Presidents of the United States List in Chronological Order World History U.S. Presidents Who is the most powerful person in the United States? As commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces, the President is arguably recognized as the single most powerful person in the U.S. The President is elected by the people through the Electoral College and a person may serve as President up to 2 four-year term. Presidents of the United States in Chronological Order 1. George Washington (April 30, 1789—March 4, 1797). No party. The 1st U.S. President. Washington served two terms. An American War General in the American Revolutionary War. As chief of the executive branch and head of the federal government, the presidency is the highest political office in the United States by influence and recognition. 2. John Adams (March 4, 1797—March 4, 1801). Federalist. The second President of the United States was a man who resided in New England and was a prominent attorney and politician from Boston. Adams was extensively educated with Enlightenment ideas and republicanism. A key Founding Father of the U.S. 3.

Thomas Jefferson (March 4, 1801—March 1809). Democratic-Republican. The third President of the United States was one of the contributing writers of the Declaration of Independence. As a Founding Father, Jefferson wished that America would become an “Empire of Liberty,” representing the ideals of republicanism. 4. James Madison (March 4, 1809—March 4, 1817). Democratic-Republican. Madison is revered as the “Father of the Constitution” and the writer of the U.S. Bill of rights. The U.S. Constitution is considered the most important political document ever written. It would become the model by which constitutions later written in other countries would follow. 5. James Monroe (March 4, 1817—March 4, 1825). Democratic-Republican. The fifth President of the U.S. and the last who was a Founding Father. He would also be the last of presidents from the “Virginia dynasty.” Monroe was well regarded for the Monroe Doctrine in 1823 which asserted that the U.S. would no longer allow European intervention in the Americas. 6.

John Quincy Adams (March 4, 1825—March 4, 1829). Democratic-Republican; National Republican. John Quincy Adams was the son of John Adams and Abigail Adams. As an American diplomat he served both Senate and House of Representatives. Adams’ presidency was not nearly as effective as the 17 years he later served as an elected U.S. Representative of Massachusetts. He and his wife, Abigail, were both strongly opposed to slavery during their time. 7. Andrew Jackson (March 4, 1829—March 4, 1837). Democratic. Jackson was an army general and politician before becoming a U.S. President. During the Revolutionary War, when he was thirteen, he received a sword cut for refusing to clean a British officer’s shoes. Jackson was also known as “Old Hickory” for his aggressive character. Jackson’s policies established what was known as “Jacksonian Democracy” which opposed government monopoly. Despite being a protector of popular democracy, he also owned slaves and supported Slavery and Indian removal. 8. Martin Van Buren (March 4, 1837—March 4, 1841). Democratic.

Van Buren was the first President born as a United States citizen since the American Revolution. For a while he was Andrew Jackson’s Secretary of State and Vice President and was therefore an essential individual in the development of Jacksonian democracy. He was in office during an economic hardship, the Panic of 1837. For this he was often blamed and was named “Martin Van Ruin” by political opponents. 9. William Henry Harrison (March 4, 1841—April 4, 1841). Whig. Harrison was the first President to die in office. He died after 31 days in office due to pneumonia, making his tenure the briefest in the U.S. presidential history. This event led to many questions about presidential succession that was not answered by the Constitution until the inclusion of the 25th Amendment. 10. John Tyler (April 4, 1841—March 4, 1845). Whig, then no party. After the passing of President William Henry Harrison, John Tyler, his Vice President took the oath. This succession would figure future successions and became scripted in the 25th amendment.

Tyler had been a Democratic-Republican before joining Harrison’s campaign. While in office he opposed and vetoed many Whig party proposals, resulting in the resignation of most of his cabinet and him being expelled from his party. 11. James K. Polk (March 4, 1845—March 4, 1849). Democratic. Polk had served as Speaker of the House from 1835 to 1839 and Governor of Tennessee from 1839 to 1841 before defeating Henry Clay for president in 1844 with his promise to annex Texas. He was also a prominent leader of Jacksonian Democracy. 12. Zachary Taylor (March 4, 1849—July 9, 1850). Whig. Taylor was a career military officer before running as a Whig in 1848. He was also known as “Old Rough and Ready,” having served in the War of 1812, the Black Hawk War, and the 2nd Seminole War. His moderate view on slavery angered many Southerners.

After 16 months into his term, Taylor died of gastroenteritis. 13. Millard Fillmore (July 9, 1850—March 4, 1853). Whig. Fillmore was the last Whig to become a U.S. president. He assumed presidency after President Zachary Taylor’s death, since he was vice president. During his presidency he supported keeping slavery out of lands acquired from the Mexican-American War as a means to appease Southerners. He also supported and signed the Compromise of 1850 and the Fugitive Slave Act. 14. Franklin Pierce (March 4, 1853—March 4, 1857). Democratic. Pierce was a Democrat who was a Northerner with Southern sympathies (a.k.a. a “doughface”). During his presidency he made many divisive choices that earned him a reputation of one of the worst presidents. He was abandoned by his party and not nominated in 1856. During the Civil War he supported the Confederacy, further damaging his reputation. 15.

James Buchanan (March 4, 1857—March 4, 1861). Democratic. Buchanan was a popular state politician and attorney before his presidency. Throughout most of the presidential term before him, he was stationed in London while serving as Minister to the United Kingdom. Because of this, he was not up-to-date on the crisis caused by the question of slavery. He spent a lot of his energy to maintain peace between the North and the South, but ultimately the Southern states declared secession. 16. Abraham Lincoln (March 4, 1861—April 15, 1865). Republican. In his campaign for president, Lincoln opposed the expansion of slavery. His victory led to the secessions of southern slave state, leading to the American Civil War. Lincoln closely led the war effort, selecting highly skilled generals such as Ulysses S. Grant. Lincoln was known to be a very charismatic leader with great oratory skills. Scholars recognize him as one of the greatest U.S. presidents. 17. Andrew Johnson (April 15, 1865—March 4, 1869). Democratic.

