Some basic information on American history

The Country

No country on earth has a population as diverse and a culture as varied as the United States. It
is this very diversity that makes American life as complicated as it is. On the one hand, the
United States is a nation. On the other hand, even after four centuries, that nation is still a
great experiment. The United States occupies a continent and has many varied regions. Over
the course of several centuries, immigrants from all over the world came to the United States
and brought their own cultures and traditions. The tradition of immigration continues today,
creating vital new American communities. The blending of these traditions gives the United
States its great strength as a nation. The same mixture creates challenges and problems.

In a country as large and dynamic as the United States, nationalities and races mix. People are
individuals; they don't always act or think in predictable ways as members of groups. For
convenience, however, we'll classify Americans according to several factors. The first is race:
European (White), African (Black), Asian or Native American (American Indian). But even
this is not a perfect classification system, since Hispanic Americans (those with a Spanish
language background) can also be white, black or even part Native American.

Approximately 1% of the people living in the United States can be considered Native
Americans, the term now preferred over the inaccurate Indians. Hundreds of Native American
tribes, all speaking different languages, lived in North America before the coming of the
"White Man," a term referring to settlers who came from Europe. Over the first few centuries
of European exploration and settlement of North America, Native American people were
either uprooted or else through war and disease wiped out by the whites. Despite this,
hundreds of individual Native American nations survive on Indian reservations. Many of
these tribes have a legal status separate from that of the United States. In some cases, Native
Americans tribes have been able to use their special status to run businesses such as gambling
casinos that, depending upon the American state involved, may be illegal for other Americans
to run. Some tribes issue their own passports and driver's licenses. Members of some tribes
hold American as well as tribal citizenship. In addition to the peoples formerly called
Indians," the term Native Americans also includes ethnic Hawaiians and Alaskan Eskimos
and Inuit.

Several European powers vied for control of the area now known as the United States during
the first few centuries of European exploration and development of the North American
continent. By the 1760's, however, England had gained control over the Eastern third of the
area. Settlement was concentrated along the Atlantic coast. Thirteen separate colonies had
been organized, which were later to become American states: Massachusetts, New
Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Delaware,
Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia.

Early Days

In 1492 Christopher Columbus landed in the Caribbean looking for a western route to Asia.
Columbus never saw the mainland United States, but the first explorations of the continental
United States were launched from the Spanish possessions that he helped establish. The first
of these took place in 1513 when a group of men under Juan Ponce de Leon landed on the
Florida coast near the present city of St. Augustine.

The early 1600s saw the beginning of a great tide of emigration from Europe to North
America. Spanning more than three centuries, this movement grew from a trickle of a few
hundred English colonists to a flood of millions of newcomers. Impelled by powerful and
diverse motivations, they built a new civilization on the northern part of the continent.

The first English immigrants to what is now the United States crossed the Atlantic long after
thriving Spanish colonies had been established in Mexico, the West Indies and South
America. Like all early travellers to the New World, they came in small, overcrowded ships.
Many died of disease; ships were often battered by storms and some were lost at sea. Most
European emigrants left their homelands to escape political oppression, to seek the freedom to
practice their religion, or for adventure and opportunities denied them at home.

Jamestown (1607)

The first of the British colonies to take hold in North America was Jamestown. On the basis
of a charter which King James I granted to the Virginia (or London) Company, a group of
about 100 men set out for the Chesapeake Bay in 1607. Seeking to avoid conflict with the
Spanish, they chose a site about 60 kilometres up the James River from the bay.

Made up of townsmen and adventurers more interested in finding gold than farming, the
group was unequipped by temperament or ability to embark upon a completely new life in the
wilderness. Among them, Captain John Smith emerged as the dominant figure. Despite
quarrels, starvation and Indian attacks, his ability to enforce discipline held the little colony
together through its first year.

In 1609 Smith returned to England, and in his absence, the colony descended into anarchy.
During the winter of 1609-1610, the majority of the colonists succumbed to disease. Only 60
of the original 300 settlers were still alive by May 1610.

