"If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and
pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear
from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."
~2 Chronicles 7:14~

The President of the United States

is often considered the most powerful elected official in the world. The President leads a nation of great wealth and military strength. Presidents have often provided decisive leadership in times of crisis, and they have shaped many important events in history.

The Constitution of the United States gives the President enormous power. However, it also limits that power. The authors of the Constitution wanted a strong leader as President, but they did not want an all-powerful king. As a result, they divided the powers of the United States government among three branches--executive, legislative, and judicial. The President, who is often called the chief executive, heads the executive branch. Congress represents the legislative branch. The Supreme Court of the United States and other federal courts make up the judicial branch. Congress and the Supreme Court may prevent or end any presidential action that exceeds the limits of the President's powers and trespasses on their authority.

The President has many roles and performs many duties. As chief executive, the President makes sure that federal laws are enforced. As commander in chief of the nation's armed forces, the President is responsible for national defense. As foreign policy director, the President determines United States relations with other nations. As legislative leader, the President recommends laws and works to win their passage. As head of a political party, the President helps mold the party's positions on national and foreign issues. As popular leader, the President tries to inspire the people of the United States to work together to meet the nation's goals. Finally, as chief of state, the President performs a variety of ceremonial duties.

A number of Presidents became great leaders. The most admired ones include George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Andrew Jackson, Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and John F. Kennedy. These leaders served as President when the United States faced extraordinary challenges. They also met those challenges with courage, determination, energy, imagination, and political know-how. Some of the most admired Presidents at times ignored the U.S. Constitution or showed little regard for Congress. Nevertheless, their actions won public support. Therefore, like other great Presidents, they broadened respect for the presidency and strengthened the office.

FACTS IN BRIEF ABOUT THE PRESIDENT

Qualifications: The United States Constitution provides that a candidate for the presidency must be a "natural-born" United States citizen. The candidate must also be at least 35 years old and must have lived in the United States for at least 14 years. No law or court decision has yet defined the exact meaning of natural-born. Authorities assume the term applies to citizens born in the United States and its territories. But they are not sure if it also includes children born to United States citizens in other countries.

How Nominated: By a national political party convention.

How Elected: By a majority vote of the Electoral College, held in December following the general election on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November of every fourth year.

Inauguration: Held at noon on January 20 after election. If January 20 is a Sunday, the ceremony may be held privately that day and again in public on January 21.

Term: The President is elected to a four-year term. A President may not be elected more than twice.

Income: The President receives a yearly salary of $200,000, a $50,000 annual allowance for expenses, and additional allowances for travel, staff support, and maintenance of the White House.

Succession: If a President dies, resigns, is disabled, or is removed from office, the Vice President assumes the office.

INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT PRESIDENTS

• Who was the only President who did not win election to either the office of Vice President or President? Ford.
• Who was the only President who had served as Speaker of the House? Polk.
• Who was the largest President? Taft, who stood about 6 feet (180 centimeters) tall and weighed more than 300 pounds (136 kilograms).
• Who was the shortest? James Madison At 5 feet, 4 inches, he was our shortest president.
• Who was the only President to serve two nonconsecutive terms? Cleveland.
• Who held the first regular presidential press conferences? Wilson.
• Which President was sworn into office on an airplane? Lyndon B. Johnson.
• Who was the only person to serve as both President and chief justice? Taft.
• Which president was sworn into office by a woman? Lyndon B. Johnson by Judge Sarah T. Hughes.
• Five Presidents have been elected whose closest opponent received more popular votes. Who were the Presidents? John Quincy Adams, election of 1824; Hayes, 1876; Benjamin Harrison, 1888; William J. Clinton, 1996 and George W. Bush 2000.
• Who was the first President to visit a foreign country while in office? Theodore Roosevelt.
• Which Presidents are buried in Arlington National Cemetery? Taft and Kennedy.
• Who were the only grandfather and grandson who both served as President? W. H. Harrison and B. Harrison.
• Who were the only Presidents to be sworn into office by a former President? Coolidge and Hoover (by Taft).
• Which President never married? Buchanan.
• Who were the "two" father and son pairs who both served as President? John Adams and John Quincy Adams. Most recently George H. Bush and George W. Bush.
• What two former Presidents died on the same day? John Adams and Jefferson.
• Which Presidents lived past the age of 90? John Adams and Hoover.
• What President lived the shortest time? Kennedy, 46 years.
• Who was the only former Vice President who became President but did not succeed the President under whom he served? Nixon.
• Which President had the most children? Tyler, 15.
• Who was the first President to live in the White House? John Adams.
• Who was the first President to be inaugurated in Washington, D.C.? Jefferson.
• Who was the first President to speak on radio? Wilson.
• Who was the first President to speak on television? F. D. Roosevelt.
• What two Presidents died in the White House? W. H. Harrison and Taylor.
• Which President served the shortest time in office? W. H. Harrison, one month, 1841.
• Which President served the longest? F. D. Roosevelt, 12 years, 1 month, 8 days.
• Which President received the greatest number of electoral votes? Reagan in 1984, 525.
• Which Presidents signed the Constitution? Washington, Madison.
• Who was the only President who had a child born in the White House? Cleveland, in 1893.
• Which Presidents were assassinated? Lincoln, Garfield, McKinley, Kennedy.
• What other Presidents died in office? W. H. Harrison, Taylor, Harding, Franklin D. Roosevelt.
• Which Presidents died on the Fourth of July? Jefferson, 1826; John Adams, 1826; and Monroe, 1831.
• Who was the first President born after the adoption of the U.S. Constitution? Tyler.
• Who was the first President to ride on a railroad train? Jackson.
• Who was the only President to resign? Nixon.
• Which Presidents served as university presidents before their election to the U.S. Presidency? Wilson (Princeton) and Eisenhower (Columbia).
• Who was the first President nominated by a national political convention? Jackson.
• Who was the youngest person ever to become President? T. Roosevelt, 42.
• Who was the youngest person ever elected President? Kennedy, 43.
• Who was the oldest person ever elected President? Reagan, 73.

Grolier Online has great pages on each of the Presidents with Fun Facts listed too: Flip Card Roster