Andrew Johnson became president when President Lincoln was assassinated. As president in charge of the Reconstruction, Johnson drafted conciliatory policies towards the South in a hurry to reincorporate former states of the Confederacy. His actions made him unpopular with Radical Republicans. The Radicals of the House of Representatives impeached him in 1868 but the Senate acquitted him by one vote. He was the first president to go through an impeachment trial. 18. Ulysses S. Grant (March 4, 1869—March 4, 1877). Republican. The eighteenth president of the U.S. was an army general during the American Civil War. The Union Army was able to defeat the Confederate effort when Grant was appointed lieutenant general. As President, Grant supported civil rights for freed slaves and contributed to the revival of the Republican party in the South. He also fought KKK violence. However, despite all this, his administration tolerated corruption and bribery. He was very unpopular when he left office. 19. Rutherford B. Hayes (March 4, 1877—March 4, 1881). Republican. President Rutherford B.

Hayes was voted in during the close of the Reconstruction and when the Second Industrial Revolution occurred in the U.S. Prior to his presidential service, Hayes served the Union Army during the Civil War. He believed in a meritocratic government and racial equality. 20. James A. Garfield (March 4, 1881—September 19, 1881). Republican. Before becoming president Garfield served as a Representative for nine terms. Garfield advocated agricultural technology, civil rights for African Americans, a bi-metal monetary system, and an educated electorate. Garfield was assassinated after 200 days of being in office. 21. Chester A. Arthur (September 19, 1881—March 4, 1885). Republican. Arthur became president after the assassination of President James A. Garfield. Arthur grew up in New York and later practice law there. During the Civil War he was appointed to the quartermaster department while becoming brigadier general. Despite being poor health, he was able to perform solidly while in office. He left office respected by political allies and foes alike. 22.

Grover Cleveland (March 4, 1885—March 4, 1889). Democratic. Cleveland was the only Democratic candidate to win presidency during the era of Republican domination from 1860 to 1912. He was also the only president to serve two terms non-consecutively. He was a leader among Bourbon Democrats who were opposed to inflation, subsidies, imperialism, Free Silver, and high tariffs. 23. Benjamin Harrison (March 4, 1889—March 4, 1893). Republican. Benjamin Harrison was a grandson of former president William Henry Harrison, making him the only president to be the grandson of another president. His legislation was responsible for the McKinley Tariff and the Sherman Antitrust Act as well as for federal spending to reached one billion dollars annually for the first time. 24. Grover Cleveland (March 4, 1893—March 4, 1897). Democratic. See a couple ranks above. Cleveland was the only president to be ranked twice, due to his non-consecutive service as president. 25.

William McKinley (March 4, 1897—September 14, 1901). Republican. In his elections McKinley fought fiercely for upholding the gold standard and high tariffs. His leadership brought victory for the U.S. in 90 days in the Spanish American War. He is also highly regarded for forging a Republican coalition that dominated U.S. politics until the 1930s. 26. Theodore Roosevelt (September 14, 1901—March 4, 1909). Republican. As a soldier, explorer, hunter, naturalist, and author, Theodore Roosevelt was known for his cowboy image and robust masculinity. Before presidency he served offices at the federal, state, and municipal levels of government. Roosevelt became president when President William McKinley was assassinated. During his administration he tried to mobilize the Republican Party towards ideas of Progressivism. He won his first Presidential election after, which was technically his second term as President of the U.S. 27. William Howard Taft (March 4, 1909—March 4, 1913). Republican. William Howard Taft was the only U.S.

President in history who also became a Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. He was born into the wealthy Taft family. He graduated from Yale in 1878 and from Cincinnati Law School in 1880. He was elected as President in 1908. 28. Woodrow Wilson (March 4, 1913—March 4, 1921). Democratic. Wilson was elected president as a Democrat in 1912. He was the only U.S. President to earn a Ph.D. degree. During his administration the U.S. entered World War I and renounced neutrality when Germany began unrestricted submarine warfare . He was barely reelected in 1916. 29. Warren G. Harding (March 4, 1921—August 2, 1923). Republican. Harding was a successful newspaper publisher before becoming president (this made him the first). During his campaign he promised to restore the U.S. to “normalcy.” President Harding often rewarded political allies and contributors with powerful positions with financial leverage. Scandals and corruption ran rampant under his administration.

Scholars and historians consistently regarded Harding as one of the worst Presidents. He died during a train stop while on a return trip from Alaska to California. 30. Calvin Coolidge (August 2, 1923—March 4, 1929). Republican. Calvin Coolidge succeeded President Warren G. Harding when the latter passed away while still in office. Coolidge restored the public’s confidence of the White House and its drop because of the scandals from Harding’s administration. Coolidge was highly popular when he left office and was elected to serve again in 1924 after finishing Harding’s term. 31. Herbert Hoover (March 4, 1929—March 4, 1933). Republican. One of Hoover’s strategies to garner votes was to appeal to white Southerners and ignored civil rights. Hoover was a professional mining engineer. His training and technical expertise led him to believe in the Efficiency Movement, which asserted that the economy and government were inefficient and wasteful and could therefore be improved by expert knowledge. Less than eight months in office Hoover had to face the Great Depression.

By the end of his term his administration had yet to find a solution to the economic disaster. 32. Franklin D. Roosevelt (March 4, 1933—April 12, 1945). Democratic. A.k.a. FDR. FDR is consistently regarded by scholars as the top three U.S. Presidents. He was the only president to serve three terms, after which an amendment was drafted to officially declare the two-term limit. During his time as president, FDR juggled with a great depression and a world war. Over the course of his presidency he drafted many projects which re-stimulated the economy and reduced unemployment from 20% to as low as 2%. 33. Harry S. Truman (April 12, 1945—January 20, 1953). Democratic. Truman served as President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s third vice president and succeeded him on April 12, 1945 when he died less than three months of his fourth term. During his presidency Truman had to deal with many challenges in domestic affairs.

He established the Truman Doctrine to contain communism and spoke out against racial discrimination in the armed forces. 34. Dwight D. Eisenhower (January 20, 1953—January 20, 1961). Republican. Before his service as the 34th U.S. President, Eisenhower was a five-star general in the U.S. Army. During WW2 he served as Supreme Commander of Allied forces with responsibility for leading the victorious invasion of France and Germany in 1944 to 1945. His focus as President was to reverse end U.S. neutrality and challenge Communism and corruption. He drafted NASA to compete with the Soviet Union in the space race. 35. John F. Kennedy (January 20, 1961—November 22, 1963). Democratic. Also known as JFK. At age 43 Kennedy was the second youngest president ever when elected, after Theodore Roosevelt. JFK was the only president to have won a Pulitzer Prize and the only Catholic president.

