1.
Washington, D.C.
–
Washington, D. C. formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D. C. is the capital of the United States. The signing of the Residence Act on July 16,1790, Constitution provided for a federal district under the exclusive jurisdiction of the Congress and the District is therefore not a part of any state. The states of Maryland and Virginia each donated land to form the federal district, named in honor of President George Washington, the City of Washington was founded in 1791 to serve as the new national capital. In 1846, Congress returned the land ceded by Virginia, in 1871. Washington had an population of 681,170 as of July 2016. Commuters from the surrounding Maryland and Virginia suburbs raise the population to more than one million during the workweek. The Washington metropolitan area, of which the District is a part, has a population of over 6 million, the centers of all three branches of the federal government of the United States are in the District, including the Congress, President, and Supreme Court. Washington is home to national monuments and museums, which are primarily situated on or around the National Mall. The city hosts 176 foreign embassies as well as the headquarters of international organizations, trade unions, non-profit organizations, lobbying groups. A locally elected mayor and a 13‑member council have governed the District since 1973, However, the Congress maintains supreme authority over the city and may overturn local laws. D. C. residents elect a non-voting, at-large congressional delegate to the House of Representatives, the District receives three electoral votes in presidential elections as permitted by the Twenty-third Amendment to the United States Constitution, ratified in 1961. Various tribes of the Algonquian-speaking Piscataway people inhabited the lands around the Potomac River when Europeans first visited the area in the early 17th century, One group known as the Nacotchtank maintained settlements around the Anacostia River within the present-day District of Columbia. Conflicts with European colonists and neighboring tribes forced the relocation of the Piscataway people, some of whom established a new settlement in 1699 near Point of Rocks, Maryland. 43, published January 23,1788, James Madison argued that the new government would need authority over a national capital to provide for its own maintenance. Five years earlier, a band of unpaid soldiers besieged Congress while its members were meeting in Philadelphia, known as the Pennsylvania Mutiny of 1783, the event emphasized the need for the national government not to rely on any state for its own security. However, the Constitution does not specify a location for the capital, on July 9,1790, Congress passed the Residence Act, which approved the creation of a national capital on the Potomac River. The exact location was to be selected by President George Washington, formed from land donated by the states of Maryland and Virginia, the initial shape of the federal district was a square measuring 10 miles on each side, totaling 100 square miles. Two pre-existing settlements were included in the territory, the port of Georgetown, Maryland, founded in 1751, many of the stones are still standing
2.
United States Capitol
–
The United States Capitol, often called the Capitol Building or Capitol Hill, is the home of the United States Congress, and the seat of the legislative branch of the U. S. federal government. It sits atop Capitol Hill at the end of the National Mall in Washington. Though not at the center of the Federal District, the Capitol forms the origin point for the Districts street-numbering system. The original building was completed in 1800 and was subsequently expanded, like the principal buildings of the executive and judicial branches, the Capitol is built in a distinctive neoclassical style and has a white exterior. Both its east and west elevations are referred to as fronts, though only the east front was intended for the reception of visitors. In 2014, scaffolding was erected around the dome for a project scheduled to be completed by early 2017. All exterior scaffolding was removed by the end of summer 2016, prior to establishing the nations capital in Washington, D. C. the United States Congress and its predecessors had met in Philadelphia, New York City, and a number of other locations. In September 1774, the First Continental Congress brought together delegates from the colonies in Philadelphia, followed by the Second Continental Congress, Congress requested that John Dickinson, the Governor of Pennsylvania, call up the militia to defend Congress from attacks by the protesters. In what became known as the Pennsylvania Mutiny of 1783, Dickinson sympathized with the protesters and refused to remove them from Philadelphia. As a result, Congress was forced to flee to Princeton, New Jersey, on June 21,1783, and met in Annapolis, Maryland, the United States Congress was established upon ratification of the United States Constitution and formally began on March 4,1789. New York City remained home to Congress until July 1790, when the Residence Act was passed to pave the way for a permanent capital. As part of the legislation, Philadelphia was chosen as a capital for ten years, until the nations capital in Washington. Pierre Charles LEnfant was given the task of creating the city plan for the new capital city, in reviewing LEnfants plan, Thomas Jefferson insisted the legislative building be called the Capitol rather than Congress House. The word Capitol comes from Latin and is associated with the Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus on Capitoline Hill, the connection between the two is not, however, crystal clear. In spring 1792, United States Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson proposed a competition to solicit designs for the Capitol and the Presidents House. The prize for the competition was $500 and a lot in the Federal City, the most promising of the submissions was by Stephen Hallet, a trained French architect. However, Hallets designs were overly fancy, with too much French influence, a late entry by amateur architect William Thornton was submitted on January 31,1793, to much praise for its Grandeur, Simplicity, and Beauty by Washington, along with praise from Thomas Jefferson. Thornton was inspired by the east front of the Louvre, as well as the Paris Pantheon for the portion of the design
3.
Zachary Taylor
–
Zachary Taylor was the 12th President of the United States, serving from March 1849 until his death in July 1850. Before his presidency, Taylor was an officer in the United States Army. Taylors status as a hero as a result of his victories in the Mexican-American War won him election to the White House despite his vague political beliefs. His top priority as president was preserving the Union, but he died 16 months into his term, before making any progress on the status of slavery and he remains the only President to come from Louisiana. Taylor was born into a prominent family of planters who migrated westward from Virginia to Kentucky in his youth and he was commissioned as an officer in the U. S. Army in 1808 and made a name for himself as a captain in the War of 1812. He climbed the ranks establishing military forts along the Mississippi River and his success in the Second Seminole War attracted national attention and earned him the nickname Old Rough and Ready. The Mexican–American War broke out in April 1846, in May, Taylor defeated Mexican troops commanded by General Mariano Arista at the Battles of Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma, and managed to drive his troops out of Texas. Taylor subsequently led his troops into Mexico, where once again defeated Mexican troops commanded by Pedro de Ampudia at the Battle of Monterrey in September. Defying orders, Taylor moved his troops further south, despite being severely outnumbered, he dealt a crushing blow to Mexican forces under Antonio López de Santa Anna in February 1847 at the Battle of Buena Vista. After this, most of Taylors troops were transferred to the command of Major General Winfield Scott, the Whig Party convinced the reluctant Taylor to lead their ticket in the 1848 presidential election, despite his unclear political beliefs and lack of interest in politics. At the 1848 Whig National Convention, Taylor defeated Scott and former Senator Henry Clay to take the nomination, as president, Taylor kept his distance from Congress and his cabinet, even as partisan tensions threatened to divide the Union. Debate over the status of slavery in the Mexican Cession dominated the political agenda, despite being a Southerner and a slaveholder himself, Taylor did not push for the expansion of slavery, and he sought sectional harmony above all other concerns. To avoid the issue of slavery, he urged settlers in New Mexico and California to bypass the territorial stage and draft constitutions for statehood, Taylor died suddenly of a stomach-related illness in July 1850, with his administration having accomplished little aside from the ratification of the Clayton–Bulwer Treaty. Fillmore served the remainder of Taylors term, Zachary Taylor was born on November 24,1784, on a plantation in Orange County, Virginia, to a prominent family of planters of English ancestry. He is inconclusively believed to have born at the home of his maternal grandfather. He was the third of five surviving sons in his family and had three younger sisters and his mother was Sarah Dabney Taylor. His father, Richard Taylor, had served as a lieutenant colonel in the American Revolution, Taylors second cousin through that line was James Madison, the fourth president. Leaving exhausted lands, his family joined the migration out of Virginia and settled near what developed as Louisville, Kentucky
4.
