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Home , DeWitt Clinton, John Kerry, Lewis Cass, Rufus King, William Jennings Bryan

PRESIDENCIES AND PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS President Party Dates of Principal Opponent(s) Key facts about election and/or presidency presidency 1 None 1789-1797 None Set many precedents for future presidencies, including serving two terms; created cabinet; tried to consult with Senate in person on treaty but was turned away, setting precedent for future; signed Judiciary Act of 1789, which formed the basis for federal court system still in use; personally oversaw intervention in Whiskey Rebellion; warned in Farewell Address about entangling foreign alliances and about evils of political parties. 2 Federalist 1797-1801 (1796) 3 Thomas Jefferson Dem-Rep 1801-1809 (1800) Charles C. Realigning election in 1800; election was decided by House Pinckney (1804) after tie in EC vote; power shifted from Federalists to Democratic-Republicans; some feared revolution would result but transition was peaceful, setting precedent for future transitions; pardoned all those convicted under Alien & Sedition Acts. 4 Dem-Rep 1809-1817 Charles C. Pinckney (1808) DeWitt Clinton (1812) 5 Dem-Rep 1817-1825 (1816) John Q Adams (1820) 6 Nat-Rep 1825-1829 (1824) Realigning election; redefined party system in US to Democrats and Whigs; Adams won electoral vote but lost popular vote 7 Andrew Jackson Democratic 1829-1837 John Q Adams (1828) Henry Populist movement toward universal white male suffrage Clay (1832) swept Jackson to victory after election was denied him in 1824; re-elected in landslide in 1832. 8 Democratic 1837-1841 (1836) 9 William Henry Whig 1841 Martin Van Buren (1840) Harrison died in office after 1 month; first president to die in Harrison office; Tyler assumed the presidency. 10 Whig 1841-1845 Never elected Tyler was not nominated in 1844. 11 James K. Polk Democratic 1845-1849 (1844) 12 Whig 1849-1850 (1848) Taylor died in office in July 1850; Fillmore assumed the presidency. 13 Whig 1850-1853 Never elected 14 Democratic 1853-1857 (1852) 15 Democratic 1857-1861 John C. Fremont, Millard Indecisive and unable to deal with threat of southern Fillmore (1856) secession. 16 Republican 1861-1865 Stephen Douglas (1860) Realigning election—downfall of Whigs and ascendance of William McClellan (1864) Republicans; Lincoln’s election led to beginning of Civil War; considered greatest US president by many for keeping union together; assassinated shortly after end of war in April 1865; assumed presidency.

17 Andrew Johnson Republican 1865-1869 Never elected Became president when Lincoln died; first president to be impeached, he was acquitted in the Senate by 1 vote after being set up for impeachment by the northern Republicans who did not trust him. Not nominated in 1868. 18 Ulysses S. Grant Republican 1869-1877 (1868) Grant did not need to campaign. (1872) 19 Rutherford B. Hayes Republican 1877-1881 Samuel Tilden (1876) Tilden won popular vote but lost election after behind-the- scenes deal by Hayes to end Reconstruction. 20 James A. Garfield Republican 1881 Winfield Hancock (1880) Garfield was shot by a disgruntled job seeker in July 1881 and died in September 1881. Chester Arthur assumed the presidency. 21 Chester A. Arthur Republican 1881-1885 Presided over passage of the Pendleton Act, which created the Civil Service; not nominated in 1884. 22 Grover Democratic 1885-1889 James Blaine (1884) 23 Republican 1889-1893 (1888) Cleveland won popular vote in attempt to be re-elected but lost electoral vote to Harrison 24 Grover Cleveland Democratic 1893-1897 Benjamin Harrison (1892) Cleveland only president to serve 2 non-consecutive terms. 25 William McKinley Republican 1897-1901 (1896, Led nation into Spanish-American War—shift from 1900) traditional American isolationism; McKinley died in office in 1901 after being shot by an anarchist. 26 Republican 1901-1909 Alton Parker (1904) Roosevelt assumed presidency upon McKinley’s death by assassination in 1901; presided over “trust busting” and creation of many national parks; broadened use of executive power; presided over construction of Canal. 27 William H. Taft Republican 1909-1913 William Jennings Bryan (1908) Appointed Chief Justice of US after leaving presidency. 28 Democratic 1913-1921 (1912) Theodore Roosevelt ran as minor party candidate in 1916; (1916) Wilson’s slogan in 1916 re-election campaign was “He kept us out of war”; After WWI Wilson led fight for but Treaty of Versailles was never ratified by US Senate and US never joined L of N, leading in part to its failure. 29 Warren G. Harding Republican 1921-1923 James Cox (1920) Friends he appointed to government jobs involved in corruption; he was seen as weak but not corrupt. 30 Republican 1923-1929 John Davis (1924) Coolidge assumed presidency in 1923 on death of Harding; “Silent Cal”; when he died one wag asked, “How can you tell?” Not a dynamic leader. 31 Herbert C. Hoover Republican 1929-1933 Alfred Smith (1928) Smith was first Roman Catholic nominated for president by a major party. Hoover presided over beginning of Depression and was replaced by voters with Roosevelt as a result. 