Events that happened during Kennedy’s presidency included the building of the Berlin Wall, the Cuban missile crisis, the Bay of Pigs Invasion, the early Vietnam War, the Space Race, and the African American Civil Rights Movement. 36. Lyndon B. Johnson (November 22, 1963—January 20, 1969). Democratic. President Lyndon Johnson was one in four presidents to have served in all four federal offices of the U.S. government (President, Vice President, Representative, and Senator). He was well known for his domestic policies, including civil rights, Medicaid, Medicare, Public Broadcasting, the “War on Poverty,” educational aids, and environmental protection. However, his foreign strategy with the Vietnam War dragged his popularity. 37. Richard Nixon (January 20, 1969—August 9, 1974). Republican. President Nixon was the only president to resign from office. His presidency involved improvement of relations with the People’s Republic of China, the ending of U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War, and the achievement of détente with the Soviet Union. Nixon’s second term was riddled with controversy of the Watergate scandal. 38.

Gerald Ford (August 9, 1974—January 20, 1977). Republican. Ford was assigned vice president when Spiro Agnew resigned during Richard Nixon’s administration. When Nixon resigned, Ford became president. While in office Ford signed the Helsinki Accords, easing relations during the Cold War. Involvement in Vietnam essentially ended not long after he became president. The economy was the worst since the Great Depression while he was in office. He also granted a presidential pardon to President Richard Nixon for the Watergate scandal, which drew controversy towards his name. 39. Jimmy Carter (January 20, 1977—January 20, 1981). Democratic. Carter was the 39th President of the U.S. and the only to receive a Nobel Peace Prize (in 2002) after leaving office. As president, he created two new cabinet departments: the Department of Education and the Department of Energy. The end of his term saw the Iran hostage crisis, the Three Mile Island nuclear accident, the invasion of Afghanistan by the Soviet, the 1979 energy crisis, and the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens.

40. Ronald Reagan (January 20, 1981—January 20, 1989). Republican. Prior to becoming a politician Ronald Reagan had been a radio broadcaster and actor. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology and economics. As president, Reagan implemented new economic policies that became known as “Reaganomics.” 41. George H. W. Bush (January 20, 1989—January 20, 1993). Republican. Before becoming the 41st President of the U.S., George H. W. Bush served as the 43rd Vice President, an ambassador, a congressman, and Director of Central Intelligence. He served as a U.S. Navy aviator during World War II. After the war he attended and graduated from Yale in 1948. He went into the oil business and became a millionaire by age 40. 42. Bill Clinton (January 20, 1993—January 20, 2001). Democratic. Clinton was elected into office at 46, making him the 3rd youngest president.

He was the first president of the baby boomer generation. He graduated from Yale Law School. Clinton was involved in a scandal with a White House intern, which nearly got him impeached. Despite that, his work as president earned him the highest approval rating of any president since World War II. 43. George W. Bush (January 20, 2001—January 20, 2009). Republican. Bush graduated from Yale in 1968 and Harvard Business School in 1975, working in oil businesses after. Bush advocated policies on health care, the economy, social security reform, and education. In 2005 Bush was criticized for his administration’s handling of Hurricane Katrina. With the combination of dissatisfaction with the Iraq War and the longest post-World War II recession in December 2007, Bush’s popularity declined sharply. 44. Barack Obama (January 20, 2009—Incumbent). Democratic. Current President Obama is the first African American U.S. president. He was previously a U.S. Senator from Illinois. He was born in Honolulu, Hawaii. He graduated from Columbia University and Harvard Law School.

Newest Additions Timeline: Guide to U.S. Presidents | Scholastic Timeline: Guide to U.S. Presidents Information on every president's birthplace, political party, term of office, and more Grades 3–5, 6–8, 9–12 This special guide to the presidents highlights vital information about the men who have led our country. 1. George Washington Born: February 22, 1732; Westmoreland County, Virginia. Died: December 14, 1799 Age when inaugurated: 57 Famous Facts: The first President unified the new nation and shaped the chief executive's duties. He refused to run for a third term. On their wedding day, Martha Washington gave him a miniature portrait of herself. He wore it on a chain around his neck until his death 40 years later. Born: October 30, 1735; Braintree, Massachusetts Died: July 4, 1826 Famous Facts: Adams was the first President to live in the White House. Adams had a tough job filling Washington's shoes. His advocacy of the Alien and Sedition Acts allowed him to silence critics, but made him unpopular.

He lost reelection to Thomas Jefferson. Born: April 13, 1743; Albemarle County, Virginia Died: July 4, 1826 Age when inaugurated: 57 Famous Facts: Considered the most brilliant President, he wrote the Declaration of Independence, founded the University of Virginia, and was an architect, a farmer, and a scientist. Jefferson approved the Louisiana Purchase of 1803, which nearly doubled the size of the U.S. Born: March 16, 1751; Port Conway, Virginia Died: June 28, 1836 Famous Facts: Madison is considered the father of the Bill of Rights. Madison presided over the War of 1812 with Britain, during which the White House was burned. The war ended in a draw. Born: April 28, 1758; Westmoreland County, Virginia Died: July 4, 1831 Famous Facts: Monroe lived out his retirement in poverty. His term is called the "Era of Good Feeling" because there was little partisan fighting. He formulated the Monroe Doctrine, which declared the Americas off-limits to European meddling.

Born: July 11, 1767; Braintree, Massachusetts Died: February 23, 1848 Age when inaugurated: 57 Famous Facts: John Adams and John Quincy Adams were the first father and son to have served as Presidents. Accused of winning the White House through corruption, he was plagued by accusations of misdeeds throughout his presidency. After his presidency, Adams served nine terms in the House of Representatives, until his death in 1848. Born: March 15, 1767; Waxhaw settlement, South Carolina Died: June 8, 1845 Famous Facts: Jackson was the first President to ride on a train. Though he was a rich planter, Jackson was considered the common people's friend. Dubbed "Old Hickory" because he was so tough, Jackson greatly expanded the powers of the Presidency. Born: December 5, 1782; Kinderhook, New York Died: July 24, 1862. Party: Democratic Party: Democrat Age when inaugurated: 54 Famous Facts: Van Buren was the first President to be born an American citizen, rather than a British subject.