It was not long, however, before a development occurred that revolutionized Virginia's
economy. In 1612 John Rolfe began cross-breeding imported tobacco seed from the West
Indies with native plants and produced a new variety that was pleasing to European taste. The
first shipment of this tobacco reached London in 1614. Within a decade it had become
Virginia's chief source of revenue.

Prosperity did not come quickly, however, and the death rate from disease and Indian attacks
remained extraordinarily high. Between 1607 and 1624 approximately 14,000 people
migrated to the colony, yet only 1,132 were living there in 1624. On recommendation of a
royal commission, the king dissolved the Virginia Company, and made it a royal colony that
year.

Most settlers who came to America in the 17th century were English, but there were also
Dutch, Swedes and Germans in the middle region, a few French Huguenots in South Carolina
and elsewhere, slaves from Africa, primarily in the South, and a scattering of Spaniards,
Italians and Portuguese throughout the colonies.

After 1680 England ceased to be the chief source of immigration. Thousands of refugees fled
continental Europe to escape the path of war. Many left their homelands to avoid the poverty
induced by government oppression. By 1690 the American population had risen to a quarter
of a million. From then on, it doubled every 25 years until, in 1775, it numbered more than
2.5 million.

The Mayflower Compact

The Mayflower Compact is often cited as one of the foundations of the US Constitution. The
story of its creation begins with the Pilgrims in England. Pilgrims were separatists from the
Anglican Church in England. They were protestants who did not recognize the authority of
the Anglican Church and formed their own Puritan church. To escape persecution and
possible imprisonment, they actually fled England for Holland in 1607. They lived in Holland
for awhile before deciding to create their own colony in the New World. They received a land
patent from the Virginia Company and created their own joint-stock company for the
enterprise.

The Pilgrims left aboard the Mayflower in 1620. There were 102 men, women, and children
aboard including some non-puritan settlers including John Alden and Miles Standish. They
were headed for Virginia but got blown off course and instead decided to found their colony
in Cape Cod in what would become the Massachusetts Bay Colony. They called the colony
Plymouth after the harbor in England from which they departed for the New World.

Since the new location for their colony was outside the areas claimed by the two chartered
joint-stock companies, they considered themselves technically independent and created their
own government under the Mayflower Compact.

In basic terms, the Mayflower Compact was a social contract whereby the forty-one men who
signed it agreed to abide by the new government's laws in exchange for shared protection.
Unfortunately, the original document has been lost. William Bradford included a transcription
of the document in his book, Of Plymouth Plantation. In part his transcription states:

"Having undertaken, for the Glory of God and advancement of the Christian Faith and
Honour of our King and Country, a Voyage to plant the First Colony in the Northern Parts of
Virginia, do by these present solemnly and mutually in the presence of God and one of
another, Covenant and Combine ourselves together into a Civil Body Politic, for our better
ordering and preservation and furtherance of the ends aforesaid; and by virtue hereof to enact,
constitute and frame such just and equal Laws, Ordinances, Acts, Constitutions and Offices,
from time to time, as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the general good of the
Colony, unto which we promise all due submission and obedience."

Significance

The Mayflower Compact was the foundational document for the Plymouth Colony. The fact
that it was a covenant whereby the settlers would subordinate their rights to follow laws
passed by the government to ensure protection and survival made it a unique document. As
previously stated, it set a precedent and was indeed an influential document for the founding
fathers as they created the US Constitution. The Mayflower Compact reads:

"In the name of God, Amen. We, whose names are underwritten, the Loyal Subjects of our
dread Sovereign Lord, King James, by the Grace of God, of England, France and Ireland,
King, Defender of the Faith, e&. Having undertaken for the Glory of God, and Advancement
of the Christian Faith, and the Honour of our King and Country, a voyage to plant the first
colony in the northern parts of Virginia; do by these presents, solemnly and mutually in the
Presence of God and one of another, covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil
Body Politick, for our better Ordering and Preservation, and Furtherance of the Ends
aforesaid; And by Virtue hereof to enact, constitute, and frame, such just and equal Laws,
Ordinances, Acts, Constitutions and Offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most meet

and convenient for the General good of the Colony; unto which we promise all due
submission and obedience. In Witness whereof we have hereunto subscribed our names at
Cape Cod the eleventh of November, in the Reign of our Sovereign Lord, King James of
England, France and Ireland, the eighteenth, and of Scotland the fifty-fourth. Anno Domini,
1620."

