ClassX Video Lessons Youtube Channel Epic History TV American Presidents: A Complete Timeline – Washington to Cleveland (1/2)
As America gets ready to elect its 45th President, let’s take a fun journey through history with Epic History TV’s guide to the first 44 Presidents of the United States.
George Washington was a hero of the Revolutionary War and became America’s first president. He was so popular that he was elected unanimously by the Electoral College twice! Washington set the country on a path of neutrality and chose to step down after serving two terms, setting a precedent for future presidents.
John Adams was a lawyer, diplomat, and a key figure in the fight for American independence. He managed to avoid a full-blown war with France and was the first President to live in the White House. Unfortunately, he was also the first to lose an election.
Thomas Jefferson, the main author of the Declaration of Independence, was a strong supporter of individual freedom, even though he owned slaves. He opposed a strong central government but doubled the size of the United States by purchasing a huge amount of land from France, known as the Louisiana Purchase.
James Madison, the shortest U.S. President at 5 foot 4, played a big role in creating the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights. As President, he had to lead the country in another war against Great Britain to protect American rights at sea.
James Monroe was the last President who was also a Founding Father. He warned European countries to stay out of American affairs while promising that the U.S. would not interfere in Europe. He also supported the colonization of Liberia by free African-Americans and passed laws to limit slavery to certain areas.
John Quincy Adams, the son of John Adams, was a brilliant diplomat who focused on economic growth and managed to pay off most of the national debt.
Andrew Jackson was a soldier and a hero of the War of 1812. He founded the Democratic Party, but his strong leadership style made some people call him a dictator. He started a policy that forced Native American tribes to move west of the Mississippi River.
Martin Van Buren was the first President born in an independent United States and spoke Dutch at home. His presidency was marked by America’s first major financial crash. He served one term and lost three more attempts to get re-elected.
William Henry Harrison was a soldier who spent much of his career fighting Native Americans. He gave the longest inaugural speech in history but served the shortest time as President, dying of pneumonia just 30 days after taking office.
John Tyler was the first Vice President to become President after the death of his predecessor. He was expelled from his own party for vetoing bills he thought violated states’ rights.
James K. Polk believed strongly in expanding the U.S. westward. He signed the law that brought Texas into the Union and started a war with Mexico, which led to the U.S. gaining territories like California, Nevada, and Utah.
Zachary Taylor was a career soldier and a hero of the Mexican War. He had never voted before becoming President and didn’t have strong political beliefs. He threatened to hang Southern secessionists but died suddenly of a stomach illness.
Millard Fillmore was born in a log cabin and was the last Whig President. He supported a compromise between free and slave states, but it didn’t last long.
Franklin Pierce took office after the tragic death of his 11-year-old son, which deeply affected him and his wife. During his presidency, violence broke out in Kansas as pro and anti-slavery settlers clashed.
James Buchanan tried to find a middle ground between Northern free states and Southern slave states, but his efforts failed, leading to a split in the Democratic Party and the Southern states leaving the Union.
Abraham Lincoln was the first Republican president and led the North to victory in the Civil War. He issued an executive order to free all southern slaves and was the first president to be assassinated.
Andrew Johnson was a Southerner who supported the Union during the Civil War. He blocked Congress’s efforts to reform the South, leading to his impeachment, though he was acquitted by one vote in the Senate.
Ulysses S. Grant was a Union hero of the Civil War. As President, he used the military to enforce reconstruction and protect people targeted by violence in the South. His presidency also saw conflicts with Native Americans in the Great Plains.
Rutherford B. Hayes won a disputed and corrupt presidential election. He aimed to heal the nation after the Civil War and Reconstruction but withdrew federal troops from the South, allowing white supremacists to regain power.
James A. Garfield fought against corruption in the Senate and civil service but was shot by a disgruntled lawyer just four months into his term and died from his injuries.
Chester Arthur, the son of an Irish Baptist preacher, rose above political factions and continued Garfield’s work of reforming government bureaucracy.
Grover Cleveland was the first Democrat President since the Civil War and the only president to serve two non-consecutive terms. He used his veto power extensively to block measures he thought were beyond the federal government’s role.
Stay tuned for Part 2 of US Presidents, where we’ll continue with America’s 23rd President.
Bridgeman Images is a top supplier of art, culture, and historic images and footage. They work with many of the world’s best museums, collections, and artists, offering help with research and copyright for various projects. For more information, visit bridgemanimages.com.
Epic History TV relies on support from viewers to keep making history videos. If you enjoy our work, please consider making a small pledge at our Patreon page.
Research and create a visual timeline of the first 22 American Presidents. Include key events, achievements, and challenges faced during their presidencies. Use images and brief descriptions to make your timeline engaging.
Choose a president from the article and prepare a short speech highlighting their major accomplishments and policies. Then, participate in a mock debate with classmates, defending your president’s decisions and legacy.
Select two presidents from the article and compare their policies on a specific issue, such as foreign policy or economic growth. Present your findings in a chart or infographic, highlighting similarities and differences.
Create a portrait of one of the presidents discussed in the article. Use any art medium you prefer, such as drawing, painting, or digital art. Accompany your portrait with a short paragraph about the president’s impact on American history.
Design a trivia quiz based on the information from the article. Include questions about the presidents’ achievements, challenges, and historical contexts. Test your classmates’ knowledge and see who can score the highest!
As America prepares to elect its 45th President, this is Epic History TV’s guide to the first 44 Presidents.