Van Buren's Presidency was marred by an economic depression that led to bank failures and food riots. He was easily defeated for reelection. Born: February 9, 1773; Berkeley, Virginia Died: April 4, 1841 Age when inaugurated: 68 Famous Facts: Harrison delivered a marathon inaugural speech during which he caught a cold. He died a month later. Harrison was the first President to die in office and he served the briefest term. Born: March 29, 1790; Greenway, Virginia Died: January 18, 1862 Famous Facts: Tyler had 15 children, more than any President. Tyler was expected to be a passive "acting President" while he finished Harrison's term. But he refused to be passive. He made enemies in Congress and was the first President to be threatened with impeachment. The effort failed. Born: November 2, 1795; near Pineville, North Carolina Died: June 15, 1849 Famous Facts: Polk is the only President to have served as Speaker of the House. Polk was the first "dark horse" or little-known nominee to become President.

He presided over the Mexican War, which added Texas, California, and other territory to the U.S. Born: November 24, 1784; Orange County, Virginia Died: July 9, 1850 Age when inaugurated: 64 Famous Facts: Taylor won fame as a general in the Mexican War. His soldiers called him "Old Rough and Ready." Taylor threatened to use force to keep the South from leaving the Union. After his death, a compromise allowed slavery to continue in the South. Born: January 7, 1800; Locke, New York Died: March 8, 1874 Age when inaugurated: 50 Famous Facts: Fillmore approved the Compromise of 1850, allowing slavery in the South. But neither North nor South was happy with it, and Fillmore was blamed for the law's failure. In 1856, Fillmore ran for President on the anti-immigrant Know-Nothing Party ticket.

Born: November 23, 1804; Hillsboro, New Hampshire Died: October 8, 1869 Age when inaugurated: 48 Famous Facts: Pierce's wife hated Washington, D.C., so much, that she fainted when she found out he had been nominated for President. Pierce supported the Kansas-Nebraska Act, which gutted the Compromise of 1850. Born: April 23, 1791; near Mercersburg, Pennsylvania Died: June 1, 1868 Famous Facts: Buchanan was the only bachelor to ever serve in the White House. Buchanan tried in vain to find a compromise to keep the South from seceding from the Union, but failed. Born: February 12, 1809; near Hodgenville, Kentucky Died: April 15, 1865 Age when inaugurated: 52 Famous Facts: Lincoln led the Union into the Civil War to preserve the nation and end slavery. He was assassinated just five days after the Confederate armies surrendered. Polls show that Lincoln is the most admired President.

Born: December 29, 1808; Raleigh, North Carolina Died: July 31, 1875 Age when inaugurated: 56 Famous Facts: Succeeding Lincoln, Johnson found himself in bitter battles with Congress over Reconstruction. He was impeached and tried by the Senate, but was acquitted by one vote. Johnson was the only southern senator to stay loyal to the Union. Born: April 27, 1822; Point Pleasant, Ohio Died: July 23, 1885 Age when inaugurated: 46 Famous Facts: Grant was born Hiram Ulysses Grant, but an error on his application to West Point changed his name to Ulysses Simpson Grant. He liked the initials so much that he kept the name. Grant was the top Union military hero of the Civil War. His two terms were marred by scandals. Born: October 4, 1822; Delaware, Ohio Died: January 17, 1893 Age when inaugurated: 54 Famous Facts: Hayes is one of only three Presidents to lose the popular vote but win the office. He won the election by one electoral vote.

Hayes's wife, Lucy, was the first First Lady to graduate from college. Born: November 19, 1831; Orange, Ohio Died: September 19, 1881 Age when inaugurated: 49 Famous Facts: Garfield set out to reform the "spoils system" by which politicians gave their friends low-level political offices. He was assassinated by a disappointed office seeker. Garfield was the first left-handed President. Born: October 5, 1829; Fairfield, Vermont Died: November 18, 1886 Age when inaugurated: 51 Famous Facts: Arthur was unknown before being elected, but surprised people by being honest and responsible. He helped create the Civil Service. As a lawyer, Arthur defended a black woman who had been abused on a streetcar. He won the case, which led the streetcar companies to integrate. Born: March 18, 1837; Caldwell, New Jersey Died: June 24, 1908 Ages when inaugurated: 47; 55 Famous Facts: Cleveland is the only President to be elected to two non consecutive terms.

Cleveland expanded the Civil Service and ended wasteful government programs. But an economic depression wrecked his second term. Born: August 20, 1833; North Bend, Ohio Died: March 13, 1901 Age when inaugurated: 55 Famous Facts: Harrison was caught between reformers who were fighting the spoils system and those who wanted to continue it, and was defeated after one term. Harrison's grandfather was President William Henry Harrison. Born: March 18, 1837; Caldwell, New Jersey Died: June 24, 1908 Ages when inaugurated: 47; 55 Famous Facts: Cleveland expanded the Civil Service and ended wasteful government programs. But an economic depression wrecked his second term. Cleveland is the only President to be elected to two non consecutive terms. Born: January 29, 1843; Niles, Ohio Died: September 14, 1901 McKinley led the U.S. during the Spanish-American War. The U.S. won several important overseas colonies. Only moments after handing a girl his "lucky" red carnation, McKinley was assassinated.

Born: October 27, 1858; New York, New York Died: January 6, 1919 Age when inaugurated: 42 Famous Facts: Roosevelt was one of the most activist Presidents. His many accomplishments included the building of the Panama Canal, cracking down on business monopolies, and creating many national parks. Roosevelt was the first President to visit a foreign country while in office. Born: September 15, 1857; Cincinnati, Ohio Died: March 8, 1930 Age when inaugurated: 51 Famous Facts: Taft continued many of Roosevelt's policies. A conservative, he alienated the progressive wing of his party and lost reelection. Taft is the only President who became a Supreme Court Justice. Born: December 29, 1856; Staunton, Virginia Died: February 3, 1924 Age when inaugurated: 56 Famous Facts: After initially opposing World War I (1914-1918), Wilson led the U.S. into the war and drafted the peace plan that ended it.

