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During Presidency

George Washington was the 1st president of the United States of 

America.

He was president for eight years, from 1789-1797.

Some of the issues he faced throughout his presidency were, the 

Whiskey Rebellion, in which Washington sent in 15,000 to 20,000 

soldiers to rebels. In foreign affairs, Washington was a huge proponent of 

neutrality. He declared the Proclamation of Neutrality in 1793 which 

stated that the US would be impartial toward belligerent powers currently 

in a war. This upset some who felt we owed a greater allegiance to 

France. His belief in neutrality was reiterated during his Farewell Address 

in 1796, where he warned against foreign entanglements. This warning 

became part of the American political landscape.Washington signed Jay's 

Treaty which gave away the United State's right to neutrality of the seas 

allowing the British to search and seize anything they found on American 

ships traveling into ports of Britain's enemies. In return, the British 

withdrew from outposts in the Northwest Territory. This forestalled 

further conflict with Great Britain until 1812.In 1795, Pinckney's Treaty 

helped relations with Spain by creating a boundary between the United 

States and Spanish held Florida. Further, the US was allowed to travel 

the entire Mississippi for purpose of trade. 

Before/After Presidency

Before he was president, George was in the military from 

1752- 1758 before being elected to the Virginia House of 

Burgesses in 1759. He led the Continental Army from 

1775-1783 during the American Revolution. He then 

became the president of the Constitutional Convention in 

1787.

After he was president, George didn't run a third time.  

He retired to Mount Vernon. He was again asked to be 

the American commander if the US went to war with 

France over the XYZ affair. However, fighting never 

occurred on land and he did not have to serve. He died 

on December 14, 1799 possibly from a streptococcal 

infection of his throat made worse from being bled four 

times.

Before/After Presidency

Adams began his career as a lawyer. He successfully 

defended the British soldiers involved in the Boston Massacre 

with only two of the eight found guilty of manslaughter 

believing that it was important to ensure that innocents were 

protected.

John Adams lived for over 25 years after failing to be 

reelected to the presidency. He returned home to 

Massachusetts. He spent his time learning and corresponding 

with old friends including mending fences with Thomas 

Jefferson and beginning a vibrant letter friendship. He lived to 

see his son, John Quincy Adams, to become president. He 

died on July 4, 1826, the same day as Jefferson’s death.

During Presidency

John Adams was the 2nd president of the United States of America. 

He was president for four years, from 1797-1801.

Adam's major accomplishment was to keep America out of war with 

France and normalize relations between the two countries. When he 

became president, relations were strained between the United States 

and France mainly because the French were making raids on 

American ships. In 1797, Adams sent three ministers to try and work 

things out. However, the French would not accept the ministers. 

Instead, the French Minister Talleyrand sent three men to ask for 

$250,000 in order to resolve their differences. This event became 

known as the XYZ Affair and caused public uproar against France. 

Adams had to act quickly to avoid war by sending another group of 

ministers to France to try and preserve the peace. This time they 

were able to meet and come to an agreement allowing the US to be 

protected on the seas in exchange for granting France special trading 

privileges.

During Presidency

Thomas Jefferson was the 3rd president of the United States of 

America.

He served as president for eight years.From 1801-1809.

During his presidency, Jefferson spent time dealing with the 

federalist agenda with which he did not agree. He allowed the Alien 

and Sedition Acts to end without renewal. He had the tax on liquor 

that caused the Whiskey Rebellion repealed. This reduced 

government revenue leading Jefferson to cut costs by reducing the 

military, relying instead on state militias. An important event 

during Jefferson's presidency, was the court case of Marbury v. 

Madison, which set up the Supreme Court's power to rule federal 

laws unconstitutional. In 1803, Jefferson purchased the Louisiana 

territory from France for $15 million. This is considered the most 

important act of his administration. He sent Lewis and Clark on 

their famous expedition to explore the new territory. In 1807, 

Jefferson ended the foreign slave trade beginning January 1, 1808. 