Millard Fillmore
–
Millard Fillmore was the 13th President of the United States, the last to be a member of the Whig Party while in the White House. A former congressman from New York, Fillmore was elected the nations 12th Vice President in 1848 and he was instrumental in getting the Compromise of 1850 passed, a bargain that led to a brief truce in the battle over slavery. He failed to win the Whig nomination for president in 1852, he gained the endorsement of the nativist Know Nothing Party four years later, Fillmore was born into poverty in the Finger Lakes area of New York state, his parents were tenant farmers during his formative years. He rose from poverty through study, and became a lawyer though he had formal schooling. He became prominent in the Buffalo area as an attorney and politician, was elected to the New York Assembly in 1828, and to the U. S. House of Representatives in 1832. Fillmore was a candidate for Speaker of the House when the Whigs took control of the chamber in 1841. Fillmore received the Whig vice presidential nomination in 1848 as Taylors running mate, and he was largely ignored by Taylor, including the dispensing of patronage in New York, on which Taylor consulted Weed and Seward. As vice president, Fillmore presided over debates in the Senate as Congress decided whether to allow slavery in the Mexican Cession. Fillmore supported Henry Clays Omnibus Bill though Taylor did not, after President Taylor died in July 1850, Fillmore dismissed the cabinet and changed the administrations policy. The new president exerted pressure to gain the passage of the Compromise, in foreign policy, Fillmore supported U. S. Navy expeditions to open trade in Japan, opposed French designs on Hawaii, and was embarrassed by Narciso Lópezs filibuster expeditions to Cuba. He sought election to a term in 1852, but was passed over by the Whigs in favor of Winfield Scott. As the Whig Party broke up after Fillmores presidency, many of Fillmores conservative wing joined the Know Nothings, in his 1856 candidacy as that partys nominee, Fillmore had little to say about immigration, instead focusing on the preservation of the Union, and won only Maryland. In his retirement, Fillmore was active in civic endeavors. He helped to found the University of Buffalo, serving as its first chancellor, during the American Civil War, Fillmore denounced secession and agreed that the Union must be maintained by force if necessary, but was critical of the war policies of Abraham Lincoln. After peace was restored, he supported the Reconstruction policies of President Andrew Johnson, obscure today, Fillmore has been praised by some for his foreign policy, but he is criticized by others for his enforcement of the Fugitive Slave Act and for his association with the Know Nothings. Millard Fillmore was born in a log cabin, on a farm in what is now Moravia, Cayuga County, in the Finger Lakes region of New York state and his parents were Phoebe and Nathaniel Fillmore. He was the second of eight children and the oldest son, Nathaniel Fillmore Sr. was a member of the Green Mountain Boys, and served as an ensign and first lieutenant during the American Revolution. In 1767, Nathaniel Fillmore Sr. married Hepzibah Wood, the mother of Nathaniel Fillmore and grandmother of Millard Fillmore
5.
President of the United States
–
The President of the United States is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president directs the executive branch of the government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces. The president is considered to be one of the worlds most powerful political figures, the role includes being the commander-in-chief of the worlds most expensive military with the second largest nuclear arsenal and leading the nation with the largest economy by nominal GDP. The office of President holds significant hard and soft power both in the United States and abroad, Constitution vests the executive power of the United States in the president. The president is empowered to grant federal pardons and reprieves. The president is responsible for dictating the legislative agenda of the party to which the president is a member. The president also directs the foreign and domestic policy of the United States, since the office of President was established in 1789, its power has grown substantially, as has the power of the federal government as a whole. However, nine vice presidents have assumed the presidency without having elected to the office. The Twenty-second Amendment prohibits anyone from being elected president for a third term, in all,44 individuals have served 45 presidencies spanning 57 full four-year terms. On January 20,2017, Donald Trump was sworn in as the 45th, in 1776, the Thirteen Colonies, acting through the Second Continental Congress, declared political independence from Great Britain during the American Revolution. The new states, though independent of each other as nation states, desiring to avoid anything that remotely resembled a monarchy, Congress negotiated the Articles of Confederation to establish a weak alliance between the states. Out from under any monarchy, the states assigned some formerly royal prerogatives to Congress, only after all the states agreed to a resolution settling competing western land claims did the Articles take effect on March 1,1781, when Maryland became the final state to ratify them. In 1783, the Treaty of Paris secured independence for each of the former colonies, with peace at hand, the states each turned toward their own internal affairs. Prospects for the convention appeared bleak until James Madison and Edmund Randolph succeeded in securing George Washingtons attendance to Philadelphia as a delegate for Virginia. It was through the negotiations at Philadelphia that the presidency framed in the U. S. The first power the Constitution confers upon the president is the veto, the Presentment Clause requires any bill passed by Congress to be presented to the president before it can become law. Once the legislation has been presented, the president has three options, Sign the legislation, the bill becomes law. Veto the legislation and return it to Congress, expressing any objections, in this instance, the president neither signs nor vetoes the legislation
6.
Sabbath in Christianity
–
Sabbath in Christianity is the inclusion or adoption in Christianity of a Sabbath day. The first of these provisions was associated in Judaism with the assembly of the people to worship in the Temple in Jerusalem or in synagogues, Early Christians observed the seventh day with prayer and rest, but they also gathered on the first day. By the 4th century, Christians were officially observing the first day, Sunday, as their day of rest, a sabbatarian movement within Oriental Orthodoxy began in the 12th century in Ethiopia and gained movement in the 13th, eventually establishing itself as the norm in that region. The modern Orthodox Tewahedo churches observe a two-day Sabbath, including both Saturday and Sunday, the Hebrew Sabbath, the seventh day of the week, is often spoken of loosely as Saturday. In the Hebrew calendar, however, the new day begins at sunset, the Sabbath therefore coincides with what the Gregorian calendar identifies as Friday sunset to Saturday sunset. Similarly, the first day of the week coincides with Saturday sunset to Sunday sunset, the Sabbath remained on the seventh day in the early Christian church. To this day, the Sabbath continues to coincide with the Hebrew Sabbath timing in the calendars in Eastern Orthodoxy. The current canons of the Roman Catholic Church define a day as beginning at midnight, Early Christians continued to pray and rest on the seventh day. By the second century some Christians also observed Sunday, the day of the week on which Jesus had risen from the dead, Paul and the Christians of Troas, for example, gathered on Sunday to break bread, Soon Christians were observing only Sunday and not the Sabbath. Patristic writings attest that by the century, it had become commonplace to celebrate the Eucharist in a corporate day of worship on the first day. A Church Father, Eusebius, stated that for Christians, the sabbath had been transferred to Sunday. In many places and times as late as the 4th century, they did continue to gather weekly on the Sabbath, often in addition to the Lords Day, no disapproval of Sabbath observance of the Christian festival was expressed at the early church councils that dealt with Judaizing. The Council of Laodicea, for example, mandated only that Sabbath Eucharists must be observed in the manner as those on the first day. Neander has suggested that Sabbath Eucharists in many places were kept as a feast in commemoration of the Creation, the issues about Hebrew practices that continued into the 2nd century tended to relate mostly to the Sabbath. He rejected the need to keep literal seventh-day Sabbath, arguing instead that the new law requires you to keep the sabbath constantly. With Christian corporate worship so clearly aligned with the Eucharist and allowed on the seventh day, a common theme in criticism of Hebrew Sabbath rest was idleness, found not to be in the Christian spirit of rest. This early metaphorical interpretation of Sabbath applied it to the entire Christian life, and after the observance of the Sabbath, let every friend of Christ keep the Lords as a festival, the resurrection-day, the queen and chief of all the days. The 2nd and 3rd centuries solidified the early churchs emphasis upon Sunday worship and its rejection of a Jewish observation of the Sabbath, Christian practice of following Sabbath after the manner of the Hebrews declined, prompting Tertullian to note to Sabbaths are strange and unobserved
7.