Wilson then fought to create the League of Nations, the forerunner of the United Nations. Wilson was the first President to hold a news conference. Born: November 2, 1865; near Blooming Grove, Ohio Died: August 2, 1923 Age when inaugurated: 55 Famous Facts: Harding died in office, just as massive corruption in the Teapot Dome scandal was about to become public. Harding's election was the first in which women voted. Born: July 4, 1872; Plymouth Notch, Vermont Died: January 5, 1933 Age when inaugurated: 51 Famous Facts: Coolidge's term was marked by economic prosperity. However, he ignored signs that the stock market was likely to collapse.

Coolidge was known as "Silent Cal." Once a reporter said to him, "I bet my editor I could get more than two words out of you." Coolidge replied: "You lose." Born: August 10, 1874; West Branch, Iowa Died: October 20, 1964 Age when inaugurated: 54 Famous Facts: The stock market crashed a few months into Hoover's term. The Great Depression that followed was widely and some say unfairly blamed on Hoover. Hoover organized relief efforts in Europe after both World Wars. Born: January 30, 1882; Hyde Park, New York Died: April 12, 1945 Age when inaugurated: 51 Famous Facts: Roosevelt led the nation during the Great Depression of the 1930s and to victory in World War II (1941–1945). He also greatly expanded the size and role of the federal government through his New Deal social programs. Roosevelt is the only President elected four times.

Born: May 8, 1884; Lamar, Missouri Died: December 26, 1972 Age when inaugurated: 60 Famous Facts: Truman made the fateful decision to drop the atomic bomb on Japan. World War II ended days later. Truman also led the U.S. during the Korean War (1950-1953). On his desk, Truman had a plaque that said "The Buck Stops Here." Born: October 14, 1890; Denison, Texas Died: March 28, 1969 Age when inaugurated: 62 Famous Facts: A former World War II general and hero, Eisenhower helped end the Korean War and steered a moderate course during the Cold War. One of America's most famous soldiers, "Ike" had wanted to go to the Naval Academy instead of West Point. He was turned down for being too old. Born: May 29, 1917; Brookline, Massachusetts Died: November 22, 1963 Age when inaugurated: 43 Famous Facts: In 1962, the U.S.

and the Soviet Union hovered on the brink of nuclear war during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Kennedy eventually forced the Soviets to back down. He was assassinated in the third year of his term. Kennedy is the only Roman Catholic to become President. Born: August 27, 1908; near Stonewall, Texas Died: January 22, 1973 Age when inaugurated: 55 Famous Facts: Johnson passed sweeping antipoverty and civil rights programs. However, he also involved the U.S. in the unpopular Vietnam War. Antiwar protests caused him to drop a reelection bid. Johnson was sworn into office on an airplane after the Kennedy assassination. Born: January 9, 1913; Yorba Linda, California Died: April 22, 1994 Age when inaugurated: 56 Famous Facts: During Nixon's first term, he improved relations with the Soviet Union and China and wound down the Vietnam War. But the Watergate scandal forced Nixon to resign before Congress could impeach him. Nixon is the only U.S. President in history to resign his office.

Born: July 14, 1913; Omaha, Nebraska Died: December 26, 2006 Age when inaugurated: 61 Famous Facts: Ford became Vice President after Nixon's Vice President resigned in disgrace, and President after Nixon resigned. His pardon of Nixon was unpopular, probably costing him reelection. Ford is the only President never elected President or Vice President. 39. James E. (Jimmy) Carter Born: October 1, 1924; Plains, Georgia Party: Democratic Age when inaugurated: 52 Famous Facts: Carter had success promoting Middle East peace. But soaring oil prices, high inflation, and the Iran hostage crisis made him look weak and ineffectual. Since leaving office, Carter has traveled the world doing charity work. Born: February 6, 1911; Tampico, Illinois Died: June 5, 2004 Age when inaugurated: 69 Famous Facts: Reagan is credited with reviving national pride after the turmoil of the 1960s and 1970s. He enjoyed great popularity, though his conservative policies were controversial.

Reagan is the only President to survive after being wounded by a would-be assassin. 41. George H. W. Bush Born: June 12, 1924; Milton, Massachusetts Party: Republican Age when inaugurated: 64 Famous Fact: During Bush's term, the Soviet Union collapsed and the Cold War ended. He also led the U.S. in the 1991 Gulf War against Iraq. But economic troubles at home cost him his reelection bid. Bush was the first sitting Vice President to be elected President since Martin Van Buren. 42. William J. (Bill) Clinton Born: August 19, 1946; Hope, Arkansas Party: Democratic Age when inaugurated: 46 Famous Facts: Clinton achieved goals such as passage of the NAFTA trade agreement and cuts in the budget deficit. But his popularity was uneven and his second term was marred by scandal. When he was 16, Clinton met President Kennedy at the White House. The experience inspired his interest in politics. Born: July 6, 1946; New Haven, Connecticut Party: Republican.

Age when inaugurated: 54 Famous Facts: Just eight months after being sworn in, President Bush had to unite a mournful country after the September 11th terrorist attacks. A self-proclaimed wartime commander-in-chief, President Bush, like his father, led the United States into war against Iraq. Before focusing on national politics, George Bush was the managing partner and part owner of the Texas Rangers baseball team from 1989-1998.

United States | history - geography | Britannica.com United States Written By: Alternative Titles: America, U.S., U.S.A., United States of America United States federal republic with two legislative houses (Senate [100]; House of Representatives [4351]) Head of state and government (2010) 308,745,538; (2016 est.) 323,349,0002 Total area (sq mi) Literacy: percentage of population age 15 and over literate Male: (2000–2004) 95.7% GNI per capita (U.S.$) (2014) 55,200 1Excludes 5 nonvoting delegates from the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands , American Samoa , the Northern Mariana Islands , and Guam and a nonvoting resident commissioner from Puerto Rico . 2Includes military personnel overseas.

3Total area (excluding 42,334 sq mi [109,645 sq km] of coastal water and 76,804 sq mi [198,921 sq km] of territorial water) equals 3,677,649 sq mi (9,525,067 sq km), of which land area equals 3,531,925 sq mi (9,147,643 sq km), inland water area equals 85,631 sq mi (221,783 sq km), and Great Lakes water area equals 60,093 sq mi (155,641 sq km). list of cities and towns in the United States United States, officially United States of America, abbreviated U.S. or U.S.A., byname America, country in North America , a federal republic of 50 states. Besides the 48 conterminous states that occupy the middle latitudes of the continent, the United States includes the state of Alaska , at the northwestern extreme of North America, and the island state of Hawaii , in the mid-Pacific Ocean .

