Overview
This guide covers America's first 22 presidents from George Washington through Grover Cleveland, spanning the nation's founding, territorial expansion, Civil War, and Reconstruction era through the late 19th century.
Presidential Summary
| President | Number | Defining Achievement/Event |
|---|
| George Washington | 1st | Revolutionary War hero; established two-term precedent |
| John Adams | 2nd | First to live in White House; avoided war with France |
| Thomas Jefferson | 3rd | Authored Declaration of Independence; Louisiana Purchase doubled US size |
| James Madison | 4th | Key figure in Constitution and Bill of Rights passage |
| James Monroe | 5th | Established Monroe Doctrine; Missouri Compromise on slavery |
| John Quincy Adams | 6th | Son of 2nd president; paid off most national debt |
| Andrew Jackson | 7th | Founded Democratic Party; forced Native American relocation |
| Martin Van Buren | 8th | First president born in independent US; faced financial crash |
| William Henry Harrison | 9th | Died after 30 days (shortest presidency) |
| John Tyler | 10th | First VP to assume presidency after death |
| James K. Polk | 11th | Admitted Texas; acquired 500,000 square miles from Mexico |
| Zachary Taylor | 12th | Mexican War hero; died suddenly in office |
| Millard Fillmore | 13th | Last Whig president; temporary free-slave state compromise |
| Franklin Pierce | 14th | Allowed Kansas violence between pro/anti-slavery settlers |
| James Buchanan | 15th | Failed mediation led to Southern secession |
| Abraham Lincoln | 16th | First Republican; freed slaves; first assassinated president |
| Andrew Johnson | 17th | Impeached for blocking Reconstruction reforms |
| Ulysses S. Grant | 18th | Civil War hero; enforced Reconstruction with military |
| Rutherford B. Hayes | 19th | Most disputed election; withdrew troops from South |
| James A. Garfield | 20th | Fought corruption; assassinated four months into term |
| Chester Arthur | 21st | Reformed government bureaucracy unexpectedly well |
| Grover Cleveland | 22nd | First Democrat since Civil War; only non-consecutive terms |
Founding Era Presidents (1789-1825)
- George Washington elected unanimously twice by Electoral College
- Steered nation toward neutrality in foreign affairs, stepped down after two terms
- John Adams was lawyer and diplomat, leading voice for independence
- Thomas Jefferson opposed Federalism and strong central government
- Despite opposing slavery personally, several early presidents owned slaves themselves
- Madison stood 5 foot 4 inches tall (shortest president)
- Second war against Britain fought to uphold maritime rights
- Monroe warned Europe against American interference through his doctrine
- Promised US would not interfere in European affairs in return
Slavery and Territorial Expansion
- Missouri Compromise restricted slavery to existing states and territories south of line
- Liberia colonized by free African-Americans; capital Monrovia named for Monroe
- Jackson initiated forced relocation policy for Native American tribes westward
- Polk provoked Mexican War to acquire California, Nevada, and Utah
- Negotiated Oregon division with British to complete northern border
- Kansas became battleground between pro-slavery and anti-slavery settlers under Pierce
- Buchanan's failed mediation split Democrat Party and triggered Southern secession
Civil War and Aftermath (1861-1881)
- Lincoln freed all Southern slaves through executive order during Civil War
- John Wilkes Booth assassinated Lincoln at Ford's Theatre in Washington DC
- Johnson born into poverty in South but sided with Union during war
- Impeachment trial resulted in Senate acquittal by single vote margin
- Grant used military force to protect freed slaves from white supremacist violence
- Reconstruction enforced in former slave states through federal troops
- Hayes withdrew federal troops from South, allowing white supremacists to regain control
- Most disputed and violent presidential election occurred in 1876
Late 19th Century Reforms
- Garfield took on Senate and civil service corruption successfully
- Arthur continued bureaucracy reforms despite low initial expectations
- Cleveland used presidential veto extensively to limit federal overreach
- Vetoed even Civil War veteran pensions and farmer subsidies as beyond federal remit
- First Democrat elected after Civil War broke decades of Republican dominance
Notable Presidential Circumstances
- Harrison gave longest inaugural address but died of pneumonia after 30 days
- Tyler expelled from own Whig Party for vetoing bills as unconstitutional
- Taylor never voted before presidency and held no firm political beliefs
- Fillmore born in log cabin, last president from Whig Party
- Pierce and wife witnessed violent death of 11-year-old son before inauguration
- Van Buren first president born after independence, spoke Dutch at home
- Cleveland only president to serve two non-consecutive terms in office
Key Terms & Definitions
- Electoral College: Body that formally elects US president through state representatives
- Federalism: System favoring strong central government over state autonomy
- Monroe Doctrine: Policy warning Europe against interference in American affairs
- Missouri Compromise: 1820 legislation restricting slavery expansion geographically
- Reconstruction: Post-Civil War period of Southern state reorganization and reform
- Whig Party: Political party opposing Jackson's Democrats; dissolved by 1850s
- Impeachment: Formal charges against president requiring Senate trial for removal