 14. Franklin Pierce – While President, Pierce was arrested for running over an old woman with his horse. 15.

James Buchanan – Often rated the worst President when historians are polled. His Presidency included the secession of seven states and a major depression. Some historians believe that Buchanan was the first gay US President, he was certainly the only one to be unwed for the duration of his term of office. 16. Abraham Lincoln – Lincoln was a notably ugly man in photos but people who met him described his face as intelligent and handsome in motion. The first President to wear a beard he grew it at the suggestion of a young girl, Grace Bedell, who wrote to him. 7 Presidents 17 – 20 17. Andrew Johnson – Was drunk at Lincoln’s second inauguration. The event was described by a senator as follows. “The inauguration went off very well except that the Vice President Elect was too drunk to perform his duties & disgraced himself & the Senate by making a drunken foolish speech. I was never so mortified in my life, had I been able to find a hole I would have dropped through it out of sight.” 18. Ulysses S. Grant – Gained a reputation for drinking heavily while still a young man.

When President Lincoln was warned about Grant’s drinking habits during the civil war he is supposed to have responded “If it makes fighting men like Grant, then find out what he drinks, and send my other commanders a case!” 19. Rutherford Hayes – The only President to be elected via a special congressional committee which ruled on various ballots contested during the election. His election is still contested by historians. 20. James Garfield – Could write Latin with his left hand whilst simultaneously writing Greek with his right. 6 Presidents 21 – 24 21. Chester A. Arthur – Sold off all the furniture in the White House before moving in. Lots of it dated back to the construction of the White House and any such pieces would be hugely valuable today. 22. Grover Cleveland – As well as being the only President to serve two non-consecutive terms Cleveland was a fan of the telephone and would personally answer the White House phone. 23. Benjamin Harrison – While in office Harrison had electricity installed in the White House. Unfortunately he and his wife were terrified of it and would not touch switches for fear of electrocution and often slept with the lights on. 24.

Grover Cleveland – The First Democrat elected after the Civil War, Grover Cleveland was the only President to leave the White House and return for a second term four years later. 5 Presidents 25 – 28 25. William McKinley – McKinley was the first president to appear on motion picture. It can be viewed on youtube here . 26. Theodore Roosevelt – Theodore Roosevelt was the first American to win a Nobel Prize, the first President to leave the country while in office, and the first to fly in an airplane. 27. William Howard Taft – Taft is best known for being the fattest President but he also holds a sporting title. He was the first President to cast the opening pitch of a baseball season. 28. Woodrow Wilson – Wilson was the best educated President, the only one to hold a PhD, and yet he did not learn to read until he was eleven. 4 Presidents 29 – 32 29. Warren Harding – Was so fond of cards that his cabinet was known as the ‘Poker Cabinet’ because they all played together. At his poker parties alcohol, illegal during prohibition, would flow freely. 30.

Calvin Coolidge – Coolidge was a man of very few words and so became known as Silent Cal. He was so taciturn that when Dorothy Parker was told he had died she replied ‘How could they tell?’ 31. Herbert Hoover – Hoover and his wife spoke fluent Mandarin Chinese. When they did not wish to be overheard they would speak Mandarin. 32. Franklin Delano Roosevelt – FDR’s wife was also a Roosevelt and so did not have to change her name on marriage. At their wedding the bride was given away by President Theodore Roosevelt. 3 Presidents 33 – 36 33. Harry S. Truman – Like the ‘S’ in Ulysses Grant’s name the S in Truman’s name meant nothing. It was only ever an S as a way of mollifying both grandfathers whose names began with S. 34. Dwight Eisenhower – Eisenhower installed the putting green at the White House. When squirrels were ruining the grass he had them removed from the gardens. 35. John F. Kennedy – When his ship was sunk in World War II, Kennedy swam 3.5 miles pulling a wounded crewman by a strap held in his teeth.

36. Lyndon Johnson – Johnson loved the drink Fresca so much that he had a fountain of it installed in the White House. 2 Presidents 37 – 40 37. Richard Nixon – Nixon so enjoyed bowling that he had the White House pool replaced with a bowling lane. 38. Gerald Ford – Ford was the only President never elected to either the Presidency or the Vice-Presidency, he was appointed by Richard Nixon as his Vice-President and assumed the Presidency after Nixon’s resignation. 39. Jimmy Carter – As a young man, Carter shot his sister with a BB gun in retaliation for her throwing a wrench at him. 40. Ronald Reagan – The blueberry flavor Jelly Belly bean was created for Reagan’s inauguration since he was a great fan of the sweets. A portrait of the President made of jelly beans hangs in his library. 1 Presidents 41 – 44 41. George H. W. Bush – While visiting Japan, Bush vomited at a banquet hosted by the Japanese prime minister. The event coined a new Japanese phrase ‘Bushusuru,’ literally ‘to do the Bush-thing.’ 42.