U.S. PRESIDENTS

• 1. George Washington Born: Feb. 22, 1732 Birthplace: Westmoreland County Va., Party: None Age at Inauguration: 57 Served: 1789-1797 Died: Dec. 14, 1799 Age at Death: 67 College: None Religion: Episcopalian Occupation: Planter Runner-Up: John Adams (1789, 1792) Vice President: John Adams~(1789-1797)
• 2. John Adams Born:Oct. 30, 1735 Birthplace: Braintree, Mass. Party: Federalist Age at Inauguration: 61 Served: 1797-1801 Died: July 4, 1826 Age at Death: 90 College: Harvard Religion: Unitarian Occupation: Lawyer Runner-Up: Thomas Jefferson (1796) Vice President: Thomas Jefferson (1797-1801)
• 3. Thomas Jefferson Born: Apr. 13, 1743~Birthplace: Albemarle County Va. Party: Democratic-Republican Age at Inauguration: 57 Served: 1801-1809 Died: July 4, 1826 Age at Death: 83 College: William and Mary Religion: Unitarian Occupation: Planter-Lawyer Runner-Up: Aaron Burr (1800) & Charles C. Pinckney (1804) Vice President: Aaron Burr (1801-1805) & George Clinton (1805-1809)
• 4. James Madison Born: Mar. 16, 1751 Birthplace: Port Conway, Va. Party: Democratic-Republican Age at Inauguration: 57 Served: 1809-1817 Died: June 28, 1836 Age at Death: 85 College: Princeton Religion: Episcopalian Occupation: Lawyer Runner-Up: Charles C. Pinckney (1808); De Witt Clinton (1812) Vice President: George Clinton (1809-1812)Elbridge Gerry (1813-1814)
• 5. James Monroe Born: Apr. 28, 1758 Birthplace: Westmoreland County, Va. Party: Democratic-Republican Age at Inauguration: 58 Served: 1817-1825 Died: July 4, 1831 Age at Death: 73 College: William and Mary Religion: Episcopalian Occupation: Lawyer Runner-Up: Rufus King (1816); No opposition (1820) Vice President: Daniel D. Tompkins (1817-1825)
• 6. John Quincy Adams Born: July 11, 1767 Birthplace: Braintree, Mass. Party: Democratic-Republican Age at Inauguration: 57 Served: 1825-1829 Died: Feb. 23, 1848 Age at Death: 80 College: Harvard Religion: Unitarian Occupation: Lawyer Runner-Up: Andrew Jackson (1824) Vice President: John C. Calhoun (1825-1829)
• 7. Andrew Jackson Born: Mar. 15, 1767 Birthplace: Waxhaw settlement, S.C. (?) Party: Democratic Age at Inauguration: 61 Served: 1829-1837 Died: June 8, 1845 Age at Death: 78 College: None Religion: Presbyterian Occupation: Lawyer Runner-Up: John Quincy Adams (1828); Henry Clay (1832) Vice President: John C. Calhoun (1829-1832); Martin Van Buren (1833-1837)
• 8. Martin Van Buren Born: Dec. 5, 1782 Birthplace: Kinderhook, N.Y. Party: Democratic Age at Inauguration: 54 Served: 1837-1841 Died: July 24, 1862 Age at Death: 79 College: None Religion: Dutch Reformed Occupation: Lawyer Runner-Up: William H. Harrison (1836) Vice President: Richard M. Johnson (1837-1841)
• 9. William H. Harrison Born: Feb. 9, 1773 Birthplace: Berkeley, Va. Party: Whig Age at Inauguration: 68 Served: 1841 Died: Apr. 4, 1841 Age at Death: 68 College: Hampden-Sydney Religion: Episcopalian Occupation: Soldier Runner-Up: Martin Van Buren (1840) Vice President: John Tyler (1841)
• 10. John Tyler Born: Mar. 29, 1790 Birthplace: Greenway, Va. Party: Whig Age at Inauguration: 51 Served: 1841-1845 Died: Jan. 18, 1862 Age at Death: 71 College: William and Mary Religion: Episcopalian Occupation: Lawyer
• 11. James K. Polk Born: Nov. 2, 1795 Birthplace: near Pineville, N.C. Party: Democratic Age at Inauguration: 49 Served: 1845-1849 Died: June 15, 1849 Age at Death: 53 College: U. of N. Carolina Religion: Methodist Occupation: Lawyer Runner-Up: Henry Clay (1844) Vice President: George M. Dallas (1845-1849)
