Good Ol' George
We all know George Washington was the first President of the United States. But did you also know he was unanimously elected by the Electoral College? He was also the only president to be inaugurated in two different cities – New York City and Philadelphia.
The first president to die in office.
William Henry Harrison, who caught pneumonia on inauguration day in 1841 and died 31 days later. Seven other presidents died in office, including Zachary Taylor, Abraham Lincoln, James Garfield, William McKinley, Warren Harding, Franklin Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy.
Abe Lincoln, center. Obviously.
Does size matter?
The tallest president was Abraham Lincoln, at 6ft 4in. The shortest? James Madison, at 5ft 4in. The portliest POTUS in history was William Howard Taft, who checked in at a robust 340 pounds.
It runs in the family
President George H. W. Bush is the father of President George W. Bush, but he’s also related to presidents Franklin Pierce, Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt and Gerald Ford. And just for good measure, he’s related to Winston Churchill and Marilyn Monroe as well.
Benjamin Harrison was the grandson of a president (William Henry Harrison), and great-grandson of a signer of the Declaration of Independence (Benjamin Harrison). He’s also the first president to use electricity in the White House.
A series of firsts
Andrew Jackson was the only president to serve in both the American Revolution and the War of 1812. He’s also the only president to serve as a prisoner of war.
The first president born in the United States was Martin Van Buren, in 1782. Previous presidents were technically born in colonies which later became states.
Richard Nixon was the only president to resign the office, avoiding likely impeachment charges. Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton weren’t so lucky, as both went through impeachment proceedings. However, each president was acquitted by Congress.
Now that you are a bit more familiar with our commanders-in-chief, it’s time to dazzle your teammates!