He also established the precedent of Executive Privilege.

Before/After Presidency

Jefferson served in the House of Burgesses   He argued against 

Britain's actions and was part of the Committee of 

Correspondence. He was a member of the Continental Congress 

and then became a member of the Virginia House of Delegates. 

He was the Governor of Virginia . during part of the Revolutionary 

War. As a member of the second Continental Congress, he wrote 

the Declaration of Independence. He was sent to France as a 

minister after the war. During Washington's Presidency, he was 

Secretary of State, he would get in clashes with Alexander 

Hamilton, Secretary or Treasury. Hamilton also desired a stronger 

federal government than Jefferson. Jefferson eventually resigned 

because he saw that Washington was more strongly influenced by 

Hamilton than him. He also wrote the Declaration of 

Independence in 1776.

After his presidency, Jefferson retired after his second term as 

president and did not reenter public life again. He spent time at 

Monticello. He was deeply in debt and in 1815 sold his library to 

form the Library of Congress and to help get him out of debt. He 

spent a lot of his time in retirement designing the University of 

Virginia. He died on the fiftieth anniversary of the Declaration of 

Independence, July 4, 1826. Ironically, this was the same day as 

John Adams. 

During Presidency

James Madison was the 4th president of the United States of America.

He served as president for eight years. From 1809-1817.

At the beginning of Madison's presidency, he attempted to enforce the Non-

Intercourse Act. This allowed the US to trade with all nations except France and 

Great Britain because of the attacks on American shipping by those two 

nations. Madison offered to trade with either nation if it would stop harassing 

American ships. However, neither agreed. In 1810, Macon's Bill No. 2 was 

passed that repealed the Non-Intercourse Act and instead said that whichever 

nation would stop harassing American ships would be favored and the US would 

stop trading with the other nation. France agreed to this and the British 

continued to stop American ships and impress sailors. America participated in 

the War of 1812 during Madison's time in office. The British were impressing 

American sailors and seizing goods. Madison asked Congress to declare war, 

although support was anything but unanimous. America began poorly with 

General William Hull surrendering Detroit without a fight. America did well on 

the seas and eventually retook Detroit. The British were able to march on 

Washington and burn the White House. However, by 1814, the US and Great 

Britain agreed to the Treaty of Ghent which resolved none of the pre-war 

issues.

Before/After Presidency

Before he was president, Madison wrote most of 

the US Constitution at the Constitutional 

Convention in 1787. Even though he would later 

write the Virginia Resolutions which were hailed 

by anti-federalists, his Constitution created a 

strong federal government. Once the Convention 

ended, he along with John Jay and Alexander 

Hamilton wrote the Federalist Papers, essays that 

were intended to sway public opinion to ratifying 

the new Constitution.

After he was president, Madison retired to his 

plantation in Virginia. However, he still stayed 

involved in political discourse. He represented his 

county at the Virginia Constitutional Convention 

(1829). He also spoke against nullification, the 

idea that states could rule federal laws 

unconstitutional. His Virginia Resolutions were 

often cited as a precedent for this but he believed 

in the strength of the union above all. He also 

helped found the American Colonization Society 

to help resettle freed blacks in Africa.

During Presidency

James Monroe was the 5th president of the United States of America.

He served for eight years. From 1817-1825.

During his time in office, Monroe had to contend with the First Seminole 

War. When Seminole Indians and escaped slaves raided Georgia from 

Spanish Florida. Monroe sent Andrew Jackson to rectify the situation. 

Despite being told not to invade Spanish held Florida, Jackson did and 

deposed the military governor. This eventually led to the Adams-Onis 

Treaty where Spain ceded Florida to the United States. It also left all of 

Texas under Spanish control.In 1819, America entered its first economic 

depression (at that time called a Panic). This lasted until 1821. Monroe 

made some moves to try and alleviate the effects of the depression. 