United States presidential inauguration
–
The inauguration of the President of the United States is a ceremony to mark the commencement of a new four-year term of a president of the United States. This ceremony takes place for new presidential term, even if the president is continuing in office for a second term. Since 1937, it has taken place on January 20, which is 72 to 78 days after the November presidential election, the term of a president commences at noon on that day, when the Chief Justice administers the oath to the president. However, when January 20 falls on a Sunday, the Chief Justice administers the oath to the president on that day privately and then again in a ceremony the next day, on Monday. The most recent presidential inauguration ceremony was the swearing in of Donald Trump to a term of office on Friday. However, over the years, various traditions have arisen that have expanded the inauguration from a simple oath-taking ceremony to an event, including parades. Since the 1981 inauguration of Ronald Reagan, the ceremony has held at the west front of the United States Capitol. Other swearing-in ceremonies have taken place at the Capitols east portico, inside the Old Senate Chamber, the House chamber, additionally, on two occasions—in 1817 and 1945—they were held at other locations in Washington, D. C. Although the Constitution does not mandate that anyone in particular should administer the oath of office. Since 1789, the oath has been administered at 58 scheduled public inaugurations, by 15 chief justices, one associate justice, when a new president assumed office under these circumstances the inauguration is kept low key, and conducted without pomp or fanfare. The first inauguration, that of George Washington, took place on April 30,1789, all subsequent inaugurations from 1793 until 1933, were held on March 4, the day of the year on which the federal government began operations under the U. S. The exception to this pattern being those years in when March 4 fell on a Sunday, when it did, the public inauguration ceremony would take place on Monday, March 5. This happened on four occasions, in,1821,1849,1877, Inauguration Day moved to January 20, beginning in 1937, following ratification of the Twentieth Amendment to the Constitution, where it has remained since. A similar Sunday exception and move to Monday is made around this date as well, there is no in-lieu-of holiday for employees or students who are not regularly scheduled to work or attend school on Inauguration Day. Most presidential inaugurations since 1801 have been held in Washington D. C. at the Capitol Building, prior inaugurations were held, first at Federal Hall in New York City, and then at Congress Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Each city was, at the time, the nations capital, the location for James Monroes 1817 swearing in was moved to the Old Brick Capitol in Washington due to on-going restoration work at the Capitol building following the War of 1812. Three other inaugurations—Franklin D. Roosevelts fourth, Harry S. Trumans first, Presidential inaugurations have traditionally been outdoor public ceremonies. Andrew Jackson, in 1829, was the first of 35 held on the east front of the Capitol
8.
Vice President of the United States
–
The executive power of both the vice president and the president is granted under Article Two, Section One of the Constitution. The vice president is elected, together with the president. The Office of the Vice President of the United States assists, as the president of the United States Senate, the vice president votes only when it is necessary to break a tie. Additionally, pursuant to the Twelfth Amendment, the president presides over the joint session of Congress when it convenes to count the vote of the Electoral College. Currently, the president is usually seen as an integral part of a presidents administration. The Constitution does not expressly assign the office to any one branch, causing a dispute among scholars whether it belongs to the executive branch, the legislative branch, or both. The modern view of the president as a member of the executive branch is due in part to the assignment of executive duties to the vice president by either the president or Congress. Mike Pence of Indiana is the 48th and current vice president and he assumed office on January 20,2017. The formation of the office of vice president resulted directly from the compromise reached at the Philadelphia Convention which created the Electoral College, the delegates at Philadelphia agreed that each state would receive a number of presidential electors equal to the sum of that states allocation of Representatives and Senators. The delegates assumed that electors would typically choose to favor any candidate from their state over candidates from other states, under a plurality election process, this would tend to result in electing candidates solely from the largest states. Consequently, the delegates agreed that presidents must be elected by a majority of the number of electors. To guard against such stratagems, the Philadelphia delegates specified that the first runner-up presidential candidate would become vice president, the process for selecting the vice president was later modified in the Twelfth Amendment. Each elector still receives two votes, but now one of those votes is for president, while the other is for vice president. The requirement that one of those votes be cast for a candidate not from the electors own state remains in effect. S, other statutorily granted roles include membership of both the National Security Council and the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution. As President of the Senate, the president has two primary duties, to cast a vote in the event of a Senate deadlock and to preside over. For example, in the first half of 2001, the Senators were divided 50-50 between Republicans and Democrats and Dick Cheneys tie-breaking vote gave the Republicans the Senate majority, as President of the Senate, the vice president oversees procedural matters and may cast a tie-breaking vote. As President of the Senate, John Adams cast 29 tie-breaking votes that was surpassed by John C. Calhoun with 31. Adamss votes protected the presidents sole authority over the removal of appointees, influenced the location of the national capital, on at least one occasion Adams persuaded senators to vote against legislation he opposed, and he frequently addressed the Senate on procedural and policy matters
9.
Chief Justice of the United States
–
The Chief Justice of the United States is the head of the United States federal court system and the chief judge of the Supreme Court of the United States. The Chief Justice is one of nine Supreme Court justices, the eight are the Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States. From 1789 until 1866, the office was known as the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, the Chief Justice also serves as a spokesperson for the judicial branch. The Chief Justice leads the business of the Supreme Court and presides over oral arguments, when the court renders an opinion, the Chief Justice—when in the majority—decides who writes the courts opinion. The Chief Justice also has significant agenda-setting power over the courts meetings, in the case of an impeachment of a President of the United States, which has occurred twice, the Chief Justice presides over the trial in the Senate. In modern tradition, the Chief Justice also has the duty of administering the oath of office of the President of the United States. The first Chief Justice was John Jay, the 17th and current Chief Justice is John G. Roberts, Jr. The office was known as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and is still informally referred to using that title. However,28 U. S. C. §1 specifies that the title is Chief Justice of the United States, the title was changed from Chief Justice of the Supreme Court by Congress in 1866 at the suggestion of the sixth Chief Justice, Salmon P. Chase. Chase wished to emphasize the Supreme Courts role as a branch of government. The first Chief Justice commissioned using the new title was Melville Fuller in 1888, use of the previous title when referring to Chief Justices John Jay through Roger B. Taney is technically correct, as that was the title during their time on the court. The other eight members of the court are officially Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States, the Chief Justice is the only member of the court to whom the Constitution refers as a Justice, and only in Article I. Article III of the Constitution refers to all members of the Supreme Court simply as Judges, the Chief Justice is nominated by the President of the United States and confirmed to sit on the Court by the United States Senate. The salary of the Chief Justice is set by Congress, the Constitution prohibits Congress from lowering the salary of any judge, including the Chief Justice, while that judge holds office. As of 2015, the salary is $258,100 per year, which is higher than that of the Associate Justices. Three serving Associate Justices have received promotions to Chief Justice, Edward Douglass White in 1910, Harlan Fiske Stone in 1941, Associate Justice Abe Fortas was nominated to the position of Chief Justice of the United States, but his nomination was filibustered by Senate Republicans in 1968. Despite the failed nomination, Fortas remained an Associate Justice until his resignation the following year, there have been 21 individuals nominated for Chief Justice, of whom 17 have been confirmed by the Senate, although a different 17 have served
10.
Roger B. Taney
–
Roger Brooke Taney was the fifth Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, holding that office from 1836 until his death in 1864. He delivered the majority opinion in Dred Scott v. S and he was the first Roman Catholic appointed both to a presidential cabinet, as Attorney General under President Andrew Jackson, as well as to the Court. Taney, a Jacksonian Democrat, was made Chief Justice by Jackson, Taney was a believer in states rights. He inherited slaves from his father but manumitted them and gave pensions to the older ones and he believed that power and liberty were extremely important and if power became too concentrated, then it posed a grave threat to individual liberty. He opposed attempts by the government to regulate or control matters that would restrict the rights of individuals. From Prince Frederick, Maryland, he had practiced law and politics simultaneously, after abandoning the Federalist Party as a losing cause, he rose to the top of the states Jacksonian machine. He was bought and sold and treated as an article of merchandise and traffic. The court also declared the Missouri Compromise unconstitutional, thus permitting slavery in all of the countrys territories, Taney died during the final months of the American Civil War on the same day that his home state of Maryland abolished slavery. Roger Brooke Taney was born on March 17,1777 in Calvert County, Maryland and he was the second son, and the third of seven children born to a slaveholding family of tobacco planters in Calvert County, Maryland. He received an education from a series of private tutors. After instructing him for a year, his last tutor, David English, at the age of 15 he entered Dickinson College in Pennsylvania, graduating with honors in 1795. As a younger son with no prospect of inheriting the family plantation and he read law and in 1799 was admitted to the bar. He quickly distinguished himself as one of Marylands most promising young lawyers, Taney married Anne Phoebe Charlton Key, sister of Francis Scott Key, on January 7,1806. In 1799, the year he began practicing as an attorney, Taney was elected to the Maryland House of Delegates. He ran for re-election in 1800, but lost, returning to private practice, he served as a director of the State Bank Branch in Frederick, Maryland, from 1810 to 1815. He was elected the Maryland State Senate in 1816, serving until 1821—this time as a Democratic Republican and he was also a director of the Frederick County Bank from 1818 to 1823, when he returned to private practice. When the 1824 presidential election divided the party supporters and opponents of Andrew Jackson, Taney became a staunch Jacksonian Democrat. In 1833, as secretary of the Treasury, Taney ordered an end to the deposit of Federal money in the Second Bank of the United States, an act that killed the institution
11.
