Every US President from George Washington to Donald Trump — their lives and terms in office.
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Presidents of the United States 47
1789 – 1797Washington presidency1st President — 1789 to 1797George Washington served as the 1st President of the United States from April 30, 1789 to March 4, 1797. He established many precedents including the two-term limit and the cabinet system.
1797 – 1801Adams presidency2nd President — 1797 to 1801John Adams served as the 2nd President from March 4, 1797 to March 4, 1801. He was the first president to live in the White House and avoided war with France despite the XYZ Affair.
1801 – 1809Jefferson presidency3rd President — 1801 to 1809Thomas Jefferson served as the 3rd President from March 4, 1801 to March 4, 1809. He oversaw the Louisiana Purchase (1803), doubling the size of the United States for $15 million.
1809 – 1817Madison presidency4th President — 1809 to 1817James Madison served as the 4th President from March 4, 1809 to March 4, 1817. During his presidency the White House was burned by British forces in the War of 1812.
1817 – 1825Monroe presidency5th President — 1817 to 1825James Monroe served as the 5th President from March 4, 1817 to March 4, 1825. He proclaimed the Monroe Doctrine in 1823, a cornerstone of US foreign policy warning European nations against colonising the Western Hemisphere.
1825 – 1829J.Q. Adams presidency6th President — 1825 to 1829John Quincy Adams served as the 6th President from March 4, 1825 to March 4, 1829, elected by the House of Representatives after no candidate won an electoral majority. He promoted infrastructure and education.
1829 – 1837Jackson presidency7th President — 1829 to 1837Andrew Jackson served as the 7th President from March 4, 1829 to March 4, 1837. He signed the Indian Removal Act (1830) forcing Native Americans west of the Mississippi, and vetoed the re-charter of the Second Bank of the US.
1837 – 1841Van Buren presidency8th President — 1837 to 1841Martin Van Buren served as the 8th President from March 4, 1837 to March 4, 1841. His presidency was dominated by the Panic of 1837 economic depression which severely damaged his popularity.
1841Harrison presidency9th President — died in office after 31 daysWilliam Henry Harrison served only 31 days as the 9th President before dying of pneumonia on April 4, 1841 — the shortest presidency in US history. He was the first president to die in office.
1841 – 1845Tyler presidency10th President — 1841 to 1845John Tyler succeeded to the presidency on April 4, 1841 after Harrison's death, serving until March 4, 1845. He was expelled from the Whig Party and governed without party support, vetoing most of Congress's legislation.
1845 – 1849Polk presidency11th President — 1845 to 1849James K. Polk served as the 11th President from March 4, 1845 to March 4, 1849. He oversaw the annexation of Texas, negotiated Oregon with Britain, and won the Mexican-American War, adding 1.2 million square miles to the US.
1849 – 1850Taylor presidency12th President — died in office 1850Zachary Taylor was inaugurated on March 5, 1849 (March 4 fell on a Sunday) and died in office on July 9, 1850 after 16 months. He opposed extending slavery to new territories despite being a slaveholder himself.
1850 – 1853Fillmore presidency13th President — 1850 to 1853Millard Fillmore assumed the presidency on July 9, 1850 following Taylor's death, serving until March 4, 1853. He signed the Compromise of 1850 and opened Japan to US trade via Commodore Perry's expedition.
1853 – 1857Pierce presidency14th President — 1853 to 1857Franklin Pierce served as the 14th President from March 4, 1853 to March 4, 1857. His Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 effectively repealed the Missouri Compromise and inflamed sectional tensions over slavery.
1857 – 1861Buchanan presidency15th President — 1857 to 1861James Buchanan served as the 15th President from March 4, 1857 to March 4, 1861. His inability to address the slavery crisis allowed the Southern states to begin seceding, leaving Lincoln to inherit the Civil War.
1861 – 1865Lincoln presidency16th President — led Union through Civil WarAbraham Lincoln served as the 16th President from March 4, 1861 until his assassination on April 15, 1865. He issued the Emancipation Proclamation (1863), freeing slaves in Confederate states, and guided the nation through its greatest crisis.