Two major developments during Monroe's presidency were the Missouri 

Compromise and the Monroe Doctrine. The Missouri Compromise 

admitted Missouri into the Union as a slave state and Maine as a free 

state. It also provided that the rest of the Louisiana Purchase above 

latitude 36 degrees 30 minutes was to be free.

Before/After Presidency

Before his presidency,he was a member of the Virginia 

Assembly. He joined the Continental Congress. He left to 

practice law and became a Senator. He was sent to 

France as a Minister and was recalled by Washington. He 

was elected Virginia Governor. He was sent in 1803 to 

negotiate the Louisiana Purchase. He then became 

minister to Britain. He served as Secretary of State, 

while concurrently holding the post of Secretary of War.

After his presidency, Monroe retired to Oak Hill in 

Virginia. In 1829, he was sent to and named the 

president of the Virginia Constitutional Convention. He 

moved to New York City upon his wife's death. He died 

on July 4, 1831.

Before/After Presidency

Adams opened a law office before becoming a minister 

to the Netherlands. He then was named Minister to 

Prussia. He served as a US Senator, and was then 

appointed by James Madison as Minister to Russia. He 

became Minister to Great Britain in 1815 before being 

named as James Monroe's Secretary of State.He was 

the chief negotiator of the Treaty of Ghent.

Adams became the only President elected to the US 

House in 1830 after serving as president. He served 

there 17 years. One key event during this time was his 

role in arguing before the Supreme Court to free the 

slave mutineers aboard the Amistad. He died after 

having a stroke on the floor of the US House on 

February 23, 1848.

During Presidency

John Quincy Adams was the 6th president of the United States of 

America.

He served for fours years. From 1825-1829.

John Quincy Adams served only one term as president. He 

supported internal improvements including the extension of the 

Cumberland Road. In 1828, the so-called "tariff of abominations" 

was passed. Its goal was to protect domestic manufacturing. It was 

strongly opposed in the South and led Vice President John C. 

Calhoun to argue again for the right of nullification - to have South 

Carolina nullify it by ruling it unconstitutional.

Before/After Presidency

Andrew Jackson joined the Continental Army at 13. He 

and his brother were captured and held for two weeks.

As major general of the Tennessee Volunteers, Jackson 

led his troops to victory in March 1814 against the 

Creek Indians at Horseshoe Bend. In May 1814 he was 

made Major General of the army fighting the War of 

1812. On January 8, 1815, he defeated the British in 

New Orleans and was lauded as a hero. He also served 

in the 1st Seminole War when he overthrew the 

Spanish Governor in Florida. Andrew Jackson was a 

lawyer in North Carolina and then Tennessee. In 1796, 

he served at the convention that created the 

Tennessee Constitution. He was elected in 1796 as 

Tennessee's first US Representative and then as US 

Senator in 1797 from which he resigned after eight 

months

Andrew Jackson returned to his home, the Hermitage, 

near Nashville, Tennessee. He stayed active politically 

until his death on June 8, 1845

During Presidency

Andrew Jackson was the 7th President of the UNited States of America.

He served as president for eight years. From 1829-1837.

During Jackson's presidency, sectional issues began to arise. Many Southern 

states wished to preserve state's rights. They were upset over tariffs and 

when in 1832, Jackson signed a moderate tariff, South Carolina felt they had 

the right through "nullification" (the belief that a state could rule something 

unconstitutional) to ignore it. Jackson stood strong against South Carolina, 

ready to use the military if necessary to enforce the tariff. In 1833, a 

compromise tariff was enacted that helped mollify the sectional differences 

for a time.In 1832, Jackson vetoed the Second Bank of the United State's 

charter. He believed the government could not constitutionally create such a 

bank and that it favored the wealthy over the common people. This action 

led to federal money being put into state banks who then loaned it out freely 

leading to inflation. Jackson stopped the easy credit by requiring all land 

purchases be made in gold or silver which would have consequences in 

1837.Jackson supported Georgia's expulsion of the Indians from their land 

to reservations in the West. He used the Indian Removal Act of 1830 to 

force them to move, even discounting the Supreme Court ruling in 

Worcester v. Georgia that said they could not be forced to move. From 

1838-1839, troops led over 15,000 Cherokees from Georgia in what is called 

the Trail of Tears.