Bill Clinton – While in high school Clinton was a member of a jazz quartet who played in dark glasses. They called themselves the Three Blind Mice. 43. George W. Bush – Bush is the President with both the highest and lowest recorded approval ratings. They peaked after 9/11 and slumped after hurricane Katrina. 44. Barack Obama – President Obama is a well-known nerd who collects comic books. When Nichelle Nichols, Uhura from Star Trek, visited the White House Obama made the Vulcan salute in greeting. More Great Lists Thomas Jefferson Biography - Thomas Jefferson Childhood, Life, Timeline Leaders Thomas Jefferson Biography Thomas Jefferson was a political philosopher and the third President of the United States. Read this brief biography to know more about him. Quick Facts Political Philosopher & the third President of America Nationality Martha Jefferson Randolph, Mary Jefferson Eppes, Lucy Elizabeth Jefferson, Jane Jefferson education College of William and Mary Founder/Co-Founder University of Virginia Thomas Jefferson was a major political leader and the third president of the United States serving from 1801 to 1809.

He was also a co-founder and leader of the Democratic Republic Party, the wartime Governor of Virginia (1779-1781) and author the book Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom. Before elected to the presidency, he was appointed the first United States Secretary of State during 1789-1793 and was the second Vice-president of America where he served from 1797 to 1801. In 1776, he was the main author of the Declaration of Independence and gained appreciation for his role in promoting republicanism in the United States. While in power, Jefferson fiercely supported the idea of democracy and favored states rights and a limited Federal government in America, which he considered as virtues of republicanism. A man of many talents, Thomas Jefferson explored many interests and gained high opinion for his quality as a horticulturist, statesman, architect, archaeologist, inventor, and founder of the University of Virginia. Childhood & Education Born on 13 April 1743 in Virginia, Thomas Jefferson was the third of eight children of Peter Jefferson and Jane Randolph. His father, who was of Welsh descent, was a ship’s captain and worked as a planter for sometime.

In 1745, his family moved to Tuckahoe and lived there for seven years before they returned to their home in Albemarle after his father was appointer to the colonelcy of the county. Jefferson’s education began in 1752 from a school run by William Douglas, who was a Scottish minister. From the time he was nine, Jefferson became an avid learner of Greek, French and Latin. Thomas Jefferson’s father died in 1757, making his son an heir to his huge land assets and a number of slaves. During 1758 to 1760 Jefferson taught at the school of the erudite minister James Maury, whereupon he received a classical education and studied science and history. He enrolled at The College of William & Mary in Williamsburg in 1760, where he studied mathematics, metaphysics, and philosophy graduating with supreme honors in 1762. As a keen student, Jefferson took interest in learning different languages and throughout his students life he studied for fifteen hours a day. A gourmet and an avid lover of wine, Thomas learned to play violin and took a keen interest in arts.

After graduating, he studied law with George Wythe and began practicing law in Virginia Bar in 1767. Between the year 1768 and 1773, he handled a number of cases and established himself as a reputed lawyer. Marriage & Children Thomas Jefferson married a young widow Martha Wayles Skelton in 1772 and the couple had six children: Martha Jefferson Randolph, Jane Randolph, Mary Wayles, Lucy Elizabeth and Elizabeth. Martha gave birth to a stillborn son in 1777. She died on 6 September 1782. Early Political Life Jefferson was appointed as a delegate to the Second Continental Congress in 1775 and with the beginning of American resolution of independence in 1776; he served as a member to a committee for preparing the declaration of the independence resolution. The draft was presented to congress on 2 July and on 4 July 1776; the wording of the Declaration of Independence was approved, making Jefferson a popular face of the country. In 1776, Jefferson was elected to the new Virginia House of Delegates.

As a delegate he instigated a series of reforms and bills to expose Virginia’s new state as a democratic state, among which the most prominent were the laws to end primogeniture and establish freedom of religion in the state. Jefferson further produced a bill on ‘General Diffusion of Knowledge’ in 1778, which resulted in the establishment of an elective system of study in the College of William and Mary. He proposed bills to eliminate death as a penalty except in case of a murder of treason, though his efforts were beaten and crimes as rape remained punishable to death for a long time after. Governor of Virginia Jefferson became the governor of Virginia in 1779 and remained in his position until 1781. It was during his tenure that the capital of state was transferred from Williamsburg to Richmond in 1780. His constant efforts in the field of education were recognized in 1779, when George Wythe was appointed as the first professor of law at the college of Williams and Mary. Jefferson’s governorship was marked by two British invasion of Virginia which ruined his reputation as Governor and he never won any election from Virginia in future.