• 12. Zachary Taylor Born: Nov. 24, 1784 Birthplace: Orange County Va. Party: Whig Age at Inauguration: 64 Served: 1849-1850 Died: July 9, 1850 Age at Death: 65 College: None Religion: Episcopalian Occupation: Soldier Runner-Up: Lewis Cass (1848) Vice President: Millard Fillmore (1849-1850)
• 13. Millard Fillmore Born: Jan. 7, 1800 Birthplace: Locke, N.Y. Party: Whig Age at Inauguration: 50 Served: 1850-1853 Died: Mar. 8, 1874 Age at Death: 74 College: None Religion: Unitarian Occupation: Lawyer
• 14. Franklin Pierce Born: Nov. 23, 1804 Birthplace: Hillsboro, N.H. Party: Democratic Age at Inauguration: 48 Served: 1853-1857 Died: Oct. 8, 1869 Age at Death: 64 College: Bowdoin Religion: Episcopalian Occupation: Lawyer Runner-Up: Winfield Scott (1852) Vice President: William R. King (1853)
• 15. James Buchanan Born: Apr. 23, 1791 Birthplace: near Mercersburg, Party: Democratic Age at Inauguration: 65 Served: 1857-1861 Died: June 1, 1868 Age at Death: 77 College: Dickinson Religion: Presbyterian Occupation: Lawyer Runner-Up: John C. Fremont (1856) Vice President: John C. Breckinridge Pa. (1857-1861)
• 16. Abraham Lincoln Born: Feb. 12, 1809 Birthplace: near Hodgenville, Ky. Party: Republican Age at Inauguration: 52 Served: 1861-1865 Died: Apr. 15, 1865 Age at Death: 56 College: None Religion: Presbyterian Occupation: Lawyer Runner-Up: Stephen A. Douglas (1860); George B. McClellan (1864) Vice President: Hannibal Hamlin (1861-1865); Andrew Johnson (1865)
• 17. Andrew Johnson Born: Dec. 29, 1808 Birthplace: Raleigh, N.C. Party: Natl. Union Age at Inauguration: 56 Served: 1865-1869 Died: July 31, 1875 Age at Death: 66 College: None Religion: Methodist Occupation: Tailor
• 18. Ulysses S. Grant Born: Apr. 27, 1822 Birthplace: Point Pleasant, Ohio Party: Republican Age at Inauguration: 46 Served: 1869-1877 Died: July 23, 1885 Age at Death: 63 College: U.S. Military Academy Religion: Methodist Occupation: Soldier Runner-Up: Horatio Seymour (1868); Horace Greeley (1872) Vice President: Schuyler Colfax (1869-1873); Henry Wilson (1873-1875)
• 19. Rutherford B. Hayes Born: Oct. 4, 1822 Birthplace: Delaware, Ohio Party: Republican Age at Inauguration: 54 Served: 1877-1881 Died: Jan. 17, 1893 Age at Death: 70 College: Kenyon Religion: Methodist Occupation: Lawyer Runner-Up: Samuel J. Tilden (1876) Vice President: William A. Wheeler (1877-1881)
• 20. James A. Garfield Born: Nov. 19, 1831 Birthplace: Orange, Ohio Party: Republican Age at Inauguration: 49 Served: 1881 Died: Sept. 19, 1881 Age at Death: 49 College: Williams Religion: Disciples of Christ Occupation: Lawyer Runner-Up: Winfield S. Hancock (1880) Vice President: Chester A. Arthur (1881)
• 21. Chester A. Arthur Born: Oct. 5, 1829 Birthplace: Fairfield, Vt. Party: Republican Age at Inauguration: 51 Served: 1881-1885 Died: Nov. 18, 1886 Age at Death: 57 College: Union Religion: Episcopalian Occupation: Lawyer
• 22. Grover Cleveland Born: Mar. 18, 1837 Birthplace: Caldwell, N.J. Party: Democratic Age at Inauguration: 47 Served: 1885-1889 Died: June 24, 1908 Age at Death: 71 College: None Religion: Presbyterian Occupation: Lawyer Runner-Up: James G. Blaine (1884) Vice President: Thomas A. Hendricks (1885)
• 23. Benjamin Harrison Born: Aug. 20, 1833 Birthplace: North Bend, Ohio Party: Republican Age at Inauguration: 55 Served: 1889-1893 Died: Mar. 13, 1901 Age at Death: 67 College: Miami Religion: Presbyterian Occupation: Lawyer Runner-Up: Grover Cleveland (1888) Vice President: Levi P. Morton (1889-1893)
