Presidents Day – Meet the Presidents

The United States of America has had some great presidents, and some mediocre presidents. It all depends on who you talk to and what their political affiliation is at the time. But it can be agreed that The Presidents of the United States have shaped the direction of the nation from 1789 when George Washington was president to 2017 when Donald Trump took office. Here are a few interesting tidbits of knowledge about the office and some of the men than have held the position. Each of the presidents have taken the Oath of Office (as defined in the US Constitution, Article II, Section 1). The oath is as follows, “I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States.” This oath is the close to the oath that all of the Eagle Mountain Mayors and City Council members have taken when they have been sworn into office as well. “I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support, obey and defend the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Utah, and that I will discharge the duties of my office with fidelity.” Their oath is taken from the Utah State Constitution Article IV, Section 10. The same oath is also used by the City when members are appointed to serve on the different boards and commissions in Eagle Mountain. The main difference is that the local leaders take an oath to also obey and defend the Constitution of the State of Utah. Another interesting thing to note is the change in the date the presidents term starts. If you look at the terms of presidency you will notice that from Washington to Roosevelt that the President took office on March 4th. But Truman took office on January 20th, and it has been that way since. On January 23, 1933 the 20th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States was adopted. The 20th amendment changed the beginning and ending terms of the president and vice president from March 4th to January 20th. It also changed the terms of members of congress from March 4th to January 3rd. It also specifies that the term starts at noon on those dates.

Section 1. The terms of the President and Vice President shall end at noon on the 20th day of January, and the terms of Senators and Representatives at noon on the 3d day of January, of the years in which such terms would have ended if this article had not been ratified; and the terms of their successors shall then begin. Section 2. The Congress shall assemble at least once in every year, and such meeting shall begin at noon on the 3d day of January, unless they shall by law appoint a different day.

There is a field in VA that contains 43 20-foot tall giant busts of the U.S. Presidents that are starting to crumble and fall apart. The picture at the top of this article depicts some of them. At one point there was a park called The Presidential Park in VA. That park could not stay open due to lack of visitors. In 2010 the park filed for bankruptcy and the busts were to be destroyed before the 10 acre property was to be auctioned off. But Howard Hankins thought that would be a tragic end to these busts. So he had them moved to a farm, where they are now still standing. “In Croaker, Virginia stands a sight that would make just about anyone stop in their tracks. 43 ghostly effigies of presidents past crowd together in the tall grass. Some of the 18-to-20-foot busts have crumbling noses. Tear-like stains fall from the eyes of others. All have bashed-in heads to some degree. This could be a scene from the world’s most patriotic horror movie, but it’s all too real—and Howard Hankins’ family farm is just the latest stop on the busts’ larger-than-life journey from iconic pieces of art to zombie-like markers of America’s past.” Read more: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/what-43-decaying-president-heads-looks-180958129/#F6jfF8mYZem7EUM2.99 Below is a list of the past and present Presidents of the United States of America.

1. George Washington April 20, 1789 – March 4, 1797

   “A primary object should be the education of our youth in the science of government. In a republic, what species of knowledge can be equally important? And what duty more pressing than communicating it to those who are to be the future guardians of the liberties of the country?” – George Washington

2. John Adams March 4, 1798 – March 4, 1801

   Liberty cannot be preserved without general knowledge among the people. – John Adams

3. Thomas Jefferson March 4, 1801 – March 4, 1809

   “that knowledge is power, that knowledge is safety, that knowledge is happiness.” – Thomas Jefferson

4. James Madison March 4, 1809 – March 4, 1817

   “Knowledge will forever govern ignorance; and a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives” – James Madison

5. James Monroe March 4, 1817 – March 4, 1825

   We must support our rights or lose our character, and with it, perhaps, our liberties. – James Monroe

6. John Quincy Adams March 4, 1825 – March 4, 1829

   “From the experience of the past we derive instructive lessons for the future.” – John Quincy Adams

7. Andrew Jackson March 4, 1829 – March 4, 1837

   “Any man worth his salt will stick up for what he believes right, but it takes a slightly better man to acknowledge instantly and without reservation that he is in error.” – Andrew Jackson

8. Martin Van Buren March 4, 1837 – March 4, 1841
9. William Henry Harrison March 4, 1841 – April 4, 1841 (Died in Office)
10. John Tyler April 4, 1841 – March 4, 1845
11. James K. Polk March 4, 1845 – March 4, 1849
12. Zachary Taylor March 4, 1849 – July 9, 1850 (Died in Office)
13. Millard Fillmore July 9, 1850 – March 4, 1853
14. Franklin Pierce March 4, 1853 – March 4, 1857
15. James Buchanan March 4, 1857 – March 4, 1861
16. Abraham Lincoln March 4, 1861 – April 15, 1865 (Died in Office)
17. Andrew Johnson April 15, 1865 – March 4, 1869
18. Ulysses S. Grant March 4, 1869 – March 4, 1877
19. Rutherford B. Hayes March 4, 1877 – March 4, 1881
20. James Garfield March 4, 1881 – September 19, 1881 (Died in Office)
21. Chester A. Arthur September 19, 1881 – March 4, 1885
22. Grover Cleveland March 4, 1885 – March 4, 1889
23. Benjamin Harrison March 4, 1889 – March 4, 1893
24. Grover Cleveland March 4, 1893 – March 4, 1897
25. William McKinley March 4, 1897 – September 14, 1901 (Died in Office)
26. Theodore Roosevelt September 14, 1901 – March 4, 1909
27. William Howard Taft March 4, 1909 – March 4, 1913
28. Woodrow Wilson March 4, 1913 – March 4, 1921
29. Warren G. Harding March 4, 1921 – August 2, 1923 (Died in Office)
30. Calvin Coolidge August 2, 1923 – March 4, 1929
31. Herbert Hoover March 4, 1929 – March 4, 1933
32. Franklin D. Roosevelt March 4, 1933 – April 12, 1945 (Died in Office)
33. Harry S. Truman January 29, 1953 – January 20, 1961
34. Dwight D. Eisenhower January 20, 1953 – January 20, 1961
35. John F. Kennedy January 20, 1961 – November 22, 1963 (Died in Office)
36. Lyndon B. Johnson November 22, 1963 – January 20, 1969
37. Richard M. Nixon January 20, 1969 – August 9, 1974 (Resigned from Office)
38. Gerald R. Ford August 9, 1974 – January 20, 1977
39. James Carter January 29, 1977 – January 20, 1981
40. Ronald Reagan January 20, 1981 – January 20, 1989
41. George H. W. Bush January 20, 1989 – January 20, 1993
42. William J. Clinton January 20, 1993 – January 20, 2001
43. George W. Bush January 20, 2001 – January 20, 2009
44. Barack Obama January 20, 2009 – January 20, 2017
45. Donald J. Trump January 20, 2017 – Incumbent

Other Resources

List of Presidents – History.com List of Presidents – Wikipedia.org Presidents – whitehouse.gov