The conterminous states are bounded on the north by Canada , on the east by the Atlantic Ocean , on the south by the Gulf of Mexico and Mexico , and on the west by the Pacific Ocean. The United States is the fourth largest country in the world in area (after Russia , Canada, and China ). The national capital is Washington , which is coextensive with the District of Columbia, the federal capital region created in 1790. United States of America Fishing boat at the harbour at Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Craig Blouin/New England Stock Photo The major characteristic of the United States is probably its great variety. Its physical environment ranges from the Arctic to the subtropical, from the moist rain forest to the arid desert, from the rugged mountain peak to the flat prairie. Although the total population of the United States is large by world standards, its overall population density is relatively low. The country embraces some of the world’s largest urban concentrations as well as some of the most extensive areas that are almost devoid of habitation. The United States. Roger B. Taney The United States contains a highly diverse population.

Unlike a country such as China that largely incorporated indigenous peoples, the United States has a diversity that to a great degree has come from an immense and sustained global immigration. Probably no other country has a wider range of racial, ethnic, and cultural types than does the United States. In addition to the presence of surviving Native Americans (including American Indians, Aleuts , and Eskimos ) and the descendants of Africans taken as slaves to the New World, the national character has been enriched, tested, and constantly redefined by the tens of millions of immigrants who by and large have come to America hoping for greater social, political, and economic opportunities than they had in the places they left. (It should be noted that although the terms “America” and “Americans” are often used as synonyms for the United States and its citizens, respectively, they are also used in a broader sense for North, South, and Central America collectively and their citizens.) USA Facts The United States is the world’s greatest economic power, measured in terms of gross domestic product (GDP). The nation’s wealth is partly a reflection of its rich natural resources and its enormous agricultural output, but it owes more to the country’s highly developed industry.

Despite its relative economic self-sufficiency in many areas, the United States is the most important single factor in world trade by virtue of the sheer size of its economy. Its exports and imports represent major proportions of the world total. The United States also impinges on the global economy as a source of and as a destination for investment capital. The country continues to sustain an economic life that is more diversified than any other on Earth, providing the majority of its people with one of the world’s highest standards of living. Related Places Kansas City The United States is relatively young by world standards, being less than 250 years old; it achieved its current size only in the mid-20th century. America was the first of the European colonies to separate successfully from its motherland, and it was the first nation to be established on the premise that sovereignty rests with its citizens and not with the government. In its first century and a half, the country was mainly preoccupied with its own territorial expansion and economic growth and with social debates that ultimately led to civil war and a healing period that is still not complete. In the 20th century the United States emerged as a world power, and since World War II it has been one of the preeminent powers.

It has not accepted this mantle easily nor always carried it willingly; the principles and ideals of its founders have been tested by the pressures and exigencies of its dominant status. The United States still offers its residents opportunities for unparalleled personal advancement and wealth. However, the depletion of its resources, the contamination of its environment, and the continuing social and economic inequality that perpetuates areas of poverty and blight all threaten the fabric of the country. The District of Columbia is discussed in the article Washington . For discussion of other major U.S. cities, see the articles Boston , Chicago , Los Angeles , New Orleans , New York City , Philadelphia , and San Francisco . Political units in association with the United States include Puerto Rico, discussed in the article Puerto Rico , and several Pacific islands, discussed in Guam , Northern Mariana Islands , and American Samoa . Land The two great sets of elements that mold the physical environment of the United States are, first, the geologic, which determines the main patterns of landforms, drainage, and mineral resources and influences soils to a lesser degree, and, second, the atmospheric, which dictates not only climate and weather but also in large part the distribution of soils, plants, and animals.

Although these elements are not entirely independent of one another, each produces on a map patterns that are so profoundly different that essentially they remain two separate geographies. (Since this article covers only the conterminous United States, see also the articles Alaska and Hawaii .) United States of America The Colorado River in Marble Canyon at the northeastern end of Grand Canyon National Park, … © Gary Ladd Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram Pinterest The centre of the conterminous United States is a great sprawling interior lowland, reaching from the ancient shield of central Canada on the north to the Gulf of Mexico on the south. To east and west this lowland rises, first gradually and then abruptly, to mountain ranges that divide it from the sea on both sides. The two mountain systems differ drastically. The Appalachian Mountains on the east are low, almost unbroken, and in the main set well back from the Atlantic . From New York to the Mexican border stretches the low Coastal Plain , which faces the ocean along a swampy, convoluted coast. The gently sloping surface of the plain extends out beneath the sea, where it forms the continental shelf, which, although submerged beneath shallow ocean water, is geologically identical to the Coastal Plain.

Southward the plain grows wider, swinging westward in Georgia and Alabama to truncate the Appalachians along their southern extremity and separate the interior lowland from the Gulf. West of the Central Lowland is the mighty Cordillera, part of a global mountain system that rings the Pacific basin. The Cordillera encompasses fully one-third of the United States, with an internal variety commensurate with its size. At its eastern margin lie the Rocky Mountains, a high, diverse, and discontinuous chain that stretches all the way from New Mexico to the Canadian border. The Cordillera’s western edge is a Pacific coastal chain of rugged mountains and inland valleys, the whole rising spectacularly from the sea without benefit of a coastal plain. Pent between the Rockies and the Pacific chain is a vast intermontane complex of basins, plateaus, and isolated ranges so large and remarkable that they merit recognition as a region separate from the Cordillera itself. Related Topics These regions—the Interior Lowlands and their upland fringes, the Appalachian Mountain system, the Atlantic Plain, the Western Cordillera, and the Western Intermontane Region—are so various that they require further division into 24 major subregions, or provinces.

The Interior Lowlands and their upland fringes Andrew Jackson is supposed to have remarked that the United States begins at the Alleghenies , implying that only west of the mountains, in the isolation and freedom of the great Interior Lowlands, could people finally escape Old World influences. Whether or not the lowlands constitute the country’s cultural core is debatable, but there can be no doubt that they comprise its geologic core and in many ways its geographic core as well. Learn about the different physcial landscapes that make up the American Midwest. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. This enormous region rests upon an ancient, much-eroded platform of complex crystalline rocks that have for the most part lain undisturbed by major orogenic (mountain-building) activity for more than 600,000,000 years. Over much of central Canada, these Precambrian rocks are exposed at the surface and form the continent’s single largest topographical region, the formidable and ice-scoured Canadian Shield . In the United States most of the crystalline platform is concealed under a deep blanket of sedimentary rocks.