**George Washington** – Hero of the Revolutionary War and America’s first president, he was elected unanimously by the Electoral College twice. He steered America on a course of neutrality and stepped down after two terms.
**John Adams** – A lawyer, diplomat, and intellectual, he was a leading voice in the call for American independence. He avoided all-out war with France, was the first President to live in the White House, and the first to lose an election.
**Thomas Jefferson** – Chief author of the Declaration of Independence, he was a fierce defender of individual liberty, though he owned slaves. He opposed Federalism and strong central government but doubled America’s size by purchasing 800,000 square miles of territory from France.
**James Madison** – At 5 foot 4, he was America’s shortest President but a significant figure in the fight to pass the US Constitution and Bill of Rights. As President, he was forced to fight another war against Great Britain to uphold America’s rights at sea.
**James Monroe** – The last President who was also a Founding Father, he warned Europe not to meddle in American affairs while promising that the US would not interfere in Europe’s affairs. He passed legislation to restrict slavery to existing slave states and new territories south of the Missouri Compromise line. He also supported the colonization of Liberia by free African-Americans.
**John Quincy Adams** – Son of John Adams, he was a brilliant diplomat who prioritized economic development while paying off most of America’s national debt.
**Andrew Jackson** – A soldier and hero of the War of 1812, he founded the Democratic Party. His authoritarian style led his opponents to label him a dictator. He began a policy of forced relocation of Native American tribes to west of the Mississippi River.
**Martin Van Buren** – The first President born in an independent United States, he spoke Dutch at home. His presidency was dominated by America’s first major financial crash. He served one term and lost three subsequent bids for re-election.
**William Henry Harrison** – A soldier who spent most of his career fighting Native Americans, he gave the longest inaugural speech in history but served the shortest time in office, dying of pneumonia just 30 days after his inauguration.
**John Tyler** – The first Vice President to become President following the death of his predecessor. He was expelled from his own party for vetoing bills he believed contravened states’ rights.
**James K. Polk** – A firm believer in westward expansion, he signed the law admitting Texas to the Union and provoked a war with Mexico, resulting in the acquisition of significant territories, including California, Nevada, and Utah.
**Zachary Taylor** – A career soldier and hero of the Mexican War, he had never voted before and held no firm political beliefs. He threatened to hang Southern secessionists but died suddenly of a stomach illness.
**Millard Fillmore** – Born in a log cabin, he was the last Whig President. He supported a compromise between free and slave states, which proved short-lived.
**Franklin Pierce** – Took office shortly after experiencing the tragic death of his 11-year-old son, which likely left him and his wife suffering from depression. He allowed violence to engulf Kansas, where pro and anti-slavery settlers fought for control.
**James Buchanan** – His attempts to mediate between Northern free states and Southern slave states failed, leading to a split in the Democrat Party and the Southern states leaving the Union.
**Abraham Lincoln** – America’s first Republican president, he led the North to victory in the Civil War and freed all southern slaves by executive order. He was the first president to be assassinated.
**Andrew Johnson** – A Southerner who sided with the Union during the Civil War, he blocked Congress’s attempts to impose reforms on the South, leading to his impeachment, though he was acquitted in the Senate by one vote.
**Ulysses S. Grant** – A Union hero of the Civil War, he used the military to enforce reconstruction and protect those targeted by violence in the South. His presidency also saw conflict against Native Americans in the Great Plains.
**Rutherford B. Hayes** – He won a disputed and corrupt presidential election and sought to heal the wounds left by the Civil War and Reconstruction but withdrew federal troops from the South, allowing white supremacists to regain power.
**James A. Garfield** – He took on corruption in the Senate and civil service but was shot by an embittered lawyer just four months into his first term and died from his wounds.
**Chester Arthur** – The son of an Irish Baptist preacher, he proved to be above political faction and continued Garfield’s work of reforming government bureaucracy.
**Grover Cleveland** – The first Democrat President since the Civil War and the only president to serve two non-consecutive terms, he used the presidential veto extensively, blocking measures he thought were beyond the remit of federal government.
Look out for Part 2 of US Presidents, where we continue with America’s 23rd President.
Bridgeman Images is a leading supplier of art, culture, and historic images and footage. They represent many of the world’s finest museums, collections, and artists, ready to assist with research and copyright for various projects. For more information, please visit bridgemanimages.com.
Epic History TV relies on support from our viewers to keep making history videos. If you like what we do, please consider making a small pledge at our Patreon page.
President – The elected head of a republican state or country. – George Washington was the first President of the United States.
Government – The group of people with the authority to govern a country or state. – The government passed a new law to improve public education.
History – The study of past events, particularly in human affairs. – In history class, we learned about the causes of the American Revolution.
Election – A formal and organized process of electing or being elected, especially of members of a political body. – The election for the new class president will be held next week.
Independence – The fact or state of being independent, especially from political control by another country. – The United States celebrates its independence from Britain on July 4th.
Rights – Legal, social, or ethical principles of freedom or entitlement. – The Bill of Rights protects the individual rights of American citizens.
Territory – An area of land under the jurisdiction of a ruler or state. – The Louisiana Purchase doubled the territory of the United States in 1803.
Slavery – The practice or system of owning individuals as property and forcing them to work. – Slavery was a major issue that led to the American Civil War.
Union – The action or fact of joining or being joined, especially in a political context. – The Union was the term used for the Northern states during the American Civil War.
Democracy – A system of government by the whole population, typically through elected representatives. – Ancient Athens is often credited as the birthplace of democracy.