James K. Polk
–
James Knox Polk was the 11th President of the United States. Polk was born in Pineville, North Carolina, and moved to Tennessee to study law, after building a successful law practice, he was elected to the Tennessee legislature and then to the United States House of Representatives in 1825. He left Congress to serve as Governor of Tennessee from 1839 to 1841, after losing re-election as governor in 1840, and losing in another gubernatorial election in 1842, Polk was a dark horse candidate for president in 1844. Though he entered the convention hoping to be nominated for vice president, in the general election, he defeated Henry Clay of the rival Whig Party in large part due to his promise to annex the Republic of Texas. True to his pledge to serve only one term as President, Polk left office in March 1849. He died of cholera three months later, scholars have ranked him favorably on lists of greatest presidents for his ability to promote, obtain support for, and achieve all of the major items on his presidential agenda. However, he has also criticized for leading the country into war against Mexico. Polk has been called the least known consequential president, James Knox Polk, the first of ten children, was born on November 2,1795 in a log house in what is now Pineville, North Carolina in Mecklenburg County, just outside Charlotte. His father, Samuel Polk, was a slaveholder, successful farmer and his mother, Jane Polk, was a descendant of a brother of the Scottish religious reformer John Knox. She named her firstborn after her father James Knox, like many early Scots-Irish settlers in the North Carolina mountains, the Knox and Polk families were Presbyterian. While Polks mother Jane remained a devout Presbyterian her entire life, when the parents took the young James to a Presbyterian church to be baptized, the father Samuel refused to declare his belief in Christianity, and the minister refused to baptize the child. In 1803, most of Polks relatives moved to the Duck River area in what is now Maury County, Middle Tennessee, the family grew prosperous, with Samuel Polk turning to land speculation and becoming a county judge. His health was problematic and in 1812 his pain became so unbearable that he was taken to Dr. Ephraim McDowell of Danville, Kentucky, Polk was awake during the operation with nothing but brandy available for anesthetic, but it was successful. The surgery may have left Polk sterile, as he did not sire any children, when Polk recovered, his father offered to bring him into the mercantile business, but Polk refused. In July 1813, Polk enrolled at the Zion Church near his home, a year later he attended an academy in Murfreesboro, where he may have met his future wife, Sarah Childress. At Murfreesboro, Polk proved a promising student, in January 1816, Polk was admitted into the University of North Carolina as a second-semester sophomore. The Polk family had connections with the university, then a school of about 80 students, Sam Polk was their land agent for Tennessee. While there, Polk joined the Dialectic Society where he took part in debates
12.
George M. Dallas
–
George Mifflin Dallas was an American politician and diplomat who served as Mayor of Philadelphia, U. S. Senator from Pennsylvania and the 11th Vice President of the United States, George Mifflin Dallas was born on July 10,1792, to Alexander James Dallas and Arabella Maria Smith Dallas in Philadelphia. His father, born in Kingston, Jamaica and educated in Edinburgh, was the Secretary of the Treasury under United States President James Madison, George Dallas was given his middle name after Thomas Mifflin, another politician who was good friends with his father. Dallas was the second of six children, another of whom, Alexander, during Dallass childhood, the family lived in a mansion on Fourth Street, with a second home in the countryside, situated on the Schuylkill River. He was educated privately at Quaker-run preparatory schools, before studying at the College of New Jersey, while at College, he participated in several activities, including the American Whig–Cliosophic Society. Afterwards, he studied law, and was admitted to the Pennsylvania bar in 1813, Dallas did not have much enthusiasm at the time for legal practice, and wanted to fight in the War of 1812, a plan that he dropped due to his fathers objection. Dallas enjoyed the opportunities offered to him by being in Russia, in August 1814, he arrived in Washington, D. C. and delivered a preliminary draft of Britains peace terms. Since the job did not entail a large workload, Dallas found time to develop his grasp of politics and he later became the counsel to the Second Bank of the United States. After the War of 1812 ended, Pennsylvanias political climate was chaotic, the other faction was called the Amalgamators, headed by the future President James Buchanan. Voters elected Dallas Mayor of Philadelphia as the candidate of the Family party, Dallas served less than fifteen months—from December 13,1831, to March 4,1833. He was chairman of the Committee on Naval Affairs, Dallas declined to seek re-election, in part due to a fight over the Second Bank of the United States, and in part because his wife did not want to leave Philadelphia for Washington. Dallas resumed the practice of law, was general of Pennsylvania from 1833 to 1835. He was appointed by President Martin Van Buren as Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Russia from 1837 to 1839, Dallas was offered the role of Attorney General, but declined, and resumed his legal practice. In the lead-up to the 1844 presidential election, Dallas worked to help Van Buren win the Democratic nomination over Dallass fellow Pennsylvanian, at the May 1844 Democratic National Convention in Baltimore, James K. Polk and Silas Wright were nominated as the Democratic ticket. However, when Wright declined the nomination, they chose Dallas as his replacement, Dallas, who was not at the convention, was woken up at his home by convention delegates who had traveled to Philadelphia to tell him the news. Dallas somewhat reluctantly accepted the nomination, the Democratic candidates won the popular vote by a margin of 1. 5%, and won the election with an electoral vote of 170 out of 275. Dallas was influential as the officer of the Senate, where he worked to support Polks agenda. Though Dallas was unsuccessful in preventing Polk from appointing Buchanan as Secretary of State, as Vice President, Dallas sought to maneuver himself into contention for the presidency in the 1848 election, as Polk had promised to serve only one term
13.
President pro tempore of the United States Senate
–
The president pro tempore of the United States Senate, also president pro tem, is the second-highest-ranking official of the United States Senate. Unlike the vice president, the president pro tempore is a member of the Senate. Selected by the Senate at large, the president pro tempore has enjoyed many privileges, during the vice presidents absence, the president pro tempore is empowered to preside over Senate sessions. Since 1890, the most senior senator in the majority party has generally chosen to be president pro tempore. This tradition has been observed without interruption since 1949, the current President pro tempore of the Senate is Utah Republican Orrin Hatch. Elected on January 6,2015, he is the 90th person to serve in this office, although the position is in some ways analogous to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the powers of the president pro tempore are far more limited. The president pro tempore is third in the line of succession, following the vice president. Additional duties include appointment of various officers, certain commissions, advisory boards. The officeholder is an ex member of various boards and commissions. With the secretary and sergeant at arms, the president pro tempore maintains order in Senate portions of the Capitol, the office of president pro tempore was established by the Constitution of the United States in 1789. The first president pro tempore, John Langdon, was elected on April 6 the same year, originally, the president pro tempore was appointed on an intermittent basis when the vice president was not present to preside over the Senate. Until the 1960s, it was practice for the vice president to preside over daily Senate sessions. Until 1891, the president pro tempore only served until the return of the president to the chair or the adjournment of a session of Congress. Between 1792 and 1886, the president pro tempore was second in the line of succession following the vice president. When President Andrew Johnson, who had no president, was impeached and tried in 1868. Wades radicalism is thought by historians to be a major reason why the Senate. The President pro tempore and the Speaker of the House were removed from the line of succession in 1886. Both were restored to it in 1947, though this time with the president pro tempore following the speaker, William P. Frye served as President pro tempore from 1896 to 1911 (54th–62nd Congress, a tenure longer than anyone else
14.
