Category History

William Henry Harrison, the ninth president of America was famous for many things. He was 68 at the time of his swearing-in ceremony and the oldest president to be elected at the time. His campaign slogan, ‘Tippecanoe and Tyler Too’ is known as one of the most famous campaign slogans in American history.

William Henry Harrison served the shortest tenure as the president in the history of the United Stated and was the first to die in the office. Harrison could barely make it for a month; he died on the 32nd day of his tenure. Harrison was born in Virginia like many other American presidents. He wanted to become a doctor, but had to leave his studies halfway after his father’s death.

He later joined the army to earn a living. He became interested in politics during his time in the army. What brought him to the national limelight was the Indian campaign that he won while serving as the territorial commander.

This led to his contesting in the 1840 elections, taking office in March 1841. Despite the cold weather, Harrison gave a long speech outdoors. Within a month, he was affected with a cold that developed into pneumonia. He died on 4th April, 1841.

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Martin Van Buren, the eighth president of America was called Little Magician by the people. He certainly did not make a rabbit vanish, but he was a friendly, cheerful person who knew how to work with people and how to get things done.

As a young lawyer, Martin showed an active interest in politics and law. By 1827, Martin Van Buren had emerged as a principal northern leader. President Andrew Jackson appointed him as the Secretary of State.

Van Buren was chosen for the position of vice president during Jackson’s second term. He was elected as president in 1836 with Jackson’s support.

Shortly after Martin Van Buren was sworn in as president, the country was in the midst of turmoil. It was 1837; the banks all over the country started failing. Many people lost their jobs. For about five years, the United States was affected by the worst depression so far in its history.

People started blaming Van Buren for the bad times. Though he tried his best to get the country back on its feet, he failed. He finally left office in 1841 after many attempts to save the country.

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Though Andrew Jackson was once defeated by John Quincy Adams, he was still popular among the masses. He was a leader who believed that a country should be run by common citizens.

On the day Andrew Jackson took office, a newspaper wrote, “It was a proud day for the people. General Jackson is their own president.” Jackson won the election by a direct appeal to the mass of voters. His political movement is popularly known as Jacksonian Democracy.

Americans dearly accepted him as the direct representative of the common man and he was elected as the seventh president of the United States in 1829 for the first time. He was elected a second time too and remained in office till 1837.

Jackson was born in a backwoods settlement in the Carolinas in 1767. Though his education was irregular, he managed to finish a law degree and went on to become an outstanding lawyer in Tennessee. He served as a major general during the War of 1812.

Unlike many of the previous presidents, Jackson did not defer to Congress in policy-making. But he used his power of the veto and his party leadership to assume command. Some of his followers thought he was too powerful and many called him ‘King Andrew’.

Jackson is widely regarded as the maker of the modern presidency. It is ironic that Jackson once said, ‘I know what I am fit for. I can command a body of men in a rough way; but I am not fit to be president.’

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The son of the second American president went on to become the sixth president of the country. John Quincy Adams, the sixth president was the son of John Adams. If you have been reading carefully up until now, you already know about John Adams.

Like his father, John Quincy Adams was interested in public service. Right from a very young age, he got to watch the lives of politicians and diplomats from a close range. It is not surprising that he ended up being both.

Quincy Adams spent his childhood in Europe and was influenced by it. He was a young diplomat in Europe himself during the French Revolution in 1789. He later returned to France as U.S. Ambassador from 1809 until 1817.

Before becoming the president, Quincy Adams was one of the most celebrated of the American diplomats. Effectively executing the Monroe Doctrine was one among his many achievements.

During his life as a congressman, he conducted a consistent and often dramatic fight against the expansion of slavery. He served as Secretary of State while James Monroe was president and played a major role in the acquisition of Florida.

Quincy Adams contested the presidential elections after Monroe’s second term. Though Andrew Jackson got more popular votes, none of the candidates had enough electoral votes. The House of Representatives had to choose a winner from the three top candidates, and Adams was elected.

During his tenure, Quincy Adams implemented several federally funded infrastructure projects. John Quincy Adams also established a national university and engaged with the countries of Latin America.

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James Monroe was the last president from the Founding Fathers. He would have never thought of becoming the fifth president of America in the days of his youth, while joining Washington’s Army.

James Monroe grew up in Westmoreland county and was a student at a Virginia college during the early days of the American Revolution. It was James Monroe who helped Thomas Jefferson with the Louisiana Purchase while the latter served as the president. He went on to become the president in 1817, defeating Rufus King.

Monroe’s administration is regarded as calm and prosperous. It set the stage for many monumental events for the United States of America as a nation. His tenure is known as the Era of Good Feelings. The Missouri Compromise took place when Monroe was president. Missouri wanted to enter the union as a slave state, where slavery was legal. According to the treaty, this was permitted, and Missouri joined the Union.

Monroe was of the opinion that the countries of Europe must stay away from the affairs of the independent nations and colonies in North and South America. This idea came to be known as the Monroe Doctrine and remained the cornerstone of U.S. foreign policy. Monroe was re-elected as the president in 1820.

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Despite being frequently ill, James Madison was a profound thinker and an expert on British laws.

When America finally broke free from the clutches of the British, Madison knew that the new country would need a new government. He suggested that America needed a written plan so that all of its people would know the law. He also influenced the planning and authorization of the nation at the Constitutional Convention in 1787.

Madison also collaborated with Alexander Hamilton and John Jay in the publication of the Federalist Papers. The Federalist Papers were a series of 85 essays published between 1787 and 1788 about the proposed Constitution of the United States. It also talked about the nature of republican governments.

Needless to say, Madison is regarded as one of the Founding Fathers. James Madison went on to become the fourth president of the country, from 1809-1817.

During his tenure, the U.S. was caught in the war between France and Britain. When American ships began to be affected by the British attacks, Madison decided that it was time to fight back.

This kick-started what we know as ‘the war of 1812’. The war that lasted for two years was widely regarded as a victory for America. By the time Madison left office and went back to his Virginia farm, he had become a beloved and popular president.

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