One of the first lists of the Mayflower Compact’s signers was provided by William
Bradford’s nephew, Nathaniel Morton. The names are published in his 1669 New England’s
Memorial. They are also posted by the Avalon Project of Yale University. Some of the more
familiar names includes are those such as: John Carver, William Bradford, Edward Winslow,
William Brewster, Isaac Allerton, Myles Standish, and John Alden. When creating the
Mayflower Compact, the signers believed that covenants were not only to be honored
between God and man, but also between each other. They had always honored covenants as
part of their righteous integrity and agreed to be bound by this same principle with the
Compact. John Adams and many historians have referred to the Mayflower Compact as the
foundation of the U.S. Constitution written more than 150 later. America was indeed begun
by men who honored God and set their founding principles by the words of the Bible. They
lived their lives with honesty, reliability, and fairness toward establishing this country “for the
sake of its survival.” A great many of America’s Founding Fathers have been quoted in regard
to living by Biblical values. The founding fathers were those political leaders who were part
of the American Revolution and the founding of the new nation after independence was won.
There were many more than ten founders that had a huge impact on the American Revolution,
the Articles of Confederation, and the Constitution. However, this list attempts to pick the top
ten founding fathers who had the greatest impact. Honorable mentions not included were John
Hancock, John Marshall, Peyton Randolph, and John Jay.

Colonial Life In America

Colonial life in America was very difficult for the hopeful settlers who came to escape
poverty, persecution, and to gain religious freedom. Later came the adventurous explorers and
those sent by European Nations to begin business ventures in this uncharted new land.

They eventually settled into the original 13 colonies now known at the States of New Jersey,
Pennsylvania, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, New Hampshire,
Maryland,

Massachusetts,

Connecticut,

Rhode

Island,

Delaware,

and

Georgia.

The settlers did not know how to live in the rugged wilderness and had no experience in
preparing for the harsh, bitter cold winters. They faced many hardships such as knowing little
about how to hunt for game or how to plant crops on this new soil. As a result, many
succumbed to malnutrition and diseases. In Massachusetts, for example, the Plymouth settlers,
spent most of their first winter (1620–21) on board the Mayflower. It took a great deal of time
to clear the land and erect adequate shelters. The following winter, the Pilgrims were able to
live on land but it was under extremely primitive conditions. Many were sick and all were
hungry. Nearly one-quarter of them died before a ship from England brought fresh supplies.
They relied heavily on their faith and spent much time in prayer. In time, the colonists learned
how to live in the wilderness through trial and error and with the help of an English speaking
warrior named Squanto and the Wampanoag Chief, Massasoit. By the 1700s, small cities and
towns were established. The colonists slowly developed their own customs and lifestyles.
Eventually they began to feel that this new land was now their true home. Life in colonial
America centered on the family. Most of the following took place at home in the very earliest
years of the settlements:

•

work

•

play

•

schooling

•

learning a craft or trade

•

worshiping

Large families were common and necessary in colonial days. Everyone was needed to get all
the work done. The father was considered the head of the family. He made all of the family
decisions and earned a living by farming and other crafts such as blacksmithing. Women
worked in the home raising children, preparing meals, making clothes, preserving food for
winter, fetching water and scrubbing clothes. They made their own candles, soaps, and most
other basic items. None of this was easy and often done without the proper tools. Much of
their dawn to dusk work was merely for day to day survival.