Before/After Presidency

Before his presidency, Martin Van Buren became a 

lawyer in 1803. In 1812, he was   elected a New York 

State Senator. He was then elected to the US Senate in 

1821. He worked while Senator to support Andrew 

Jackson in the Election of 1828. He held the seat of New 

York Governor for only three months in 1829 before 

becoming Jackson's Secretary of State. He was 

Jackson's Vice President during his second term.

After his presidency, Martin Van Buren was defeated for 

reelection by William Henry Harrison in 1840. He tried 

again in 1844 and 1848 but lost both of those elections. 

He then decided to retire from public life in New York. 

However, he did serve as electors for Franklin Pierce 

and James Buchanan. He also endorsed Stephen 

Douglas over Abraham Lincoln. He died on July 2, 1862 

of heart failure.

During Presidency

During his presidency, Martin Van Buren's administration began with a 

depression that lasted from 1837 until 1845 called the Panic of 1837. 

Over 900 banks eventually closed and many people went unemployed. 

To combat this, Van Buren fought for an Independent Treasury to help 

ensure the safe deposit of funds.Issues arose with British held Canada 

during Van Buren's time in office. One such event was the so-called 

"Aroostook War" of 1839. This nonviolent conflict arose over thousands 

of miles where the Maine/Canadian border had no defined boundary. 

When a Maine authority tried to send Canadians out of the region, 

militias were called forward. Van Buren was able to make peace through 

General Winfield Scott before fighting began.Texas applied for statehood 

after gaining independence in 1836. If admitted, it would have become 

another slave state which was opposed by the Northern states. Van 

Buren, wishing to help fight against sectional slavery issues, agreed with 

the North. Also, Van Buren continued Jackson's policies concerning the 

Seminole Indians. In 1842, the Second Seminole War ended with the 

Seminoles being defeated.

Before Presidency

Harrison began the War of 1812 as the Major 

General of the Kentucky militia and ended as Major 

General of the Northwest Territories. He led his 

forces to retake Detroit. He then defeated a force of 

British and Indians including Tecumseh at the 

Battle of the Thames. He resigned from the military 

in May, 1814.Harrison left military service in 1798 

to become the Secretary of the Northwest Territory 

and then became the Northwest Territory delegate 

to the House before being appointed Governor of 

the Indian Territories.This was when Tippecanoe 

occurred.After the War of 1812, he was elected US 

Representativeand then State Senator.From 1825, 

he served as a US Senator. He was sent as US 

Minister to Columbia from 1828.

During Presidency/Death

William Henry Harrison was the 9th president of the United States of 

America.

He served as president for one month. From March 4- April 4, 1841.

When Harrison took office, he gave the longest inaugural address ever 

talking for one hour and 40 minutes. It was delivered in the cold during 

the month of March. He then got caught in the rain and in the end came 

down with a cold. His illness got worse until he finally died on April 4, 

1841. He did not have the time to accomplish much and spent most of his 

time dealing with job seekers.William Henry Harrison was not in office 

long enough to really have a significant impact. He only served one 

month, from March 4 until April 4, 1841. He was the first president to die 

in office. In accordance with the Constitution, John Tyler took over the 

presidency.

FUN FACT: 

William Henry Harrison was the grandfather of the 23rd President- 

Benjamin Harrison.

His father Benjamin Harrison V signed the Declaration of Independence.

Before/After Presidency

Before his presidency,John Tyler was a member of the 

Virginia House of Delegates. In 1813, he did join the 

militia but never saw action. In 1816, Tyler was 

elected to be a U.S. Representative. He strongly 

opposed every move towards power for the Federal 

government that he saw as unconstitutional. He 

eventually resigned. He was Governor of Virginia from 

1825-1827 until he was elected a U.S. Senator.

