James Buchanan
President #: 15th Nickname: Ten-Cent Jimmy Born: 1791 in Cove Gap, Pennsylvania Education: Dickinson College Jobs: Lawyer, Public Official Position When Elected: Minister to Great Britain Political Party: Democrat Chief Opponent: John C. Fremont Term of Office: 1857-1861 Number of Terms: one Vice President: John C. Breckinridge First Lady: Harriet Lane (niece), never married Children: none Died: 1868 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania Geographic Scene: 31 states New States: Minnesota, Oregon, Kansas War: none During His Presidency: Pony Express Riders carried mail from Missouri to California Other Facts: only president to never have married Dred Scott Case Panic of 1857 born in a log cabin Minister to Russia under Jackson one eye saw up close, one eye saw distant 1st president to send a Trans-Atlantic telegram Lecompton Constitution Mountain Meadow Massacre-Paiute Indians and Mormon Militia killed people heading to Cali. Crittenden Compromise of 1860-hoped to stop the southern states from seceding English Bill of 1858-submitted the Lecompton Constitution in Kansas Kansas Question [Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Texas seceded from the Union and called themselves the Confederate States with Jefferson Davis as president]
Abraham Lincoln
President #: 16th Nickname: Honest Abe Born: 1809 in Hardin County (Larue County), Kentucky Education: self-educated Jobs: Storekeeper, Public Official, Lawyer Position When Elected: private law practice Political Party: Republican Chief Opponent: 1st term: Stephen A. Douglas, John C. Breckinridge, John Bell; 2nd term: George Brinton McClellan Term of Office: 1861-1865 Number of Terms: two (cut short by assassination)
Vice President: 1st term: Hannibal Hamlin; 2nd term: Andrew Johnson First Lady: Mary Todd Lincoln Children: Robert, Edward, William, Thomas Died: 1865 in Washington, D.C. Geographic Scene: 23 United States, 11 Confederate States New States: West Virginia, Nevada War: Civil War During His Presidency: National income tax enacted Other Facts: born in a log cabin 1st bearded president tallest president at 6’4” 1st president to be photographed at his inauguration 1st president to be born outside of the original 13 colonies Homestead ActMorill Tariff of 1861-helped pay for Civil War Conscription Law of 1863-all men required for military or $300 for substitute 1st president to be assassinated only president to receive a patent all of his brothers, half brother, etc. fought for the Confederate Army assassinated at Ford’s Theater by John Wilkes Booth shot on Good Friday had a dream a week before he was shot that he was lying in a coffin Emancipation Proclamation Gettysburg Address Battle of Gettysburg Pickett’s Charge Anaconda Plan-plan of the Union Army General Lee of the Confederate States surrendered in Appomattox on April 9, 1865 inaugurated a national banking system established the Department of Agriculture standardized the paper currency crafted the 13th Amendment Willie (William), died of typhoid fever as the only son to die in the White House
Andrew Johnson
President #: 17th Nickname: The Veto President Born: 1808 in Raleigh, North Carolina Education: self-educated Jobs: Tailor, Public Official Position When Elected: Vice President Political Party: Democrat, but became Vice President as the wartime Union Party Chief Opponent: none; succeeded Lincoln Term of Office: 1865-1869 Number of Terms: one (partial) Vice President: none First Lady: Eliza McCardle Johnson Children: Martha, Charles, Mary, Robert, and Andrew, Jr.