After concerns of survival, came the Colonists desires and struggles to form a fair and
democratic government. The tyranny that some of them came from made this a priority.
Those who survived had a very difficult life but they had determination and steadfast faith
that this would be a great land. Many died before their time, but for most of them, their faith
in God and the Bible is what helped them persevere. They were grateful to God for sending
the Indians who taught them how to survive in this new land. It was through their faith and
determination that America was born a free, democratic, and Christian nation.

Colonies

The United States began as 13 independent states under a loose confederation in 1776. After
winning their independence from Great Britain in 1783, the states had trouble getting along
with each other. After much debate and controversy, the states adopted a written constitution
in 1787. Certain powers were given to the federal government, while other powers were kept
by the individual states. The constitution forms the framework for the American legal,
political and governmental system.

Chart of the Thirteen Original Colonies

COLONY
NAME

YEAR
FOUNDED

FOUNDED BY

BECAME ROYAL
COLONY

Virginia

1607

London Company

1624

Massachusetts

1620

Puritans

1691

New Hampshire 1623

John Wheelwright

1679

Maryland

1634

Lord Baltimore

N/A

Connecticut

c. 1635

Thomas Hooker

N/A

Rhode Island

1636

Roger Williams

N/A

Delaware

1638

Peter Minuit and New Sweden
Company

N/A

North Carolina

1653

Virginians

1729

South Carolina

1663

Eight Nobles with a Royal
Charter from Charles II

1729

New Jersey

1664

Lord Berkeley and Sir George
Carteret

1702

New York

1664

Duke of York

1685

Pennsylvania

1682

William Penn

N/A

Georgia

1732

James Edward Oglethorpe

1752

From the foundation of the colonies beginning with the founding of Jamestown until the
beginning of the Revolutionary War, different regions of the eastern coast had different
characteristics. Once established, the thirteen British colonies could be divided into three
geographic areas: New England, Middle, and Southern. Each of these had specific economic,
social, and political developments that were unique to the regions.

Virginia

Jamestown was the first English settlement in America (1607). It had a hard time at first and
didn’t flourish until the colonists received their own land and the tobacco industry began
flourishing, the settlement took root. People continued to arrive and new settlements arose. In
1624, Virginia was made a royal colony.

Massachusetts

Pilgrims wishing to flee persecution and find religious freedom traveled to America and
formed the Plymouth Colony in 1620. Before landing, they established their own government,
the basis of which was the Mayflower Compact. In 1628, Puritans formed the Massachusetts
Bay Company and many Puritans continued to settle in the area around Boston. In 1691,
Plymouth joined with the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

The American Revolution

The American Revolution began in 1775 as open conflict between the united thirteen colonies
and Great Britain. By the Treaty of Paris that ended the war in 1783, the colonies had won
their independence. While no one event can be pointed to as the actual cause of the
revolution, the war began as a disagreement over the way in which Great Britain treated the
colonies versus the way the colonies felt they should be treated. Americans felt they deserved
all the rights of Englishmen. The British, on the other hand, felt that the colonies were created
to be used in the way that best suited the crown and parliament. This conflict is embodied in
one of the rallying cries of the American Revolution: No Taxation Without Representation.

Major Events That Led to the American Revolution

The road to revolution built slowly over time. Many events fed the growing desire of the
thirteen colonies for independence. Following are the major events that led to the Revolution.

1754-1763 - French and Indian War
This war between Britain and France ended with the victorious British deeply in debt and
demanding more revenue from the colonies. With the defeat of the French, the colonies
became less dependent on Britain for protection.

1763 - Proclamation of 1763
This prohibited settlement beyond the Appalachian Mountains. While Britain did not intend to
harm the colonists, many colonists took offense at this order.

1764 - Sugar Act
This act raised revenue by increasing duties on sugar imported from the West Indies.

1764 - Currency Act
Parliament argued that colonial currency had caused a devaluation harmful to British trade.
They banned American assemblies from issuing paper bills or bills of credit.

1764 - Committees of Correspondence
Organized by Samuel Adams, these helped spread propaganda and information through
letters.