John Tyler did not run for reelection in 1844. He 

retired to his farm in Virginia and later served as 

Chancellor of the College of William and Mary. As the 

Civil War approached, Tyler spoke for secession. He 

was the only president to join the Confederacy. He 

died on January 18, 1862 at the age of 71.

During Presidency

John Tyler was the 10th president of the United States of America.

He served as president for four years. From 1841-1845

John Tyler was the Vice President under William Henry Harrison in the 

election of 1840. He was chosen to balance the ticket since he was from the 

South. He took over upon Harrison's quick demise after only one month in 

office. He was sworn in on April 6, 1841 and did not have a Vice President 

because no provisions had been made in the Constitution for one. In fact, 

many tried to claim that Tyler was actually only "Acting President." He 

fought against this perception and won legitimacy. During his presidency,in 

1841, John Tyler's entire cabinet except Secretary of State Daniel Webster 

resigned. This was due to his vetoes of laws creating the Third Bank of the 

United States. This went against his party's policy. After this point, Tyler 

had to operate as president without a party behind him.In 1842, Tyler 

agreed to and Congress ratified the Webster-Ashburton Treaty with Great 

Britain. This set the boundary between Maine and Canada. The border was 

agreed upon all the way to Oregon. President Polk would deal in his 

administration with the Oregon border.1844 brought the Treaty of Wanghia. 

According to this treaty, America gained the right to trade in Chinese ports. 

America also gained the right of extraterritoriality with U.S. citizens were 

not under the jurisdiction of Chinese law.In 1845, three days before leaving 

office, John Tyler signed into law the joint resolution allowing for the 

annexation of Texas. Importantly, the resolution extended 36 degrees 30 

minutes as the mark dividing free and slave states through Texas.

After Presidency

Polk was focused on politics his whole life. He was a 

member of the Tennessee House of 

Representatives.From 1825-39, he was a member of 

the U.S. House of Representatives including serving 

as its speaker from 1835-1839. He was a great ally 

and supporter of Andrew Jackson. From 1839-1841, 

Polk became Governor off Tennessee.

Polk had announced before taking office that he 

would not seek a second term. He did retire at the 

end of his term. However, he did not live much past 

that date. He died only three months later, possibly 

from Cholera.

During Presidency

James K. Polk was the 11th president of the United States of America.

He serves as president for four years. From 1845-1849.

James K. Polk's time in office was eventful. In 1846, he agreed to fix the 

boundary of the Oregon territory at the 49th parallel. Great Britain and the 

United States disagreed about who claimed the territory. The Oregon 

Treaty mean that Washington and Oregon would be a territory of the U.S. 

and Vancouver would belong to Great Britain.Much of Polk's time in office 

was taken up with the Mexican War which lasted from 1846-1848. The 

annexation of Texas which had taken place at the end of John Tyler's time 

in office hurt relations between Mexico and America. Further, the border 

between the two countries was still disputed. The U.S. felt that the border 

should be set at the Rio Grande River. When Mexico would not agree, Polk 

prepared for war. He ordered General Zachary Taylor to the area.In April, 

1846, Mexican troops fired on the U.S. troops in the area. Polk used this to 

push forward a Declaration of War against Mexico. In February, 1847, 

Taylor was able to defeat the Mexican army led by Santa Anna. By March, 

1847, U.S. troops occupied Mexico City. Concurrently in January, 1847, 

Mexican troops were defeated in California.In February, 1848, The Treaty of 

Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed ending the war. By this treaty, the border 

was fixed at the Rio Grande. By this means, the U.S. gained California and 

Nevada amongst other present day territories amounting to over 500,000 

square miles of land. In exchange, the U.S. agreed to pay Mexico $15 

million for the territory. This agreement reduced the size of Mexico to half 

of its former size.

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