David Rice Atchison
–
David Rice Atchison was a mid-19th century Democratic United States Senator from Missouri. He served as President pro tempore of the United States Senate for six years and he is best known for the questionable claim that for one day he may have been Acting President of the United States. This belief, however, is dismissed by all historians, scholars. Atchison was born to William Atchison in Frogtown, which is now part of Lexington and he was educated at Transylvania University in Lexington, where his classmates included five future Democratic senators. Atchison was admitted to the Kentucky bar in 1829, in 1830 he moved to Liberty in Clay County in western Missouri, and set up practice there, where he also farmed. Atchisons law practice flourished, and his client was Latter Day Saint Movement founder Joseph Smith. Atchison represented Smith in land disputes with settlers in Caldwell County. Alexander William Doniphan joined Atchisons law practice in Liberty in May 1833, the two became fast friends and spent many leisure time hours playing cards, going to the horse races, hunting, fishing, attending social functions and political events. Atchison, already a member of the Liberty Blues, a militia in Missouri. Atchison was elected to the Missouri House of Representatives in 1834 and he worked hard for the Platte Purchase, which extended the northwestern boundary of Missouri to the Missouri River in 1837. When the earlier disputes broke out into the so-called Mormon War of 1838, Atchison was appointed a general in the state militia. In 1838 he was re-elected to the Missouri State House of Representatives, three years later, he appointed a circuit court judge for the six-county area of the Platte Purchase. In 1843 he was named a county commissioner in Platte County, in October 1843, Atchison was appointed to the U. S. Senate to fill the vacancy left by the death of Lewis F. Linn. He thus became the first senator from western Missouri, at age 36, he was the youngest senator from Missouri up to that time. Later in 1843, Atchison was appointed to serve the remainder of Linns term and was re-elected in 1849, Atchison was very popular with his fellow Senate Democrats. He was then only 38 years old and had served in the Senate just two years, in 1849 Atchison stepped down as President pro tempore in favor of William R. King. King in turn yielded the office back to Atchison in December 1852, Atchison continued as President pro tempore until December 1854. As a Senator, Atchison was a fervent advocate of slavery and he supported the annexation of Texas and the U. S. -Mexican War
15.
Acting President of the United States
–
Article I section 3, and Article II section 1, of the Constitution apply to the role of Acting President, but have been vigorously debated since John Tylers days. The Twenty-fifth Amendment, ratified in 1967, clears up many of the issues which surrounded presidential succession and incapacity. Article I, section 3 of the Constitution, provides for the election of the officers of the Senate, provision is further made for when the Vice President is absent from presiding over the Senate, or when he shall exercise the office of President. The Senate shall choose their other Officers, and also a President pro tempore, in the Absence of the Vice President, if it meant the office, then a disabled President had no legal method of returning to power. What specific conditions would install the Vice President as Acting President, what was the procedure necessary to declare the incapacity of the President. Would Congressional action be necessary to declare a President disabled, or could he declare himself incapacitated, what exception can there be restricting the President to return to office after an acting President is appointed. Since a strict adherence to either of the two sections of the Constitution could yield opposing interpretations, there was, naturally, much disagreement when the matter was first put to the test. Any question regarding the Vice President succeeding to the Presidency was essentially resolved in April 1841 when John Tyler succeeded William Henry Harrison upon Harrisons death. Tyler made it clear that he was the President rather than the Vice President acting as such and this question would come up repeatedly over the next 100 years until resolved by the ratification of the Twenty-fifth Amendment in 1967. This clause proved vague, in that it was unclear what qualified as a constitutional disability, the amendment is describing Presidential elections, and the duty of the House of Representatives in choosing a President when the Electoral College is deadlocked. Because someone presumably could claim constitutional priority to the presidency over the Vice President in this scenario, for several weeks in 1813, when President James Madison suffered from a high fever and delirium. During this time believed that he had become deranged and could not carry out his responsibilities. During early 1818, when President James Monroe was temporarily incapacitated with malaria, Monroe recovered, and transferring power to Vice President Daniel D. Tompkins was never considered. On March 4,1849, President-elect Zachary Taylor was to be inaugurated, because of this, some have argued that neither Taylor nor his Vice President Millard Fillmore had any legal authority as President. They go on to argue that, because the previous Presidents term had expired at noon, historians, biographers and Constitutional scholars heavily dispute both claims. During the 1868 impeachment trial of President Andrew Johnson, though he was ultimately acquitted, some argue he should not have been permitted to exercise his constitutional authorities during the trial. With the Vice Presidency vacant during the trial, the next in line was Senate President pro tempore Benjamin Franklin Wade. Because Wade was one of those who sat in judgment of Johnson, a declaration of disability could have seen as akin to an outright coup détat by Congress
16.
United States presidential election, 1848
–
The United States presidential election of 1848 was the 16th quadrennial presidential election, held on Tuesday, November 7,1848. It was won by Zachary Taylor of the Whig Party, who ran against Lewis Cass of the Democratic Party, incumbent President James K. Polk, having achieved all of his major objectives in one term and suffering from declining health, kept his promise not to seek re-election. The contest was the first presidential election took place on the same day in every state. The Whigs in 1846–47 had focused all their energies on condemning Polks war policies and they had to reverse course quickly. In February 1848 Polk surprised everyone with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo that ended the Mexican-American War, the Whigs in the Senate voted 2-1 to approve the treaty. Then, in the summer, the Whigs nominated the hero of the war, while he did promise no more future wars, he did not condemn the Mexican-American War or criticize Polk, and the Whigs had to follow his lead. They shifted their attention to the new issue of slavery could be banned from the new territories. The choice of Zachary Taylor was made almost out of desperation, he was not clearly committed to Whig principles, the Democrats had a record of victory, prosperity, and the acquisition of both Oregon and the Southwest. It appeared almost certain that they would win unless the Whigs picked Taylor, Taylor ultimately declared himself a Whig, and easily took their nomination, receiving 171 delegate votes to defeat Henry Clay, Winfield Scott, Daniel Webster and others. Former President Martin Van Buren once again sought the Democratic nomination, Cass had served as Governor and Senator for Michigan, as well as Secretary of War under Andrew Jackson, and from 1836 to 1842 as ambassador to France. Van Buren had burned for the nomination, but he had wanted it on a Free Soil platform, neither his name nor his stand received any support at the Democratic convention. The Free Soil Party, was organized for the 1848 election to oppose expansion of slavery into the western territories. Much of its support came from disaffected anti-slavery Barnburner Democrats and Conscience Whigs, the party was led by Salmon P. Chase and John Parker Hale and held its 1848 convention in Utica and Buffalo, New York. Van Buren knew that the Free Soilers had not the slightest chance of winning, rather that his candidacy would split the Democratic vote, bitter and aging, Van Buren did not care despite the fact his life had been built upon the rock of party solidarity and party regularity. He loathed Lewis Cass and the principle of sovereignty with equal intensity. Despite their significant showing in the presidential election, certain events would conspire to remove the Liberty Party from political significance. Initially, the nomination was to be decided in the fall of 1847 at a Convention in Buffalo, there, Senator John P. Hale was nominated over Gerrit Smith, brother-in-law to the partys previous nominee James G. Birney. Leicester King, a judge and state senator in Ohio, was nominated to be Hales running mate
17.