In the far north, however, the naked Canadian Shield extends into the United States far enough to form two small but distinctive landform regions: the rugged and occasionally spectacular Adirondack Mountains of northern New York and the more-subdued and austere Superior Upland of northern Minnesota , Wisconsin , and Michigan . As in the rest of the shield, glaciers have stripped soils away, strewn the surface with boulders and other debris, and obliterated preglacial drainage systems. Most attempts at farming in these areas have been abandoned, but the combination of a comparative wilderness in a northern climate, clear lakes, and white-water streams has fostered the development of both regions as year-round outdoor recreation areas. Mineral wealth in the Superior Upland is legendary. Iron lies near the surface and close to the deepwater ports of the upper Great Lakes . Iron is mined both north and south of Lake Superior , but best known are the colossal deposits of Minnesota’s Mesabi Range , for more than a century one of the world’s richest and a vital element in America’s rise to industrial power. In spite of depletion, the Minnesota and Michigan mines still yield a major proportion of the country’s iron and a significant percentage of the world’s supply.

South of the Adirondack Mountains and the Superior Upland lies the boundary between crystalline and sedimentary rocks; abruptly, everything is different. The core of this sedimentary region—the heartland of the United States—is the great Central Lowland, which stretches for 1,500 miles (2,400 kilometres) from New York to central Texas and north another 1,000 miles to the Canadian province of Saskatchewan . To some, the landscape may seem dull, for heights of more than 2,000 feet (600 metres) are unusual, and truly rough terrain is almost lacking. Landscapes are varied, however, largely as the result of glaciation that directly or indirectly affected most of the subregion. North of the Missouri – Ohio river line, the advance and readvance of continental ice left an intricate mosaic of boulders, sand, gravel, silt, and clay and a complex pattern of lakes and drainage channels, some abandoned, some still in use. The southern part of the Central Lowland is quite different, covered mostly with loess (wind-deposited silt) that further subdued the already low relief surface.

Elsewhere, especially near major rivers, postglacial streams carved the loess into rounded hills, and visitors have aptly compared their billowing shapes to the waves of the sea. Above all, the loess produces soil of extraordinary fertility . As the Mesabi iron was a major source of America’s industrial wealth, its agricultural prosperity has been rooted in Midwestern loess. The Central Lowland resembles a vast saucer, rising gradually to higher lands on all sides. Southward and eastward, the land rises gradually to three major plateaus. Beyond the reach of glaciation to the south, the sedimentary rocks have been raised into two broad upwarps, separated from one another by the great valley of the Mississippi River . The Ozark Plateau lies west of the river and occupies most of southern Missouri and northern Arkansas ; on the east the Interior Low Plateaus dominate central Kentucky and Tennessee . Except for two nearly circular patches of rich limestone country—the Nashville Basin of Tennessee and the Kentucky Bluegrass region —most of both plateau regions consists of sandstone uplands, intricately dissected by streams. Local relief runs to several hundreds of feet in most places, and visitors to the region must travel winding roads along narrow stream valleys.

The soils there are poor, and mineral resources are scanty. Eastward from the Central Lowland the Appalachian Plateau —a narrow band of dissected uplands that strongly resembles the Ozark Plateau and Interior Low Plateaus in steep slopes, wretched soils, and endemic poverty—forms a transition between the interior plains and the Appalachian Mountains. Usually, however, the Appalachian Plateau is considered a subregion of the Appalachian Mountains, partly on grounds of location, partly because of geologic structure. Unlike the other plateaus, where rocks are warped upward, the rocks there form an elongated basin, wherein bituminous coal has been preserved from erosion. This Appalachian coal, like the Mesabi iron that it complements in U.S. industry, is extraordinary. Extensive, thick, and close to the surface, it has stoked the furnaces of northeastern steel mills for decades and helps explain the huge concentration of heavy industry along the lower Great Lakes. The western flanks of the Interior Lowlands are the Great Plains , a territory of awesome bulk that spans the full distance between Canada and Mexico in a swath nearly 500 miles (800 km) wide.

The Great Plains were built by successive layers of poorly cemented sand, silt, and gravel—debris laid down by parallel east-flowing streams from the Rocky Mountains . Seen from the east, the surface of the Great Plains rises inexorably from about 2,000 feet (600 metres) near Omaha , Nebraska , to more than 6,000 feet (1,825 metres) at Cheyenne , Wyoming, but the climb is so gradual that popular legend holds the Great Plains to be flat. True flatness is rare, although the High Plains of western Texas , Oklahoma , Kansas , and eastern Colorado come close. More commonly, the land is broadly rolling, and parts of the northern plains are sharply dissected into badlands. The High Plains, near Fort Morgan, Colorado. Epimethius The main mineral wealth of the Interior Lowlands derives from fossil fuels. Coal occurs in structural basins protected from erosion—high-quality bituminous in the Appalachian, Illinois , and western Kentucky basins; and subbituminous and lignite in the eastern and northwestern Great Plains.

Petroleum and natural gas have been found in nearly every state between the Appalachians and the Rockies, but the Midcontinent Fields of western Texas and the Texas Panhandle, Oklahoma, and Kansas surpass all others. Aside from small deposits of lead and zinc, metallic minerals are of little importance. The Appalachian Mountain system The Appalachians dominate the eastern United States and separate the Eastern Seaboard from the interior with a belt of subdued uplands that extends nearly 1,500 miles (2,400 km) from northeastern Alabama to the Canadian border. They are old, complex mountains, the eroded stumps of much greater ranges. Present topography results from erosion that has carved weak rocks away, leaving a skeleton of resistant rocks behind as highlands. Geologic differences are thus faithfully reflected in topography. In the Appalachians these differences are sharply demarcated and neatly arranged, so that all the major subdivisions except New England lie in strips parallel to the Atlantic and to one another. Screw Auger Falls in the Mahoosuc Range, northern Appalachian Mountains, Maine. © George Wuerthner The core of the Appalachians is a belt of complex metamorphic and igneous rocks that stretches all the way from Alabama to New Hampshire .

