25 presidents

George Washington

1 — First president; Revolutionary War commander; set two-term precedent

John Adams

2 — Early founder; first vice president; strong Federalist leadership

Thomas Jefferson

3 — Author of Declaration of Independence; Louisiana Purchase

James Madison

4 — “Father of the Constitution”; led during War of 1812

James Monroe

5 — Monroe Doctrine; Era of Good Feelings

John Quincy Adams

6 — Son of a president; focused on internal improvements

Andrew Jackson

7 — Expanded presidential power; champion of “common man”

Martin Van Buren

8 — Panic of 1837 economic crisis during term

William Henry Harrison

9 — Died shortly after inauguration; shortest presidency

John Tyler

10 — First VP to assume office after death of a president

James K. Polk

11 — Oversaw major westward expansion; Mexican-American War

Zachary Taylor

12 — Mexican-American War general; died in office

Millard Fillmore

13 — Signed Compromise of 1850; tensions over slavery increased

Franklin Pierce

14 — Kansas-Nebraska Act worsened sectional conflict

James Buchanan

15 — Failed to prevent southern secession before Civil War

Abraham Lincoln

16 — Led Civil War; issued Emancipation Proclamation

Andrew Johnson

17 — Reconstruction clashes with Congress; impeached

Ulysses S. Grant

18 — Union general; Reconstruction enforcement; corruption scandals

Rutherford B. Hayes

19 — Ended Reconstruction; contested election compromise

James Garfield

20 — Assassinated early in term; civil service reform momentum

Chester A. Arthur

21 — Pendleton Civil Service Act to combat patronage

Grover Cleveland

22 — Only president with non-consecutive terms; reform and limited government

Benjamin Harrison

23 — Tariff legislation; served between Cleveland’s terms

Grover Cleveland

24 — Returned to office; economic panic and labor unrest

William McKinley

25 — Spanish-American War; U.S. gained overseas territories