Died: 1875 in Carter’s Station, Tennessee Geographic Scene: 36 states New States: Nebraska War: none During His Presidency: U.S. purchased Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million Other Facts: born in a log cabin only southern legislator who left the Confederate for the Union did not make an inaugural address when he became president drunk at his inauguration for Vice President only president to be elected into the Senate after presidency only president to have made his own clothes 18 when he married, wife was 16 wife married at the youngest age of all first ladies 1st president to be visited by a queen, Queen Emma of the Sandwich Islands buried beneath a willow he had planted from Napoleon’s gravesite head was rested on a copy of the Constitution 1st president to be impeached, innocent by one vote reached the rank of Brigadier General in the military 17 years old when his wife taught him to read 13th Amendment-freed blacks from masters 14th Amendment-citizenship for African Americans Reconstruction Lincoln-Johnson plan Reconstruction Act of 1867-set up 5 military armies in south Burlingame Treaty Freedmen’s Bureau Act Fenian Raid-Irish Fenian Brotherhood tries to take over Canada Battle of Ridgeway-see Fenian Raid Ku Klux Klan formed in 1866
Ulysses S. Grant
President #: 18th Nickname: Unconditional Surrender Grant, Hero of Appomattox Born: 1822 in Point Pleasant, Ohio Education: United States Military Academy Jobs: Army Officer Position When Elected: General of the Army Political Party: Republican Chief Opponents: 1st term: Horatio Seymour; 2nd term: Horace Greeley Term of Office: 1869-1877 Number of Terms: two Vice Presidents: 1st term: Schuyler Colfax; 2nd term: Henry Wilson First Lady: Julia Boggs Grant Children: Frederick, Ulysses, Ellen, Jesse Died: 1885 in Mount McGregor, New York Geographic Scene: 37 states New States: Colorado War: none
During His Presidency: Joseph Glidden’s barbed wire solved the problem of fencing cattle Other Facts: fought in the Mexican and Civil Wars only president to serve 2 terms between Andrew Johnson and Woodrow Wilson established Yellowstone National Park as the 1st national park established the Department of justice 15th Amendment ratified Samana Bay Treaty of 1869-Grant and Babcock signs treaty to annex Santo Domingo Transcontinental Railroad completed in 1869 construction of the Brooklyn Bridge begins in 1870 Weather Bureau established in 1870 Federal Election Law of 1871-federal supervision for elections in cities with 20,000+ people Indian Appropriations Act of 1871-all Indians made wards of the state Chicago Fire of 1871 appointed the Interoceanic Canal Panic of 1873 Hawaiian Reciprocity Treaty of 1875-makes islands virtual protectorate to U.S. after presidency, took a 30-month world tour with his family was the 1st person ever to shake hands with a Japanese emperor met Queen Victoria of England went bankrupt for a time after tour because of a dishonest partner Mark Twain suggested Grant to write and autobiography wrote an autobiography few days before death and made his family $500,000 [scandals (not by Grant): Black Friday, Credit Mobiler, Delinquent Tax Corruption, Whiskey Ring, Belknap Bribery] Resumption of Species Act of 1875-allowed fractional currency fined $20 for speeding on horse had throat cancer but swabbed with cocaine and became addicted changed his name from Hiram Ulysses Grant because he did not want initials to be HUG ate a cucumber soaked in vinegar for breakfast everyday 1st president to have both parents alive when taking office gnawed on 20 cigars a day, probably leading to death boyhood nickname was “Useless” established the Civil Rights Act of 1875, but Congress ruled it unconstitutional Compromise of 1877-treaty between Ohio Republicans and southern Democrats
Rutherford B. Hayes
President #: 19th Nickname: His Fraudulency Born: 1822 in Delaware, Ohio Education: Kenyon College Jobs: Lawyer, Army Officer, Public Official Position When Elected: Governor of Ohio Political Party: Republican Chief Opponent: Samuel Jones Tilden Term of Office: 1877-1881 Number of Terms: one Vice President: William Almon Wheeler First Lady: Lucy Webb Hayes
Children: Sardis, James, Rutherford, Frances, Scott, and three sons died young Died: 1893 in Fremont, Ohio Geographic Scene: 38 states New States: none War: none During His Presidency: New transcontinental speed record by rail was set by Lightning Express Other Facts: ended Reconstruction and removed troops from south good speller wife’s nickname was Lemonade Lucy because she didn’t allow alcohol, smoking, dancing, cards Alexander Graham Bell himself installed the telephone in the White House Thomas Edison visited the First Family to show them the phonograph Hayes held the first public Easter egg roll on the White House lawn only president of the 5 to fight in the Civil War and get wounded had the closest election in history, won by one electoral vote Great Railroad Strike of 1877-a strike that starts in Maryland and lasts for a month Knights of Labor of 1878-a organization that tried to make a self-owned company of workers Panama Canal was not built at this time, but Hayes had ideas on it Exodus of 1879
