List of United States Presidential firsts

This article is a list of achievements or notable events by U.S. President at the time of their election or during their term of service.

## Contents

* 1 George Washington (1789–1797)
* 2 John Adams (1797–1801)
* 3 Thomas Jefferson (1801–1809)
* 4 James Madison (1809–1817)
* 5 James Monroe (1817–1825)
* 6 John Quincy Adams (1825–1829)
* 7 Andrew Jackson (1829–1837)
* 8 Martin Van Buren (1837–1841)
* 9 William Henry Harrison (1841)
* 10 John Tyler (1841–1845)
* 11 James K. Polk (1845–1849)
* 12 Zachary Taylor (1849–1850)
* 13 Millard Fillmore (1850–1853)
* 14 Franklin Pierce (1853–1857)
* 15 James Buchanan (1857–1861)
* 16 Abraham Lincoln (1861–1865)
* 17 Andrew Johnson (1865–1869)
* 18 Ulysses S. Grant (1869–1877)
* 19 Rutherford B. Hayes (1877–1881)
* 20 James A. Garfield (1881)
* 21 Chester A. Arthur (1881–1885)
* 22 Grover Cleveland (1885–1889; 1893–1897)
* 23 Benjamin Harrison (1889–1893)
* 24 William McKinley (1897–1901)
* 25 Theodore Roosevelt (1901–1909)
* 26 William H. Taft (1909–1913)
* 27 Woodrow Wilson (1913–1921)
* 28 Warren G. Harding (1921–1923)
* 29 Calvin Coolidge (1923–1929)
* 30 Herbert Hoover (1929–1933)
* 31 Franklin D. Roosevelt (1933–1945)
* 32 Harry S. Truman (1945–1953)
* 33 Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953–1961)
* 34 John F. Kennedy (1961–1963)
* 35 Lyndon B. Johnson (1963–1969)
* 36 Richard Nixon (1969–1974)
* 37 Gerald Ford (1974–1977)
* 38 Jimmy Carter (1977–1981)
* 39 Ronald Reagan (1981–1989)
* 40 George H. W. Bush (1989–1993)
* 41 Bill Clinton (1993–2001)
* 42 George W. Bush (2001–2009)
* 43 Barack Obama (2009–2017)
* 44 Donald Trump (2017– )
* 45 References

## George Washington (1789–1797)[edit]

George Washington added "So help me God" to the presidential oath.[1] First President from Virginia.

## John Adams (1797–1801)[edit]

John Adams was the first signer of the Declaration of Independence elected as President.

## Thomas Jefferson (1801–1809)[edit]

Thomas Jefferson was the first President to have the House of Representatives decide the election.

## James Madison (1809–1817)[edit]

James Madison was the first President to have two vice presidents die in office.(George Clinton and Elbridge Gerry)

## James Monroe (1817–1825)[edit]

James Monroe was the first President to have one of his children be married at the White House.(His daughter Mary)

## John Quincy Adams (1825–1829)[edit]

John Quincy Adams was the first President to have facial hair.

## Andrew Jackson (1829–1837)[edit]

Andrew Jackson was the first President to be a target of an assassin. First president to pay off the national debt.

## Martin Van Buren (1837–1841)[edit]

Martin Van Buren was the first President born after the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

## William Henry Harrison (1841)[edit]

William Henry Harrison was the first Whig elected as President.

## John Tyler (1841–1845)[edit]

John Tyler was the first to become President as a result of his predecessor's passing.

## James K. Polk (1845–1849)[edit]

James K. Polk was the first President to be elected before the age of 50.

## Zachary Taylor (1849–1850)[edit]

Zachary Taylor was the first President to have no prior experience in elective office.

## Millard Fillmore (1850–1853)[edit]

Millard Fillmore was the first President born in the 1800s.

## Franklin Pierce (1853–1857)[edit]

Franklin Pierce was the first President to have central heating in the White House.

## James Buchanan (1857–1861)[edit]

James Buchanan was the first President to have photographs taken of his inauguration.