1765 - Quartering Act
Britain ordered that colonists were to house and feed British soldiers if necessary.

1765 - Stamp Act
This required tax stamps on many items and documents including playing cards, newspapers,
and marriage licenses. Prime Minister George Grenville stated that this direct tax was
intended for the colonies to pay for defense. Previous taxes imposed by Britain had been
indirect, or hidden.

1765 - Stamp Act Congress
In 1765, 27 delegates from nine colonies met in New York City and drew up a statement of
rights and grievances thereby bringing colonies together in opposition to Britain.

1765 - Sons and Daughters of Liberty
Colonists tried to fight back by imposing non-importation agreements. The Sons of Liberty
often took the law into their own hands enforcing these 'agreements' by methods such as tar
and feathering.

1767 - Townshend Acts
These taxes were imposed to help make the colonial officials independent of the colonists and
included duties on glass, paper, and tea. Smugglers increased their activities to avoid the tax
leading to more troops in Boston.

1770 – Boston Massacre
The colonists and British soldiers openly clashed in Boston. This event was used as an
example of British cruelty despite questions about how it actually occurred.

1773 - Tea Act
To assist the failing British East India Company, the Company was given a monopoly to trade
tea in America.

1773 - Boston Tea Party
A group of colonists disguised as Indians dumped tea overboard from three ships in Boston
Harbor.

1774 - Intolerable Acts
These were passed in response to the Boston Tea Party and placed restrictions on the colonists
including outlawing town meetings and the closing of Boston Harbor.

1774 - First Continental Congress
In response to the Intolerable Acts, 12 of the 13 colonies met in Philadelphia from September-
October, 1774. One of the main results of this was the creation of The Association calling for
a boycott of British goods.

1775 - Lexington and Concord
In April, British troops were ordered to Lexington and Concord to seize stores of colonial
gunpowder and to capture Samuel Adams and John Hancock. At Lexington, open conflict
occurred and eight Americans were killed. At Concord, the British troops were forced to
retreat with the loss of 70 men. This was the first instance of open warfare.

1775 - Second Continental Congress
All 13 colonies were represented at this meeting in Philadelphia beginning May. The colonists
still hoped that their grievances would be met by King George III. George Washington was
named head of the Continental Army.

1775 - Bunker Hill
This major victory for the Colonists resulted in George III proclaiming the colonies in
rebellion.

In the end, the American Revolution grew out of increasing restrictions placed upon the
colonies by the British. One interesting side note: It is estimated that only one-third of the
colonists were in favor of rebellion. One-third continued to side with the British. The last third
were neutral concerning the rebellion and break from Great Britain.

The Declaration of Independence

Largely Jefferson's work, the Declaration of Independence, adopted July 4, 1776, not only
announced the birth of a new nation, but also set forth a philosophy of human freedom that
would become a dynamic force throughout the entire world. The Declaration draws upon
French and English Enlightenment political philosophy, but one influence in particular stands
out: John Locke's Second Treatise on Government. Locke took conceptions of the traditional
rights of Englishmen and universalized them into the natural rights of all humankind. The
Declaration's familiar opening passage echoes Locke's social-contract theory of government:

The witches of Salem (To kill the students’ curiosity)

In 1692 a group of adolescent girls in Salem Village, Massachusetts, became subject to
strange fits after hearing tales told by a West Indian slave. When they were questioned, they
accused several women of being witches who were tormenting them. The townspeople were
appalled but not surprised: belief in witchcraft was widespread throughout 17th-century
America and Europe.

Town officials convened a court to hear the charges of witchcraft, and swiftly convicted and
executed a tavern keeper, Bridget Bishop. Within a month, five other women had been
convicted and hanged. Nevertheless, the hysteria grew, in large measure because the court
permitted witnesses to testify that they had seen the accused as spirits or in visions. By its
very nature, such "spectral evidence" was especially dangerous, because it could not be
verified. By the fall of 1692, more than 20 victims, including several men, had been executed,
and more than 100 others were in jail -- among them some of the town's most prominent
citizens.