Thereafter, Jefferson served as minister to France from 1785 to 1789 and supported France against Britain when the war was declared between these two countries in 1793. Secretary State of the U.S Jefferson became the first Secretary of State in 1790, under the presidency of George Washington. As a Secretary of State he openly spoke against widespread Federalism in the U.S. and continued to view it as a threat to Republicanism. He further along with James Madison co founded and led the Democratic-Republican Party and formulated a set of connections with republican allies to fight the Federalists across the country. Vice-Presidency & Presidency After a failed bid for vice presidency in 1796, Jefferson became Vice-President of the United States in 1797. Federalists, who were preparing for war with France, passed a new Alien and Sedition Acts in 1798 as a source of inciting money through taxes. Jefferson harshly criticized these tactics and intensified his attack on Federalism, as he believed that Federalists had no right to exercise such extent of power. Thomas Jefferson successfully ran for in his the presidency for the first time in 1800.

Though he did not campaign for his party- as was the tradition that time-He became the President of the United States in a landslide victory on 17 February 1801. Life after Presidency In his life after presidency, Thomas Jefferson remained active in the American politics and enthusiastically participated in educational and cultural organizations. Education remained his prime concern throughout his life and he took measures to promote higher education among people. His efforts finally fructified in 1819, when the University of Virginia was founded and the University, which was first to offer a full slate of elective courses, was opened in 1825. Jefferson is also known for his love for architecture and archeology- a stream which was still developing that time. He had a large contribution in the architectural planning of the University of Virginia which became an embodiment of science and beauty with its planned site surrounding lawn and linking arcades. The University, which is constructed in Greek and Roman style, represents a unique architecture and intellectual ideas of Thomas Jefferson who became known as the father of the University. In 1780, Jefferson became a member of Benjamin Franklin’s American Philosophical Society and served as its president from 1795 to 1815.

An avid wine lover, Jefferson traveled to France and other European countries in order to raise his collection of famous wines. In 1801, he published A Manual of Parliamentary Practice whose second edition came in 1812. After the Library of Congress was burnt down by British in 1814, Jefferson’s huge collection of books became a part of the new library, which is named after him in his honor. Death Thomas Jefferson died on 4 July 1826, a date which coincides with the 50th anniversary of the declaration of Independence. After his death, his assets were sold off in an auction to pay his huge debt. Thomas Jefferson is buried at Monticello in Virginia, the home he had built in his youth. THOMAS JEFFERSON TIMELINE Thomas Jefferson was born on 13 April 1743. 1745-: His family moved to Tuckahoe. 1752-: Jefferson’s education began in 1752. 1757-: Thomas Jefferson’s father died in 1757.

1758-: Jefferson taught at the school of the erudite minister James Maury till 1760. 1760-: He enrolled at The College of William & Mary in Williamsburg in 1760. 1762-: He graduated from the college in 1762. 1767-: He began practicing law in Virginia Bar in 1767. 1772-: Thomas Jefferson married Martha Wayles Skelton in 1772. 1775-: Jefferson was appointed as a delegate to the Second Continental Congress. 1778-: Jefferson produced a bill on ‘General Diffusion of Knowledge’. 1779-: Jefferson became the governor of Virginia in 1779. 1779-: George Wythe was appointed as the first professor of law at the college of Williams and Mary. 1780-: The capital of state was transferred from Williamsburg to Richmond. 1780-: Jefferson became a member of Benjamin Franklin’s American Philosophical Society. 1782-: Martha Wayles Skelton died on 6 September 1782.

1785-: Jefferson was elected as minister to France and served till 1789. 1785-: He became the President of American Philosophical Society and served till1815. 1790-: Jefferson became the first Secretary of State in 1790. 1793-: War was declared France and Britain in 1793. 1796-: He failed in his run for vice presidency in 1796. 1797-: Jefferson became the vice-President of the U.S. 1798-: Federalist passed a new Alien and Sedition Acts in 1798. 1800-: Thomas Jefferson ran for the presidency in 1800. 1801-: He became the President of the United States on 17 February 1801. 1801-: He published A Manual of Parliamentary Practice. 1814-: The Library of Congress was burnt down by British in 1814. 1819-: The University of Virginia was founded. 1825-: The University of Virginia opened. 1826-:

Question: Who was the third President of the USA; he died on July 4th, 1826?
Answer: Thomas Jefferson