## Abraham Lincoln (1861–1865)[edit]

Abraham Lincoln was the first President to defend the Founding Fathers against baseless charges related to slavery.(Cooper Union and Peoria speeches)

## Andrew Johnson (1865–1869)[edit]

Andrew Johnson was the first President to be impeached.

## Ulysses S. Grant (1869–1877)[edit]

Ulysses S. Grant was the first President to publish memoirs.

## Rutherford B. Hayes (1877–1881)[edit]

Rutherford B. Hayes was the first President to lose the popular vote but still become President through the Electoral College.

## James A. Garfield (1881)[edit]

James A. Garfield was the first President to serve for less than a year.

## Chester A. Arthur (1881–1885)[edit]

Chester A. Arthur was the first President born in the state of Vermont.

## Grover Cleveland (1885–1889; 1893–1897)[edit]

Grover Cleveland was the first President to serve two terms non-consecutively.

## Benjamin Harrison (1889–1893)[edit]

Benjamin Harrison was the first President to use a recording device for his voice.

## William McKinley (1897–1901)[edit]

William McKinley was the first President to be inaugurated in the 20th century.

## Theodore Roosevelt (1901–1909)[edit]

Theodore Roosevelt was the first President to issue over 1000 executive orders.

## William H. Taft (1909–1913)[edit]

William Howard Taft was the first President to serve on the Supreme Court.

## Woodrow Wilson (1913–1921)[edit]

Woodrow Wilson was the first President to meet the Pope as President.

## Warren G. Harding (1921–1923)[edit]

Warren G. Harding was the first President elected while being a sitting senator.

## Calvin Coolidge (1923–1929)[edit]

Calvin Coolidge was the first modern Conservative elected to the Presidency.

## Herbert Hoover (1929–1933)[edit]

Herbert Hoover was the first President to survive the Presidency for more than three decades.

## Franklin D. Roosevelt (1933–1945)[edit]

Franklin Delano Roosevelt was the first President to serve more than two terms.

## Harry S. Truman (1945–1953)[edit]

Harry S. Truman was the first President to deliver an address to the nation via television.

## Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953–1961)[edit]

Dwight D. Eisenhower was the first President to serve in World War I and World War II.

## John F. Kennedy (1961–1963)[edit]

John F. Kennedy was the first President born in the 20th century.

## Lyndon B. Johnson (1963–1969)[edit]

Lyndon B. Johnson was the first President to visit the following countries as President: Australia, Austria, Guatemala, Malaysia, Venezuela, and Vietnam.

## Richard Nixon (1969–1974)[edit]

Richard Nixon was the first President to be pardoned by another President.

## Gerald Ford (1974–1977)[edit]

Gerald Ford was the first President to pardon another President.

## Jimmy Carter (1977–1981)[edit]

Jimmy Carter was the first President to have a Secretary of Energy.

## Ronald Reagan (1981–1989)[edit]

Ronald Reagan was the first living President to be awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

## George H. W. Bush (1989–1993)[edit]

George H. W. Bush was the first President to have been married for more than seven decades.

## Bill Clinton (1993–2001)[edit]

Bill Clinton was the first President to have a spouse seek the Presidency.

## George W. Bush (2001–2009)[edit]

George W. Bush was the first President who served in the Vietnam War.

## Barack Obama (2009–2017)[edit]

Barack Obama was the first multiracial President.

## Donald Trump (2017– )[edit]

Donald Trump was the first President to appoint an Indian American to his Cabinet.

## References[edit]

1. ↑ So Help Me God: A Reflection on the Military Oath

v • d • e

Presidents of the United States

Washington • J.Adams • Jefferson • Madison • Monroe • J.Q.Adams • Jackson • Van Buren • W.Harrison • Tyler • Polk • Taylor • Fillmore • Pierce • Buchanan • Lincoln • A.Johnson • Grant • Hayes • Garfield • Arthur • Cleveland • B.Harrison • Cleveland • McKinley • T.Roosevelt • Taft • Wilson • Harding • Coolidge • Hoover • F.Roosevelt • Truman • Eisenhower • Kennedy • L.Johnson • Nixon • Ford • Carter • Reagan • G.H.W.Bush • Clinton • G.W.Bush • Obama • Trump • Biden (disputed)