James A. Garfield
President #: 20th Nickname: Preacher President Born: 1831 in Orange, Ohio Education: Williams College Jobs: Teacher, Army Officer, Public Official Position When Elected: Member of Congress Political Party: Republican Chief Opponent: Winfield S. Hancock Term of Office: 1881-1881 (assassinated) Number of Terms: one (cut short by assassination) Vice President: Chester A. Arthur First Lady: Lucretia Rudolph Garfield Children: Harry, James, Mary, Irvin, Abram, and a son and daughter died young Died: 1881 in Elberon, New Jersey Geographic Scene: 38 states New States: none War: none During His Presidency: Clara Barton founded the American Red Cross Other Facts: Dark Horse Candidate last to be born in a log cabin assassinated because he refused a job from Charles J. Guiteau worshipped with the Disciples of Christ ambidextrous, also the 1st left-handed president 1st president to campaign in more than one language great orator could write Latin and Greek with both hands at the same time 2nd president to be assassinated
made a Pythagorean proof
Chester A. Arthur
President #: 21st Nickname: Elegant Arthur Born: 1829 in Fairfield, Vermont Education: Union College Jobs: Teacher, Lawyer, Public Official Position When Elected: Vice President Political Party: Republican Chief Opponent: none; succeeded Garfield Term of Office: 1881-1885 Number of Terms: one (partial) Vice President: none First Lady: Mary Arthur McElroy; sister Children: Chester, Ellen, and a son died young Died: 1886 in New York City Geographic Scene: 38 states New States: none War: none During His Presidency: Brooklyn Bridge completed in 1883 Other Facts: sold wagons of White House furniture for $8000 had over 80 pairs of pants 1st president to take the oath in his own home issues with citizenship, may have been born in Canada had Bright’s Disease, a fatal kidney disease Statue of Liberty unveiled Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act of 1883-specified rules for government positions Star Route Scandal of 1882-nine men indicted for defrauding the government in a postal scam Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882-made Chinese immigrants not come to the U.S. for ten years Edmunds Act of 1882-exculded bigamists and polygamists from voting or taking office Mongrel Tariff Act-reduced rates on specific items by less than 2 percent Extradition Treaty-a treaty between the U.S. and Luxembourg
Grover Cleveland
President #: 22nd and 24th Nickname: Uncle Jumbo Born: 1837 in Caldwell, New Jersey Education: Public school until age 14 Jobs: Lawyer, Public Official Position When Elected: Governor of New York Political Party: Democratic Chief Opponents: 1st administration: James G. Blaine; 2nd administration: Benjamin Harrison Term of Office: 1st administration: 1885-1889; 2nd administration: 1893-1897 Number of Terms: two (nonconsecutive) Vice President: 1st administration: Thomas A. Hendricks; 2nd administration: Adlai E. Stevenson
First Lady: Rose Elizabeth Cleveland (sister), Frances Folsom Cleveland (wife) Children: Ruth, Esther, Marion, Richard, Frances Died: 1908 in Princeton, New Jersey Geographic Scene: 1st administration: 38 states; 2nd administration: 44 states New States: Utah War: none During His Presidency: Statue of Liberty unveiled in New York Harbor Other Facts: only president to have a wedding in the White House Panic of 1893 Geronimo surrendered Presidential Succession Act repealed Sherman Silver Purchase Act Argued with Britain over Venezuela Pullman Railroad Strike of 1894 repealed the Tenure of Office Act 1st film star president had cancer on the roof of his mouth paid someone else to take his place to fight in the Civil War vetoed pension and private relief bills Wilson-Gorman Tariff Bill of 1894-made 2 percent tax all incomes more than $4,000 Tariff Revisions Bill
Benjamin Harrison
President #: 23rd Nickname: Little Ben Born: 1833 in North Bend, Ohio Education: Ohio University Jobs: Lawyer, Public Official Position When Elected: United States Senator Political Party: Republican Chief Opponent: Grover Cleveland Term of Office: 1889-1893 Number of Terms: one Vice President: Levi P. Morton First Lady: Caroline Scott Harrison (wife); Mary Harrison McKee (daughter) Children: Russell, Mary, Elizabeth Died: 1901 in Indianapolis, Indiana Geographic Scene: 38 states New States: Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Washington, Idaho, Wyoming War: none During His Presidency: James Naismith started basketball using soccer balls and peach baskets Other Facts: most states added in any presidency grandson of William Henry Harrison Dependent and Disability pensions Act established wife was affected with tuberculosis electric lights installed in the White House Homestead Strike McKinley Tariff Act
Sherman Anti-Trust Act Sherman Silver Purchase Act Anti-Lottery Bill of 1890