US Presidents 1-12

JOHN TYLER

10th PRESIDENT: 1841 to 1845 (Whig) Dubbed "His Accendency" by his detractors, he was the first Vice President to be elevated to the office of President by the death of his predecessor. During his term, he signs the bill annexing Texas. He would only last the one term.

JAMES POLK

11th PRESIDENT: 1845 to 1849 (Democrat) Another one-term president, he oversaw the addition of Oregon as a state, and an American victory in the Mexican-American war in the wake of the annexation of Texas to the Union.

ZACHARY TAYLOR

12th PRESIDENT: 1849 to 1850 (Whig) He was a forty year army veteran, and hero of the Mexican-American war. He would die 16 months into his term from a stomach illness.

GEORGE WASHINGTON

1st U.S. PRESIDENT: 1789 to 1797 (No Party) He is the first President of the United States following the ratification of the U.S. Constitution. He was the Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. He presided over the convention that drafted the United States Constitution, which replaced the Articles of Confederation and remains the supreme law of the land. He declined to serve a third term. He is honored on the $1 bill and the quarter.

JOHN ADAMS

2nd PRESIDENT: 1797 to 1801 (Federalist) He was Vice President under George Washington. He became the second President of the United States after George Washington declines to run for a 3rd four year term. He lose in a bid for a 2nd term to Jefferson, a staunch anti-federalist.

THOMAS JEFFERSON

3rd PRESIDENT: 1801 to 1809 (Democrat-Republican) Primary author of the Declaration of Independence, and a staunch anti-Federalist, this man defeated one term President John Adams (Federalist) to become the third president of the US. He would serve two terms in office. His most memorable act as President was the Louisiana Purchase in 1803 which almost doubled the size of the Untied States. He is honored on our nickel and $2 bill.

JAMES MADISON

4th PRESIDENT: 1809 to 1817 (Democrat-Republican) He is known as the "Father of the Constitution." Jefferson, whose popularity was waning, chose not to run for a third term.

JAMES MONROE

5th PRESIDENT: 1817 to 1825 (Democrat-Republican) This president was the last of the founding fathers to serve as President.

JOHN QUINCY ADAMS

6th PRESIDENT: 1825 to 1829 (Democrat-Republican) He is the son of a former president and founding father. He only serves one term. He is also the first president ever photographed.

ANDREW JACKSON

7th PRESIDENT: 1829 to 1837 (Democrat) A war hero nicknamed "Old Hickory," he was known as the "people's president" and founded the Democratic Party. He is associated with Indian Removal Act and he was the first president to deny the right of a state to secede from the union, or to nullify federal law. He is honored on our $20 bill. He serves two terms.

MARTIN VAN BUREN

8th PRESIDENT: 1837 to 1841 (Democrat) Vice president to Andrew Jackson, he its the first president born in the newly formed United States. He serves one term.

WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON

9th PRESIDENT: 1841 to 1841 (Whig) He was an American military officer and politician, and the first president to die in office. He died on his 32nd day in office of complications from pneumonia (probably from giving his 3 hour inaugural speech in the cold rain), serving the shortest tenure in United States presidential history.