But now the hysteria threatened to spread beyond Salem, and ministers throughout the colony
called for an end to the trials. The governor of the colony agreed and dismissed the court.
Those still in jail were later acquitted or given reprieves.

The Salem witch trials have long fascinated Americans. On a psychological level, most
historians agree that Salem Village in 1692 was seized by a kind of public hysteria, fueled by
a genuine belief in the existence of witchcraft. But even more revealing is a closer analysis of
the identities of the accused and the accusers. Salem Village, like much of colonial New
England at that time, was undergoing an economic and political transition from a largely
agrarian, Puritan-dominated community to a more commercial, secular society. Many of the
accusers were representatives of a traditional way of life tied to farming and the church,
whereas a number of the accused witches were members of the rising commercial class of
small shopkeepers and tradesmen. The Salem witch trials also serve as a dramatic parable of
the deadly consequences of making sensational, but false, charges. Indeed, a frequent term in
political debate for making false accusations against a large number of people is "witch hunt."

Some important dates to remember

1000.Leif Ericson discovers Vinland (New England).
1492.October 12. Columbus discovers the New World.
1497.The Cabots discover the continent of North America.
1498.Columbus on third voyage discovers South America.
1506.Columbus dies at Valladolid.
1507.New World named after Americus Vespucius.
1513.Balboa discovers the Pacific Ocean and Ponce de Leon discovers Florida.
1519-1521.Cortez conquers Mexico. Magellan sails round the world.
1524.Verrazano and Gomez explore New England coast.
1528.Cabeza do Vaca explores southern United States.
1533.Pizarro conquers Peru.
1534.Cartier sails to the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
1541.Do Soto discovers the Mississippi River.
1565.Founding of St. Augustine.
1576.Frobisher discovers northwest passage, Frobisher Strait.
1579.Drake explores coast of California.
1584.Raleigh sends first expedition to America.
1588.Defeat of the Spanish Armada.
1604.Acadia settled by the French.
1607.May 12. Founding of Jamestown, Virginia.
1608.Founding of Quebec by Champlain.
1609.Hudson discovers the Hudson River.
1619.First assembly meets at Jamestown. Slaves first sold in Virginia.
1620.Coming of the Pilgrims in the Mayflower.
1623.Settlements at New Amsterdam. First settlements in New Hampshire.
1630.The great emigration to Massachusetts. The founding of Boston.
1634.Maryland first settled by Calvert.
1635.Connecticut settled by emigrants from Massachusetts.
1636.Founding of Providence by Roger Williams. Harvard College founded.
1637.War with Pequot Indians. First negro slaves in New England.
1638.Swedes first settle in Delaware.
1639.First constitution in America adopted by Connecticut.
1643.May 30. New England Confederation formed. 1649.Toleration Act in Maryland.
1655.Stuyvesant conquers the Swedes in Delaware.

1656.Quakers expelled from Massachusetts.
1662.Connecticut charter granted.
1663.Charter granted to Rhode Island.
Charter for the Carolinas granted.
1664.September 8. The English conquer New Amsterdam. New Jersey given by King Charles
II to his brother, the Duke of York.
1667.Fundamental Constitutions drawn up for the Carolinas.
1673.Marquette explores the Mississippi.
1676.Bacon's Rebellion in Virginia. King Philip's War in New England.
1681.Penn receives charter for Pennsylvania.
1682.Penn founds Philadelphia and makes treaty with the Indians. La Salle explores
Louisiana and takes possession for France.
1686.Edmund Andros made governor of all New England.
1689.Rebellion against Andros; his fall and arrest.
1692.Salem witchcraft delusion.
1700.Iberville plants colony in Louisiana.
1713.Treaty of Utrecht, ending Queen Anne's War, which began in 1702.
1733.Georgia settled by Oglethorpe.
1748.Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle, ending King George's War, which began in 1744.
1754.Colonial Congress at Albany; Franklin's plan of union.
1755.Braddock's defeat.
1756.French and Indian War formally begun.
1759.Wolfe captures Quebec.
1763.Treaty of Paris; end of the war. Conspiracy of Pontiac.