Wikisource
–
Wikisource is an online digital library of free content textual sources on a wiki, operated by the Wikimedia Foundation. Wikisource is the name of the project as a whole and the name for each instance of that project, the projects aims are to host all forms of free text, in many languages, and translations. Originally conceived as an archive to store useful or important historical texts, the project officially began in November 24,2003 under the name Project Sourceberg. The name Wikisource was adopted later that year and it received its own domain name seven months later, the project has come under criticism for lack of reliability but it is also cited by organisations such as the National Archives and Records Administration. The project holds works that are either in the domain or freely licensed, professionally published works or historical source documents, not vanity products. Verification was initially made offline, or by trusting the reliability of digital libraries. Now works are supported by online scans via the ProofreadPage extension, some individual Wikisources, each representing a specific language, now only allow works backed up with scans. While the bulk of its collection are texts, Wikisource as a whole hosts other media, some Wikisources allow user-generated annotations, subject to the specific policies of the Wikisource in question. Wikisources early history included several changes of name and location, the original concept for Wikisource was as storage for useful or important historical texts. These texts were intended to support Wikipedia articles, by providing evidence and original source texts. The collection was focused on important historical and cultural material. The project was originally called Project Sourceberg during its planning stages, in 2001, there was a dispute on Wikipedia regarding the addition of primary source material, leading to edit wars over their inclusion or deletion. Project Sourceberg was suggested as a solution to this, perhaps Project Sourceberg can mainly work as an interface for easily linking from Wikipedia to a Project Gutenberg file, and as an interface for people to easily submit new work to PG. Wed want to complement Project Gutenberg--how, exactly, and Jimmy Wales adding like Larry, Im interested that we think it over to see what we can add to Project Gutenberg. It seems unlikely that primary sources should in general be editable by anyone -- I mean, Shakespeare is Shakespeare, unlike our commentary on his work, the project began its activity at ps. wikipedia. org. The contributors understood the PS subdomain to mean either primary sources or Project Sourceberg, however, this resulted in Project Sourceberg occupying the subdomain of the Pashto Wikipedia. A vote on the name changed it to Wikisource on December 6,2003. Despite the change in name, the project did not move to its permanent URL until July 23,2004, since Wikisource was initially called Project Sourceberg, its first logo was a picture of an iceberg
18.
Library of Congress
–
The Library of Congress is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the de facto national library of the United States. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States, the Library is housed in three buildings on Capitol Hill in Washington, D. C. it also maintains the Packard Campus in Culpeper, Virginia, which houses the National Audio-Visual Conservation Center. The Library of Congress claims to be the largest library in the world and its collections are universal, not limited by subject, format, or national boundary, and include research materials from all parts of the world and in more than 450 languages. Two-thirds of the books it acquires each year are in other than English. The Library of Congress moved to Washington in 1800, after sitting for years in the temporary national capitals of New York. John J. Beckley, who became the first Librarian of Congress, was two dollars per day and was required to also serve as the Clerk of the House of Representatives. The small Congressional Library was housed in the United States Capitol for most of the 19th century until the early 1890s, most of the original collection had been destroyed by the British in 1814, during the War of 1812. To restore its collection in 1815, the bought from former president Thomas Jefferson his entire personal collection of 6,487 books. After a period of growth, another fire struck the Library in its Capitol chambers in 1851, again destroying a large amount of the collection. The Library received the right of transference of all copyrighted works to have two copies deposited of books, maps, illustrations and diagrams printed in the United States. It also began to build its collections of British and other European works and it included several stories built underground of steel and cast iron stacks. Although the Library is open to the public, only high-ranking government officials may check out books, the Library promotes literacy and American literature through projects such as the American Folklife Center, American Memory, Center for the Book, and Poet Laureate. James Madison is credited with the idea for creating a congressional library, part of the legislation appropriated $5,000 for the purchase of such books as may be necessary for the use of Congress. And for fitting up an apartment for containing them. Books were ordered from London and the collection, consisting of 740 books and 3 maps, was housed in the new Capitol, as president, Thomas Jefferson played an important role in establishing the structure of the Library of Congress. The new law also extended to the president and vice president the ability to borrow books and these volumes had been left in the Senate wing of the Capitol. One of the only congressional volumes to have survived was a government account book of receipts and it was taken as a souvenir by a British Commander whose family later returned it to the United States government in 1940. Within a month, former president Jefferson offered to sell his library as a replacement
19.
First inauguration of George Washington
–
The first inauguration of George Washington as the first President of the United States was held on April 30,1789 on the balcony of Federal Hall in New York City, New York. The inauguration marked the commencement of the first four-year term of George Washington as President, chancellor of New York Robert Livingston administered the presidential oath of office. With his inauguration, the branch of the United States government officially began operations under the new frame of government established by the 1787 Constitution. The first term of John Adams as Vice President commenced on April 21,1789, when he took the vice presidential oath of office. The first presidential term started on March 4,1789, the set by the Congress of the Confederation for the beginning of operations of the federal government under the new U. S. Constitution. However, due to delays, that did not happen. On that date, the House of Representatives and the Senate convened, as a result, the Presidential Electoral Votes could not be counted or certified. On April 1, the House convened with a present for the first time. The Senate first achieved a quorum on April 6 and that same day, the House and Senate met in joint session and the electoral votes were counted. Washington and Adams were certified as having been elected president and vice president respectively. It was 5 p. m. at Mount Vernon on April 14,1789, the letter had been sent by Senator John Langdon of New Hampshire, the first president pro tempore of the United States Senate, who had presided over the counting of the electoral votes. He left early the morning for another welcome awaiting him in Trenton. On April 23 he took a barge with 13 pilots through the Kill Van Kull tidal strait into the Upper New York Bay. Thousands had gathered on the waterfront to see him arrive, Washington landed at Murrays Wharf, where he was greeted by New York Governor George Clinton as well as other congressmen and citizens. A plaque now marks the landing site and they proceeded through the streets to what would be Washingtons new official residence,3 Cherry Street. Washington dressed in an American-made dark brown suit with silk stockings and silver shoe buckles, he also wore a steel-hilted sword. Washington moved to the second-floor balcony, chancellor of New York Robert Livingston administered the presidential oath of office in view of throngs of people gathered on the streets. The Bible used in the ceremony was from St. Johns Lodge No,1, A. Y. M. and due to haste, it was opened at random to Genesis 49,13
20.
Second inauguration of George Washington
–
The second inauguration of George Washington as President of the United States was held in the Senate Chamber of Congress Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on March 4,1793. The inauguration marked the commencement of the second term of George Washington as President. The presidential oath of office was administered to George Washington by Associate Justice William Cushing and this was the first inauguration to take place in Philadelphia, and took place exactly four years after the new federal government began operations under the U. S. Constitution. George Washingtons second inaugural address remains the shortest ever delivered, at just 135 words, fellow Citizens, I am again called upon by the voice of my country to execute the functions of its Chief Magistrate. Previous to the execution of any act of the President the Constitution requires an oath of office. Presidency of George Washington First inauguration of George Washington United States presidential election,1792 More documents from the Library of Congress
21.
Inauguration of John Adams
–
The inauguration of John Adams as the second President of the United States was held on Saturday, March 4,1797, in the House of Representatives Chamber of Congress Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The inauguration marked the commencement of the only term of John Adams as President. The presidential oath of office was administered to John Adams by Chief Justice Oliver Ellsworth, Adams was the first president to receive the oath of office from a Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, John Adams Inauguration, March 4,1797. John Adams Inaugural Address In the City of Philadelphia, archived from the original on July 19,2011
22.
First inauguration of Thomas Jefferson
–
The first inauguration of Thomas Jefferson as the third President of the United States was held on March 4,1801. The inauguration marked the commencement of the first four-year term of Thomas Jefferson as President, Jefferson was sworn in by Supreme Court Chief Justice John Marshall. Jefferson was the nations second Vice President under President John Adams, back in those times, the person who came in first would be president and the person who came in second would be vice president. Burr and Jefferson tied in the Electoral College, so the choice was thrown to the House of Representatives, where Alexander Hamilton helped swing the vote in Jeffersons favor on the 36th ballot. It was a day in Washington, D. C. the first time an inauguration had been held in the city. The theme of his address was reconciliation after his bitterly partisan election and he delivered a 1, 721-word speech in the United States Capitols Senate chamber, and then took the oath of office, administered by Chief Justice John Marshall. In what would become standard practice, the Marine Band played for the first time at the inauguration, outgoing President John Adams, distraught over his loss of the election and over the death of his son Charles Adams to alcoholism, did not attend the inaugural. This was the first time a President would not attend his successors inauguration, presidency of Thomas Jefferson Second inauguration of Thomas Jefferson US Presidents on US postage stamps, Thomas Jefferson More documents from the Library of Congress
23.