32 Franklin D. Roosevelt Democratic 1933-1945 (1932) Alf Realigning election; created coalition including Landon (1936) Wendell Wilkie labor, , racial minorities, southerners, Catholics; (1940) Thomas E. Dewey implemented New Deal programs to fight Depression, (1944) greatly expanding size and reach of federal govt; led US during most of WWII; first media age president, skillfully using radio to communicate w/people; inspired confidence during depths of depression. Died in office April 1945. 33 Harry S. Truman Democratic 1945-1953 Thomas E. Dewey (1948) Assumed presidency on FDR’s death; oversaw end of WWII in Europe, including decision to drop atomic bombs on Japan; upset Dewey in 1948 election; ordered integration of military; led US into Korean conflict under aegis of UN without asking Congress; extremely unpopular when he left office in 1953 but very popular now. 34 Dwight D. Eisenhower Republican 1953-1961 Adlai Stevenson (1952, 1956) WWII general/hero was courted by both parties to run for president; low-key presidency; reluctantly used troops to enforce integration of schools in Little Rock in 1957; interstate highway system major accomplishment; grandfatherly, not comfortable on TV. 35 John F. Kennedy Democratic 1961-1963 (1960) First TV president; first use of televised debates between major candidates; young, vigorous, witty, handsome; led nation through Cuban Missile Crisis; assassinated November 1963. 36 Lyndon B. Johnson Democratic 1963-1969 (1964) Assumed presidency November 1963; signed Civil Rights Act of 1964 into law; defeated Goldwater in landslide election 1964, creating huge majorities for Dems in House and Senate, leading to passage of Medicare and Voting Rights Act of 1965; presidency severely tarnished by his leading country into massive involvement in Vietnam— determined not to “lose” Vietnam to communists; 500,000+ ground troops at peak; declined to run again in 1968 because of war. 37 Richard M. Nixon Republican 1969-1974 (1968) First president to resign; left under cloud of Watergate George McGovern (1972) scandal and threat of impeachment, less than 2 years after landslide re-election. Opened up relations with China; entered office w/ “secret plan” to end , but war continued throughout presidency; presided over creation of EPA and expansion of entitlement programs; détente with USSR; actions led to passage of War Powers Resolution of 1973, Budget and Impoundment Control Act, campaign finance reform laws. 38 Gerald R. Ford Republican 1974-1977 Never elected president Only president ever to serve who was never elected either president or vice president; Democratic landslide in Congress in 1974 in reaction to Watergate; full pardon of Nixon likely resulted in his losing 1976 election; agreed to debate on TV, setting precedent for every election since; US finally withdrew from Vietnam under Ford. 39 Jimmy Carter Democratic 1977-1981 (1976) Presidency tarnished by hostage crisis and high , partly resulting from shortages of oil; focused foreign policy on Human Rights, shifting away from containment. 40 Ronald W. Reagan Republican 1981-1989 Jimmy Carter (1980) Walter Optimistic campaign defeated Carter: “Are you better off Mondale (1984) than you were four years ago?” Electoral College landslide in 1980; Republicans took over Senate in 1980; popular vote and electoral vote landslide in 1984; “Government is not the solution, government is the problem”; “Great Communicator”; Reaganomics: cut taxes, cut domestic spending (not successfully), increase defense spending, massive deficits. Democrats regained control of Senate in 1986; Iran-Contra scandal major event of second term; increased defense spending pressured USSR to match buildup, helping lead to its downfall in 1989. 41 George H. W. Bush Republican 1989-1993 (1988) “Read my lips: No New Taxes!” Raised taxes, breaking pledge from acceptance speech; defeated by Clinton because he lacked credibility on economic issues—voters did not believe he understood their problems. Economy had been in recession and was slowly recovering during election period; elected in 1988 after running very negative campaign. 42 Democratic 1993-2001 George H. W. Bush (1992) First two-term Democratic president since FDR; raised (1996) taxes in 1993; health care reform plan failed in Congress, helping Newt Gingrich to lead Republicans to majority in House in 1994—made promises in the form of “Contract with America”; longest peacetime expansion of economy in history; presided over the end of deficit spending in last three years of term; impeached for lying about sexual affair in the , but not convicted. 43 George W. Bush Republican 2001-? (2000) Lost popular vote in 2000 to Al Gore but won electoral (2004) college vote; presidency defined by Sep 11 and war against , which may have been determining issue in 2004 election; launched preemptive war on Iraq in 2003; foreign policy is to preempt terrorist attacks by striking countries before we can be attacked (“preemption”) and to promote democracy around the world.