Presidents of the Past and
Presidential Succession
George Washington
First President under the
Constitution
1789-1797
Established:
Importance of the office
Discouraged any title,
except, “Mr. President”
Established rule that
presidents seek advice
and consent of Senate
after the treaty is made
Thomas Jefferson
Third President
1801-1809
Championed legislative
agenda that reflected his
party, DemocraticRepublican
Decentralized power
and favored agricultural
and rural areas
Louisiana Purchase of
1803
Abraham Lincoln
16th President
1861-1865
Conviction to unite
nation
Increased armed forces
Emancipation
Proclamation
Began Reconstruction
Suspended habeas
corpus-reduced quick
trials
Strong leadership in crisis
Assassinated 1865
Andrew Johnson
17th President
1865-1869
First president to be
impeached by the
House, but not
removed
Senate did not try him
Theodore Roosevelt
26th President
1901-1909
“bully pulpit” to achieve
domestic and foreign
policy objectives
Championed
Progressive Movement
to break up economic
and political power that
undermined democracy
and equality
Theodore Roosevelt
Believed in racial equality
Regulated railroads
Increased environmental protection
Square Deal
“Speak softly and carry a big stick”
Panama canal
Formed Bull Moose Party
William Howard Taft
27th President
1909-1913
After president,
became Chief
Justice of the
Supreme Court
Woodrow Wilson
28th President
1913-1921
Progressive to expand
presidential powers
New Freedom
Federal Reserve System
to govern banks
Regulated big business
Federal Trade
Commission 1914
World War I
League of Nations
Herbert Hoover
31st President
1929-1933
President during the
Great Depression
Franklin D. Roosevelt
32nd President
1933-1945
New Deal: Social
reforms to end
Depression
Tennessee Valley
Authority (TVA_
Security Exchange
Commission
Social Security
Administration
Unemployment Insurance
World War II
Elected four terms
United Nations
Dwight D. Eisenhower
34th President
1953-1961
Former General of
European front in
World War II
Strengthened CIA
Expanded interstate
highway system
John F. Kennedy
35th President
1961-1963
World War II PT Boat
CO
First president born in
the 20th century
First presidential
debate 1960
Served 1,000 days
Assassinated 1963
Cuban Missile Crisis
Richard M. Nixon
37th President
1969-1974
Created Environmental
Protection Agency
Opened relations with
China 1972
Lessened tensions with
the Soviet Union
Withdrew troops from
Vietnam 1973
First president to resign
Gerald Ford
Selected as Vice President by Richard
Nixon when Spiro Agnew resigned due to
tax problems
Became President when Nixon resigned in
1973 and selected Vice President
Rockefeller
The only President and Vice President not
elected sitting in office at the same time.
Pardoned Nixon which influenced the next
election in 1976 when Jimmy Carter won.
Ronald Reagan
40th President
1981-1989
Restored influence of
presidency
Public trust and
confidence in White
House
The Great
Communicator
Fall of Berlin Wall
George H. Bush
41st President
1989-1993
First Gulf War 1991
William J. Clinton
42nd President
1993-2001
Republicans
controlled house and
Senate
Scandal led to
impeachment in
House, but not
removed
George W. Bush
43rd President
2001-2009
2000 election one of closest
and most disputed
September 11, 2001 terrorists
attacks
Military offensive into
Afghanistan
Patriot Act
Iraq War
Strategy of “preventive war”:
Right to launch war to confront
worst threats before they
emerge
Barack Obama
44th President
2009First African American
Progressive
National Health Care
Debate
Government control
of finances
Chain of Command for Presidency
President
Vice President
Speaker of the House
President Pro
Tempore of the
Senate
Secretary of State
Other cabinet
secretaries in order of
the cabinet created
until another
president is selected
House chooses
president
At least one cabinet
secretary absent from
State of Union
Address in the event
of a terrorist attack