First inauguration of James Madison
–
The inauguration marked the commencement of the first four-year term of James Madison as President and the second term of George Clinton as Vice President. The presidential oath was administered by Chief Justice John Marshall, the President wore a 100% American-made wool suit, and the first official inaugural ball occurred at Longs Hotel, with ticket prices being $4. Clinton died 3 years,47 days into this term, on March 4,1809, James Madison gave his Inaugural Address and was sworn into office as the fourth president of the United States of America. He addressed the nation on how he felt, Madison felt honor and responsibility in a way he could not express when elected president. He acknowledged that the United States is a country with a deal of issues and difficulties. He also mentions how great the United States was and how far it has come as a country in a period of time. He informed the people that the country was trying to make peace and have relations with all nations. He wanted to remain a country as Americans progressed and built their nation. He mentioned that the US had one too many bloody and wasteful wars and it has been the true glory of the United States to cultivate peace by observing justice. Madison promised to meet with United States councils to make safeguards and he wanted to build up and fund a strong military and militia, to defend the republic and the rights of the people. Madison ended his speech with gratitude towards people in the past who had done so much for the United States, United States presidential election,1808 More documents from the Library of Congress
24.
Inauguration of John Quincy Adams
–
The inauguration of John Quincy Adams as the sixth President of the United States took place on Friday, March 4,1825, in the House Chamber of the U. S. Capitol in Washington, D. C. The inauguration marked the commencement of the term of John Quincy Adams as President. Adams was the first president to have been the son of a former President–John Adams, chief Justice of the United States John Marshall administered the Oath of office to the new president. Adams, as he recalled later, placed his hand upon on a book of law rather than the Bible itself as he recited the oath. This may have been common practice at the time, there is no evidence that any president from John Adams to John Tyler used a Bible to swear the oath upon. His inaugural address was 2,911 words long, Adams wore a black homespun suit with trousers instead of breeches. He was the first to make the change of dress, the weather that day was described as rainy with a total rainfall of 0.79 inches. The estimated noon temperature was 47°F, the outcome was assured when Henry Clay, one of the front-runners, threw his support to Mr. Adams so that Andrew Jacksons candidacy would fail. Jackson had polled more votes in the election, but he did not gain enough electoral votes to win outright. Adams ran for re-election in 1828, but lost to Jackson, more documents from the Library of Congress
25.
First inauguration of Andrew Jackson
–
The first inauguration of Andrew Jackson as the seventh President of the United States was held on March 4,1829 at the United States Capitol in Washington, D. C. The inauguration marked the commencement of the first four-year term of Andrew Jackson as President, chief Justice John Marshall administered the presidential oath of office. Calhoun resigned 3 years,299 days into this term, the inauguration itself took place on March 4,1829, and was the first time in which the ceremony was held on the East Portico of the United States Capitol. Ten thousand people arrived in town for the ceremony, eliciting this response from Francis Scott Key, It is beautiful, it is sublime. By 10,00 am, the area in front of the Capitol was filled with people, an excited crowd of roughly 21,000 came to see the swearing-in, even if most would not be able to hear the inaugural address. Jackson came on foot to the ceremony, but to avoid the multitude, he used a basement door on the west front to enter the Capitol, upon exiting to face the crowd, he bowed to great cheers. The peal of shouting that arose rent the air, and seemed to shake the very ground, as he had entered, Jackson left on the west front of the Capitol, for the crowd had broken the ships cable and surged forward. He proceeded to mount a horse and rode up Pennsylvania Avenue to the White House. While this happened people were climbing in through the windows to get into the White House, the White House was opened to all for a post-inaugural reception, and was filled by the public even before Jackson arrived on horseback. Soon afterward, Jackson left by a window or a side entrance, the crowd continued to descend into a drunken mob, only dispersed when bowls of liquor and punch were placed on the front lawn of the White House. I never saw such a mixture, said Joseph Story, then a justice on the Supreme Court, the White House was left a mess, including several thousand dollars worth of broken china. Twelve hundred guests were present, but President Jackson, fatigued, another ball was held in the Central Masonic Hall. However, to be fair, two historians, David and Jeanne Heidler, wrote in 2004 about other contemporary accounts that play down the drunken-brawl aspects of the open house. The Heidlers point out that Hamilton, the Jackson supporter from South Carolina, the crowd at the White House was mixed. The first arrivals were the people who made up Washington society, the second crowd that showed up at the mansion was made up of Jackson supporters who were dressed in their best clothes. Jackson found himself pressed into a situation with his back to a wall until his people were able to get him away from the crowd, the sheer number of people inside the White House led to collisions with furniture and food. After Jackson left, the Heidlers say Antoine Michel Giusta, the White House steward, other reports indicated that staffers passed punch and ice cream through the White House’s windows to the crowd outside. Most witnesses, however, mentioned little real damage, and newspapers reported only incidental break-age, the story about the cheese actually happened at the end of Jackson’s eight years in office
26.
Inauguration of Martin Van Buren
–
The inauguration of Martin Van Buren as the eighth President of the United States took place on Saturday, March 4,1837, in a ceremony held on the East Portico of the United States Capitol. U. S. Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger Taney administered the oath of office. This inauguration marked the commencement of the only term of Martin Van Buren as President. It also marked the departure of a personality and the arrival of Number Two in a new presidential dynasty. They rode together in a small phaeton drawn by four gray horses and this was the first time that the outgoing president and incoming president rode together to the Capitol. The event proved less a celebration of the president than a tribute to the outgoing one. I may hope that somewhat of the same cheering approbation will be found to attend upon my path, with a single exception, the new administration retained Jacksons entire cabinet, and Van Buren pledged to tread generally in the footsteps of President Jackson. United States presidential election,1836 More documents from the Library of Congress
27.
Inauguration of William Henry Harrison
–
The inauguration of William Henry Harrison as the ninth President of the United States was held on March 4,1841, on the East Portico of the United States Capitol in Washington, D. C. The inauguration marked the commencement of William Henry Harrisons only term as President, the presidential oath of office was administered to Harrison by Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger B. Harrison died 31 days into this term, and Tyler succeeded to the presidency, at 68 years,23 days of age time of his inauguration, he was the oldest President-elect to take office until Ronald Reagan in 1981, and Donald Trump in 2017. Harrisons wife, Anna Harrison, was too ill to travel when her husband left Ohio for his inauguration, Harrison asked his daughter-in-law Jane Irwin Harrison, widow of his namesake son, to accompany him and act as hostess until Annas proposed arrival in May. Harrison delivered the longest inaugural address to date, running 8,445 words and he wrote the entire speech himself, though it was edited by soon-to-be Secretary of State, Daniel Webster. Webster said afterwards that in the process of reducing the text and that evening Harrison attended three inaugural balls, including one at Carusis Saloon entitled the Tippecanoe ball, which at a price of US$10 per person attracted 1000 guests. On March 26, Harrison developed a cold, despite doctors attempts at treating him, Harrison died on April 4. The first president to die in office, his presidency was, United States presidential election,1840 More documents from the Library of Congress
28.
Inauguration of James K. Polk
–
Inauguration of James K. Polk as the 11th President of the United States took place on Tuesday, March 4,1845, a rainy day with morning thunderstorms. The inauguration marked the commencement of the only term of James K. Polk as President. Polk was sworn in at the East Portico of the United States Capitol by Chief Justice Roger B and this was the first inaugural ceremony to be reported by telegraph and to be shown in a newspaper illustration. United States presidential election,1844 More documents from the Library of Congress
29.