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 U.S. President and is the highest political official in the United States by
influence and recognition. The President of the United States leads the executive branch of the
federal government and is one of only two nationally elected federal officers (the other being
the vice president of the United States).

Responsibilities of the American President

Among other powers and responsibilities, Article II of the United States Constitution charges
the president:

•

To "faithfully execute" federal law

•

Makes the president the commander-in-chief of the United States armed forces

•

Allows the president to nominate executive and judicial officers with the advice and
consent of the Senate

•

Allows the president to grant pardons and reprieves

Due to the United States' status as the only remaining superpower, the president of the United
States is generally regarded by Americans as the most powerful person in the world.

How is the President Elected?

The president is indirectly elected by the people through the Electoral College to a four-year
term. Since 1951, presidents have been limited to two terms by the Twenty-second
Amendment.

List of American Presidents

Following is a list of U.S. Presidents. As you can see from the list, there have been 44 U.S.
American Presidents to date. American presidents are elected to a term of 4 years and may
serve a maximum of 2 terms. Some U.S. American presidents in the list served for a longer
period before the term limitation on U.S. Presidents was put into effect. Also, some of the
Presidents on the list only served a year or two of their term due to death in office.

The following list of United States Presidents shows the years each president spent in office,
and the presidential party the president belonged to.

List of U.S. American Presidents

#

US President Name

Years as President

Presidential Party

1

George Washington

1789-1797

2

John Adams

1797-1801

Federalist

3

Thomas Jefferson

1801-1809

Democratic-Republican

4

James Madison

1809-1817

Democratic-Republican

5

James Monroe

1817-1825

Democratic-Republican

6

John Quincy Adams

1825-1829

Democratic-Republican

7

Andrew Jackson

1829-1837

Democrat

8

Martin Van Buren

1837-1841

Democrat

9

William Henry Harrison

1841-1841(died In
office)

Whig

10

John Tyler

1841-1845

Whig

11

James K. Polk

1845-1849

Democrat

12

Zachary Taylor

1849-1850

Whig

13

Millard Fillmore

1850-1853

Whig

14

Franklen Pierce

1853-1857

Democrat

15

James Buchanan

1857-1861

Democrat

16

Abraham Lincoln

1861-1865

Republican

17

Andrew Johnson

1865-1869

Democrat / National Union

18

Gen. Ulysses S. Grant

1869-1877

Republican

19

Rutherford B. Hayes

1877-1881

Republican

20

James A. Garfield

1881(died in office)

Republican

21

Chester A. Arthur

1881-1885

Republican

22

Grover Cleveland

1885-1889

Democrat

23

Benjamin Harrison

1889-1893

Republican

24

Grover Cleveland

1893-1897

Democrat

25

William McKinley

1897-1901

Republican

26

Theodore Roosevelt

1901-1909

Republican

27

William Howard Taft

1909-1913

Republican

28

Woodrow Wilson

1913-1921

Democrat

29

Warren G. Harding

1921-1923

Republican

30

Calvin Coolidge

1923-1929

Republican

31

Herbert Hoover

1929-1933

Republican

32

Franklin D. Roosevelt

1933-1945

Democrat

33

Harry S. Truman

1945-1953

Democrat

34

Dwight D. Eisenhower

1953-1961

Republican

35

John F. Kennedy

1961-1963

Democrat

36

Lyndon B. Johnson

1963-1969

Democrat

37

Richard M. Nixon

1969-1974

Republican

38

Gerald R. Ford

1974-1977

Republican

39

Jimmy Carter

1977-1981

Democrat

40

Ronald Reagan

1981-1989

Republican

41

George Bush

1989-1993

Republican

42

Bill Clinton

1993-2001

Democrat

43

George W. Bush

2001-2009

Republican

44

Barack H. Obama

2009 -Present

Democrat