• 24. Grover Cleveland Born: Mar. 18, 1837 Birthplace: Caldwell, N.J. Party: Democratic Age at Inauguration: 55 Served: 1893-1897 Died: June 24, 1908 Age at Death: 71 College: None Religion: Presbyterian Occupation: Lawyer Runner-Up: Benjamin Harrison (1892) Vice President: Adlai E. Stevenson (1893-1897)
• 25. William McKinley Born: Jan. 29, 1843 Birthplace: Niles, Ohio Party: Republican Age at Inauguration: 54 Served: 1897-1901 Died: Sept. 14, 1901 Age at Death: 58 College: Allegheny College Religion: Methodist Occupation: Lawyer Runner-Up: William J. Bryan (1896, 1900) Vice President: Garret A. Hobart (1897-1899); Theodore Roosevelt (1901)
• 26. Theodore Roosevelt Born: Oct. 27, 1858 Birthplace: New York, N.Y. Party: Republican Age at Inauguration: 42 Served: 1901-1909 Died: Jan. 6, 1919 Age at Death: 60 College: Harvard Religion: Dutch Reformed Occupation: Author Runner-Up: Alton B. Parker (1904) Vice President: Charles W. Fairbanks (1905-1909)
• 27. William H. Taft Born: Sept. 15, 1857 Birthplace: Cincinnati, Ohio Party: Republican Age at Inauguration: 51 Served: 1909-1913 Died: Mar. 8, 1930 Age at Death: 72 College: Yale Religion: Unitarian Occupation: Lawyer Runner-Up: William J. Bryan (1908) Vice President: James S. Sherman (1909-1912)
• 28. Woodrow Wilson Born: Dec. 29, 1856 Birthplace: Staunton, Va. Party: Democratic Age at Inauguration: 56 Served: 1913-1921 Died: Feb. 3, 1924 Age at Death: 67 College: Princeton Religion: Presbyterian Occupation: Educator Runner-Up: Theodore Roosevelt (1912);Charles E. Hughes (1916) Vice President: Thomas R. Marshall (1913-1921)
• 29. Warren G. Harding Born: Nov. 2, 1865 Birthplace: near Blooming Grove, Ohio Party: Republican Age at Inauguration: 55 Served: 1921-1923 Died: Aug. 2, 1923 Age at Death: 57 College: None Religion: Baptist Occupation: Editor Runner-Up: James M. Cox (1920) Vice President: Calvin Coolidge (1921-1923)
• 30. Calvin Coolidge Born: July 4, 1872 Birthplace: Plymouth Notch, Vt. Party: Republican Age at Inauguration: 51 Served: 1923-1929 Died: Jan. 5, 1933 Age at Death: 60 College: Amherst Religion: Congregationalist Occupation: Lawyer Runner-Up: John W. Davis (1924) Vice President: Charles G. Dawes (1925-1929)
• 31. Herbert C. Hoover Born: Aug. 10, 1874 Birthplace: West Branch, Iowa Party: Republican Age at Inauguration: 54 Served: 1929-1933 Died: Oct. 20, 1964 Age at Death: 90 College: Stanford Religion: Friend (Quaker) Occupation: Engineer Runner-Up: Alfred E. Smith (1928) Vice President: Charles Curtis (1929-1933)
• 32. Franklin D. Roosevelt Born: Jan. 30, 1882 Birthplace: Hyde Park, N.Y. Party: Democratic Age at Inauguration: 51 Served: 1933-1945 Died: Apr. 12, 1945 Age at Death: 63 College: Harvard Religion: Episcopalian Occupation: Lawyer Runner-Up: Herbert Hoover (1932); Alfred M. Landon (1936); Wendell L. Willkie (1940); Thomas E. Dewey (1944) Vice President: John N. Garner (1933-1941); Henry A. Wallace (1941-1945); Harry S. Truman (1945)
• 33. Harry S. Truman Born: May 8, 1884 Birthplace: Lamar, Mo. Party: Democratic Age at Inauguration: 60 Served: 1945-1953 Died: Dec. 26, 1972 Age at Death: 88 College: None Religion: Baptist Occupation: Businessman Runner-Up: Thomas E. Dewey (1948) Vice President: Alben W. Barkley (1949-1953)