Inauguration of Franklin Pierce
–
The inauguration of Franklin Pierce as the 14th President of the United States was held on Friday, March 4,1853 on the East Portico at the United States Capitol in Washington, D. C. The inauguration marked the commencement of Franklin Pierces only four-year term as President, kings only term as Vice President. Taney administered the oath of office. Pierce affirmed the oath of office rather than swear it, and was also the first president to recite his inaugural address from memory. Ill with tuberculosis, King was in Cuba in an effort to recover in the warmer climate, by a Special Act of Congress, he was allowed to take the oath outside the United States, and was sworn in on March 24,1853. He is the vice president to be sworn in in a foreign country. King died 45 days into his term, and the office remained vacant for the balance of it, United States presidential election,1852 More documents from the Library of Congress
30.
Inauguration of James Buchanan
–
The inauguration of James Buchanan as the 15th President of the United States was held on Wednesday, March 4,1857. The inauguration marked the commencement of the term of James Buchanan as President. Chief Justice Roger Taney administered the Oath of office and this was the first inauguration ceremony known to be photographed. Buchanan was criticized for not taking a stance on the decisive issue of slavery. In particular, Buchanan noted the difficulties that the Rocky Mountains would present in creating such a pathway, James Buchanan was seen to hold a whispered conversation with Roger Taney during the festivities. This — combined with Buchanans reference in his speech to a coming Supreme Court decision which would speedily and finally settle disputes over slavery in the U. S. In fact, such consultations had taken place, but in letters between Buchanan and Supreme Court judge John Catron in February. Secretary of State- Lewis Cass 1857 Secretary of Treasury- Howell Cobe 1857 Secretary of War-Hon
31.
First inauguration of Abraham Lincoln
–
The first inauguration of Abraham Lincoln as the 16th President of the United States was held on March 4,1861, on the East Portico of the United States Capitol in Washington, D. C. The inauguration marked the commencement of the first term of Abraham Lincoln as President, the presidential oath of office was administered to Lincoln by Roger B. Taney, Chief Justice of the United States and this was the first time Lincoln appeared in public with a beard, which he had begun growing after being elected president, in response to a written request by 11-year-old Grace Bedell. This effectively made him the first President to have any facial hair beyond sideburns, an entourage of family and friends left Springfield, Illinois with Lincoln on February 11 to travel by train to Washington, D. C. for the inauguration. This group including his wife, three sons, and brother-in-law, as well as John G. Nicolay, John M. Hay, Ward Hill Lamon, David Davis, Norman B. Lincoln took a carriage to the Continental Hotel, with almost 100,000 spectators waiting to catch a glimpse of the President-elect. There he met Mayor Alexander Henry, and delivered some remarks to the crowd outside from a hotel balcony. Then, because of an assassination conspiracy, Lincoln traveled through Baltimore. Presidency of Abraham Lincoln Lincoln Bible Lincolns first inaugural address More documents from the Library of Congress
32.
Second inauguration of Abraham Lincoln
–
The second inauguration of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States took place on March 4,1865. The inauguration marked the commencement of the term of Abraham Lincoln as President. Lincoln died 42 days into this term, and Johnson succeeded to the presidency, chief Justice Salmon P. Chase administered the Oath of office. Before the president was sworn in, Vice President-elect Andrew Johnson took his oath, at the ceremony Johnson, who had been drinking to offset the pain of typhoid fever, gave a rambling address in the Senate chamber and appeared obviously intoxicated. Historian Eric Foner has labeled the inauguration a disaster for Johnson, at the time Johnson was ridiculed in the press as a drunken clown. This was the first inauguration to be photographed, and the pictures have since become iconic. One is widely thought to show John Wilkes Booth, who would later assassinate Lincoln, while Lincoln did not believe his address was particularly well received at the time, it is now generally considered one of the finest speeches in American history. Historian Mark Noll has deemed it among the handful of semisacred texts by which Americans conceive their place in the world, fellow-Countrymen, At this second appearing to take the oath of the Presidential office there is less occasion for an extended address than there was at the first. Then a statement somewhat in detail of a course to be pursued seemed fitting and proper. The progress of our arms, upon which all else chiefly depends, is as known to the public as to myself. With high hope for the future, no prediction in regard to it is ventured, on the occasion corresponding to this four years ago all thoughts were anxiously directed to an impending civil war. All dreaded it, all sought to avert it, both parties deprecated war, but one of them would make war rather than let the nation survive, and the other would accept war rather than let it perish, and the war came. One-eighth of the population were colored slaves, not distributed generally over the Union. These slaves constituted a peculiar and powerful interest, all knew that this interest was somehow the cause of the war. Neither party expected for the war the magnitude or the duration which it has already attained, neither anticipated that the cause of the conflict might cease with or even before the conflict itself should cease. Each looked for a triumph, and a result less fundamental. Both read the same Bible and pray to the same God and it may seem strange that any men should dare to ask a just Gods assistance in wringing their bread from the sweat of other mens faces, but let us judge not, that we be not judged. The prayers of both could not be answered and that of neither has been answered fully
33.
First inauguration of Ulysses S. Grant
–
The first inauguration of Ulysses S. Grant as the 18th President of the United States took place on March 4,1869. The inauguration marked the commencement of the first four-year term of Ulysses S. Grant as President, chief Justice Salmon P. Chase administered the Oath of office. Andrew Johnson did not attend the ceremonies, as President-elect Grant refused to sit with him in the carriage going to it. Instead, he was in the White House signing last-minute legislation
34.
Second inauguration of Ulysses S. Grant
–
The second inauguration of Ulysses S. Grant as President of the United States was held on March 4,1873. The inauguration marked the commencement of the second term of Ulysses S. Grant as President. Chief Justice Salmon P. Chase administered the oath of office. This was one of the coldest inaugurations in US history, Wilson died 2 years,263 days into this term, and the office remained vacant for the balance of it. United States presidential election,1872 Our Campaigns overview of the Second Grant Inauguration
35.
Inauguration of Chester A. Arthur
–
The inauguration marked the commencement of Chester A. Arthurs only term as President. On July 2,1881 President Garfield was shot in the back by Charles J. Guiteau, Arthur, who knew nothing of this in advance, was mortified. Thus, for two months and 18 days, the country drifted, leaderless, hanging on every reported detail of Garfields health without much attention to the business of government, on September 19,1881, Garfield died and Arthur succeeded to the Presidency. Arthur was at home near midnight on the night of September 19,1881 with Police Commissioner Stephen B, french, District Attorney Daniel G. Rollins, and attorney Elihu Root, when he learned in a telegram from members of Garfields cabinet that Garfield had died. The cabinet members wired President Arthur their advice that he should “take the oath of office as president of the United States without delay. ”It was after midnight when Arthur and his guests dispatched messengers to locate a judge who could administer the presidential oath. The first jurist who could be located in the morning hours of September 20 was John R. Brady. At about 2 A. M. Brady administered the oath of office to Arthur in Arthurs private apartment at 123 Lexington Avenue in New York City. Arthur was inaugurated two days later by Chief Justice of the United States Morrison R. Waite in a public Capitol Hill ceremony
36.
First inauguration of Grover Cleveland
–
The first inauguration of Grover Cleveland as the 22nd President of the United States was held on March 4,1885, at the eastern portico of the United States Capitol in Washington, D. C. The inauguration marked the commencement of the first four-year term of Grover Cleveland as President, hendricks died 266 days into this term, and the office remained vacant for the balance of it. Chief Justice Morrison R. Waite administered the oath of office. Clevelands second inauguration took place eight years after the first, as his two terms in office were not consecutive and he is the only U. S. president to serve non-consecutive terms
37.
Second inauguration of Grover Cleveland
–
The second inauguration of Grover Cleveland as the 24th President of the United States took place on March 4,1893. The inauguration marked the commencement of the second term of Grover Cleveland as President. Cleveland had previously been the 22nd president, and is the president to serve two non-consecutive terms. Chief Justice Melville W. Fuller administered the Oath of office
38.
First inauguration of William McKinley
–
The first inauguration of William McKinley as the 25th President of the United States took place on March 4,1897. The inauguration marked the commencement of the first four-year term of William McKinley as President, chief Justice Melville W. Fuller administered the presidential oath of office. This was the first inauguration to be recorded on film, Hobart died 2 years,262 days into this term, and the office remained vacant for the balance of it