1865 – 1869A. Johnson presidency17th President — 1865 to 1869Andrew Johnson assumed the presidency on April 15, 1865 after Lincoln's assassination. His lenient Reconstruction policies clashed with Congress, leading to his impeachment in 1868. He was acquitted by one vote in the Senate.
1869 – 1877Grant presidency18th President — 1869 to 1877Ulysses S. Grant served as the 18th President from March 4, 1869 to March 4, 1877. He vigorously enforced Reconstruction and civil rights for Black Americans, but his administration was marred by corruption scandals.
1877 – 1881Hayes presidency19th President — 1877 to 1881Rutherford B. Hayes served as the 19th President from March 5, 1877 to March 4, 1881. He ended Reconstruction, withdrew federal troops from the South, and began civil service reform.
1881Garfield presidency20th President — assassinated 1881James A. Garfield served as the 20th President from March 4, 1881 until his death on September 19, 1881 following an assassination attempt on July 2. His death led to passage of the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act.
1881 – 1885Arthur presidency21st President — 1881 to 1885Chester A. Arthur assumed the presidency on September 19, 1881 after Garfield's death, serving until March 4, 1885. He signed the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act and the first federal immigration law.
1885 – 1889Cleveland 1st presidency22nd President — 1885 to 1889Grover Cleveland served as the 22nd President from March 4, 1885 to March 4, 1889. He vetoed more bills than any previous president, opposed corruption and supported civil service reform.
1889 – 1893B. Harrison presidency23rd President — 1889 to 1893Benjamin Harrison served as the 23rd President from March 4, 1889 to March 4, 1893. Six states were admitted during his term, the most by any president. The Sherman Antitrust Act was passed in 1890.
1893 – 1897Cleveland 2nd presidency24th President — 1893 to 1897Grover Cleveland served as the 24th President from March 4, 1893 to March 4, 1897, the only president to serve non-consecutive terms. His second term was dominated by the Panic of 1893 economic depression.
1897 – 1901McKinley presidency25th President — assassinated 1901William McKinley served as the 25th President from March 4, 1897 until his assassination on September 14, 1901. He won the Spanish-American War, gaining overseas territories and establishing the US as a world power.
1901 – 1909T. Roosevelt presidency26th President — 1901 to 1909Theodore Roosevelt assumed the presidency on September 14, 1901 after McKinley's assassination, serving until March 4, 1909. He was the youngest president ever at 42, and won the Nobel Peace Prize for mediating the Russo-Japanese War.
1909 – 1913Taft presidency27th President — 1909 to 1913William Howard Taft served as the 27th President from March 4, 1909 to March 4, 1913. He prosecuted more antitrust cases than Roosevelt and established the Department of Labor. He later became Chief Justice.
1913 – 1921Wilson presidency28th President — 1913 to 1921Woodrow Wilson served as the 28th President from March 5, 1913 to March 4, 1921. He led the US into WWI, proposed the Fourteen Points peace plan, and founded the League of Nations (though the US never joined).
1921 – 1923Harding presidency29th President — died in office 1923Warren G. Harding served as the 29th President from March 4, 1921 until his death on August 2, 1923. His "Return to Normalcy" agenda included tax cuts and isolationism. The Teapot Dome scandal emerged after his death.
1923 – 1929Coolidge presidency30th President — 1923 to 1929Calvin Coolidge assumed the presidency on August 2, 1923 after Harding's death, serving until March 4, 1929. He presided over the economic boom of the Roaring Twenties but declined to run for re-election in 1928.
1929 – 1933Hoover presidency31st President — 1929 to 1933Herbert Hoover served as the 31st President from March 4, 1929 to March 4, 1933. The Wall Street Crash of October 1929 occurred just months into his term, leading to the Great Depression.
1933 – 1945F.D. Roosevelt presidency32nd President — 1933 to 1945Franklin D. Roosevelt served as the 32nd President from March 4, 1933 until his death on April 12, 1945. He implemented the New Deal to combat the Great Depression and led the Allied powers through most of World War II.