The western side of this belt forms the long slender rampart of the Blue Ridge Mountains, containing the highest elevations in the Appalachians ( Mount Mitchell , North Carolina, 6,684 feet [2,037 metres]) and some of its most handsome mountain scenery. On its eastern, or seaward, side the Blue Ridge descends in an abrupt and sometimes spectacular escarpment to the Piedmont , a well-drained, rolling land—never quite hills, but never quite a plain. Before the settlement of the Midwest the Piedmont was the most productive agricultural region in the United States, and several Pennsylvania counties still consistently report some of the highest farm yields per acre in the entire country. West of the crystalline zone, away from the axis of primary geologic deformation, sedimentary rocks have escaped metamorphism but are compressed into tight folds. Erosion has carved the upturned edges of these folded rocks into the remarkable Ridge and Valley country of the western Appalachians. Long linear ridges characteristically stand about 1,000 feet (300 metres) from base to crest and run for tens of miles, paralleled by broad open valleys of comparable length.

In Pennsylvania, ridges run unbroken for great distances, occasionally turning abruptly in a zigzag pattern; by contrast, the southern ridges are broken by faults and form short, parallel segments that are lined up like magnetized iron filings. By far the largest valley—and one of the most important routes in North America—is the Great Valley , an extraordinary trench of shale and limestone that runs nearly the entire length of the Appalachians. It provides a lowland passage from the middle Hudson valley to Harrisburg , Pennsylvania, and on southward, where it forms the Shenandoah and Cumberland valleys, and has been one of the main paths through the Appalachians since pioneer times. In New England it is floored with slates and marbles and forms the Valley of Vermont, one of the few fertile areas in an otherwise mountainous region. Ridge-and-valley topography in the Appalachian Highlands, near Bristol, Tennessee, U.S. Bantosh Topography much like that of the Ridge and Valley is found in the Ouachita Mountains of western Arkansas and eastern Oklahoma, an area generally thought to be a detached continuation of Appalachian geologic structure, the intervening section buried beneath the sediments of the lower Mississippi valley.

The once-glaciated New England section of the Appalachians is divided from the rest of the chain by an indentation of the Atlantic. Although almost completely underlain by crystalline rocks, New England is laid out in north–south bands, reminiscent of the southern Appalachians. The rolling, rocky hills of southeastern New England are not dissimilar to the Piedmont, while, farther northwest, the rugged and lofty White Mountains are a New England analogue to the Blue Ridge. ( Mount Washington , New Hampshire, at 6,288 feet [1,917 metres], is the highest peak in the northeastern United States.) The westernmost ranges—the Taconics , Berkshires , and Green Mountains —show a strong north–south lineation like the Ridge and Valley. Unlike the rest of the Appalachians, however, glaciation has scoured the crystalline rocks much like those of the Canadian Shield, so that New England is best known for its picturesque landscape, not for its fertile soil. Mount Washington, in the White Mountains, New Hampshire. William Hemmel/© New Hampshire Division of Travel and Tourism Development Typical of diverse geologic regions, the Appalachians contain a great variety of minerals.

Only a few occur in quantities large enough for sustained exploitation, notably iron in Pennsylvania’s Blue Ridge and Piedmont and the famous granites, marbles, and slates of northern New England. In Pennsylvania the Ridge and Valley region contains one of the world’s largest deposits of anthracite coal, once the basis of a thriving mining economy; many of the mines are now shut, oil and gas having replaced coal as the major fuel used to heat homes. The Atlantic Plain The eastern and southeastern fringes of the United States are part of the outermost margins of the continental platform, repeatedly invaded by the sea and veneered with layer after layer of young, poorly consolidated sediments. Part of this platform now lies slightly above sea level and forms a nearly flat and often swampy coastal plain, which stretches from Cape Cod , Massachusetts , to beyond the Mexican border. Most of the platform, however, is still submerged, so that a band of shallow water, the continental shelf, parallels the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, in some places reaching 250 miles (400 km) out to sea. Discover the climate, landscape, and waterways of the northeastern United States. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

The Atlantic Plain slopes so gently that even slight crustal upwarping can shift the coastline far out to sea at the expense of the continental shelf. The peninsula of Florida is just such an upwarp: nowhere in its 400-mile (640-km) length does the land rise more than 350 feet (100 metres) above sea level; much of the southern and coastal areas rise less than 10 feet (3 metres) and are poorly drained and dangerously exposed to Atlantic storms. Downwarps can result in extensive flooding. North of New York City, for example, the weight of glacial ice depressed most of the Coastal Plain beneath the sea, and the Atlantic now beats directly against New England’s rock-ribbed coasts. Cape Cod , Long Island (New York), and a few offshore islands are all that remain of New England’s drowned Coastal Plain. Another downwarp lies perpendicular to the Gulf coast and guides the course of the lower Mississippi. The river, however, has filled with alluvium what otherwise would be an arm of the Gulf, forming a great inland salient of the Coastal Plain called the Mississippi Embayment.

South of New York the Coastal Plain gradually widens, but ocean water has invaded the lower valleys of most of the coastal rivers and has turned them into estuaries. The greatest of these is Chesapeake Bay , merely the flooded lower valley of the Susquehanna River and its tributaries, but there are hundreds of others. Offshore a line of sandbars and barrier beaches stretches intermittently the length of the Coastal Plain, hampering entry of shipping into the estuaries but providing the eastern United States with a playground that is more than 1,000 miles (1,600 km) long. Learn about the landforms and climate of the southeastern United States. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Poor soils are the rule on the Coastal Plain, though rare exceptions have formed some of America’s most famous agricultural regions—for example, the citrus country of central Florida’s limestone uplands and the Cotton Belt of the Old South, once centred on the alluvial plain of the Mississippi and belts of chalky black soils of eastern Texas, Alabama, and Mississippi . The Atlantic Plain’s greatest natural wealth derives from petroleum and natural gas trapped in domal structures that dot the Gulf Coast of eastern Texas and Louisiana .

Onshore and offshore drilling have revealed colossal reserves of oil and natural gas. Page 1 of 41

Question: How many different people were President of the USA in the first 200 years after 30 April 1789?
Answer: 40