• 34. Dwight D. Eisenhower Born: Oct. 14, 1890 Birthplace: Denison, Tex. Party: Republican Age at Inauguration: 62 Served: 1953-1961 Died: Mar. 28, 1969 Age at Death: 78 U.S. College: Military Academy Religion: Presbyterian Occupation: Soldier Runner-Up: Adlai E. Stevenson (1952, 1956) Vice President: Richard M. Nixon (1953-1961)
• 35. John F. Kennedy Born: May 29, 1917 Birthplace: Brookline, Mass. Party: Democratic Age at Inauguration: 43 Served: 1961-1963 Died: Nov. 22, 1963 Age at Death: 46 College: Harvard Religion: Roman Catholic Occupation: Author Runner-Up: Richard M. Nixon (1960) Vice President: Lyndon B. Johnson (1961-1963)
• 36. Lyndon B. Johnson Born: Aug. 27, 1908 Birthplace: near Stonewall, Party: Democratic Age at Inauguration: 55 Served: 1963-1969 Died: Jan. 22, 1973 Age at Death: 64 College: Southwest Texas State Religion: Disciples of Christ Occupation: Teacher Runner-Up: Barry M. Goldwater (1964) Vice President: Hubert H. Humphrey Tex. (1965-1969)
• 37. Richard M. Nixon Born: Jan. 9, 1913~Birthplace: Yorba Linda, Calif. Party: Republican Age at Becoming President: 56 Served: 1969-1974 Died: Apr. 22, 1994 Age at Death: 81 College: Whittier Religion: Friend (Quaker) Occupation: Lawyer Runner-Up: Hubert H. Humphrey (1968); George S. McGovern (1972) Vice President: Spiro T. Agnew (1969-1973); Gerald R. Ford *(Inaugurated Dec 6, 1973 to replace Agnew who resigned Oct 10, 1973) (1973-1974)
• 38. Gerald R. Ford Born: July 14, 1913 Birthplace: Omaha, Nebr. Party: Republican Age at Inauguration: 61 Served: 1974-1977 Died: Still Alive Age at Death: Still Alive College: Michigan Religion: Episcopalian Occupation: Lawyer Runner-Up: None Vice President: Nelson A. Rockefeller *(Inaugurated Dec 19, 1974 to replace Ford who became President Aug 9, 1974) (1974-1977)
• 39. Jimmy Carter Born: Oct. 1, 1924 Birthplace: Plains, Ga. Party: Democratic Age at Inauguration: 52 Served: 1977-1981 Died: Still Alive Age at Death: Still Alive College: U.S. Naval Academy Religion: Baptist Occupation: Businessman Runner-Up: Gerald R. Ford (1976) Vice President: Walter F. Mondale (1977-1981)
• 40. Ronald W. Reagan Born: Feb. 6, 1911 Birthplace: Tampico, Ill. Party: Republican Age at Inauguration: 69 Served: 1981-1989 Died: June 5, 2004 Age at Death: 93 College: Eureka Religion: Disciples of Christ Occupation: Actor Runner-Up: Jimmy Carter (1980); Walter F. Mondale (1984) Vice President: George H. W. Bush (1981-1989)
• 41. George H. W. Bush Born: June 12, 1924 Birthplace: Milton, Mass. Party: Republican Age at Inauguration: 64 Served: 1989-1993 Died: Still Alive Age at Death: Still Alive College: Yale Religion: Episcopalian Occupation: Businessman Runner-Up: Michael S. Dukakis (1988) Vice President: Dan Quayle (1989-1993)
• 42. William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton Born: Aug. 19, 1946 Birthplace: Hope, Ark. Party: Democratic Age at Inauguration: 46 Served: 1993-2001 Died: Still Alive Age at Death: Still Alive College: Georgetown Religion: Baptist Occupation: Lawyer Runner-Up: George H. W. Bush (1992); Robert J. Dole (1996) Vice President: Al Gore (1993- 2001)
• 43. George W. Bush Born: July 6, 1946 Birthplace: New Haven, Connecticut Party: Republican Age at Inauguration: 54 Served: 2001 - current Died: Still Alive Age at Death: Still Alive College: Yale & Harvard Religion: Episcopal/Methodist Occupation: Businessman Runner-Up: Al Gore (2000); Senator John Kerry (2004) Vice President: Dick Cheney (2000 - current)

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