1945 – 1953Truman presidency33rd President — 1945 to 1953Harry S. Truman assumed the presidency on April 12, 1945 after FDR's death. He authorised the atomic bombs on Japan, launched the Marshall Plan, established NATO, and recognised Israel in 1948.
1953 – 1961Eisenhower presidency34th President — 1953 to 1961Dwight D. Eisenhower served as the 34th President from January 20, 1953 to January 20, 1961. He ended the Korean War, presided over post-war prosperity, created the Interstate Highway System and managed Cold War tensions.
1961 – 1963Kennedy presidency35th President — assassinated 1963John F. Kennedy served as the 35th President from January 20, 1961 until his assassination on November 22, 1963 in Dallas, Texas. He managed the Cuban Missile Crisis, established the Peace Corps and committed the US to landing on the Moon.
1963 – 1969L.B. Johnson presidency36th President — 1963 to 1969Lyndon B. Johnson assumed the presidency on November 22, 1963 after Kennedy's assassination. He signed the Civil Rights Act (1964), Voting Rights Act (1965) and Medicare, but escalated US involvement in Vietnam.
1969 – 1974Nixon presidency37th President — resigned 1974Richard Nixon served as the 37th President from January 20, 1969 until his resignation on August 9, 1974 — the only US president to resign. He opened relations with China, ended the Vietnam War, and created the EPA before Watergate destroyed his presidency.
1974 – 1977Ford presidency38th President — 1974 to 1977Gerald Ford assumed the presidency on August 9, 1974 after Nixon's resignation, serving until January 20, 1977. His pardon of Nixon cost him re-election. He presided over the end of US involvement in Vietnam.
1977 – 1981Carter presidency39th President — 1977 to 1981Jimmy Carter served as the 39th President from January 20, 1977 to January 20, 1981. He brokered the Camp David Accords between Egypt and Israel, but the Iran hostage crisis and economic stagflation cost him re-election.
1981 – 1989Reagan presidency40th President — 1981 to 1989Ronald Reagan served as the 40th President from January 20, 1981 to January 20, 1989. Reaganomics cut taxes and deregulated the economy. His arms build-up and "peace through strength" strategy contributed to the collapse of the Soviet Union.
1989 – 1993G.H.W. Bush presidency41st President — 1989 to 1993George H.W. Bush served as the 41st President from January 20, 1989 to January 20, 1993. He oversaw the fall of the Berlin Wall, German reunification, and led the Gulf War coalition that liberated Kuwait from Iraq.
1993 – 2001Clinton presidency42nd President — 1993 to 2001Bill Clinton served as the 42nd President from January 20, 1993 to January 20, 2001. He presided over budget surpluses and the dot-com boom, brokered peace in Northern Ireland and the Balkans, but was impeached over the Lewinsky scandal.
2001 – 2009G.W. Bush presidency43rd President — 2001 to 2009George W. Bush served as the 43rd President from January 20, 2001 to January 20, 2009. He led the War on Terror following 9/11, invaded Afghanistan and Iraq, and responded to Hurricane Katrina.
2009 – 2017Obama presidency44th President — 2009 to 2017Barack Obama served as the 44th President from January 20, 2009 to January 20, 2017. He passed the Affordable Care Act, ordered the raid killing Osama bin Laden, and signed the Paris Climate Agreement.
2017 – 2021Trump 1st presidency45th President — 2017 to 2021Donald Trump served as the 45th President from January 20, 2017 to January 20, 2021. He was impeached twice, cut taxes, appointed three Supreme Court justices, and oversaw Operation Warp Speed producing COVID vaccines.
2021 – 2025Biden presidency46th President — 2021 to 2025Joe Biden served as the 46th President from January 20, 2021 to January 20, 2025. He passed the Inflation Reduction Act, led NATO support for Ukraine following Russia's invasion, and withdrew US troops from Afghanistan.
2025 – presentTrump 2nd presidency47th President — from 2025Donald Trump began his second term as the 47th President on January 20, 2025, having defeated Kamala Harris in the 2024 election. He is the first president since Grover Cleveland to serve non-consecutive terms.