Is There a President in the House? – Part 3
If experience counts, then the two Presidents right before the Civil War should have been great leaders, and the President during the Civil War...
Is There a President in the House? – Part 2
Martin Van Buren was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1821. The previous year, he had engineered a revolt against his party’s leader, Governor...
Is There a President in the House? – Part 1
Most of our Presidents gained early political experience while serving in Congress. Of our 42 Presidents (remember, Cleveland served twice), all but 18 served...
Reluctant Witness to History – Robert Todd Lincoln
Robert Todd Lincoln, eldest son of President Abraham Lincoln, had the unique distinction of being present at three Presidential assassinations. It is a fact...
Substitute First Lady – Harriet Lane
James Buchanan (1857-1861) was the only bachelor President. But he wasn’t the first President to enter the White House without a wife to act...
The President’s Lady – Rachel Donelson Robards Jackson
Rachel Donelson Robards Jackson never got to be First Lady. She died in the period between her husband’s election as President and his inauguration....
Presidential Children – The Hayes Kids
Elected in the closest election in our history, Rutherford and Lucy Hayes moved into the White House in 1877 with three of their five...
White House Heroes
Many well-known and celebrated heroes have lived in the White House. Some have gotten to the White House on the popularity of their reputations...
The Other American Vice President
In the back of virtually every American History textbook you will find a list of American Presidents and Vice Presidents. But there is one...
Charles Francis Adams: Unsung Hero
Charles Francis Adams was the son of a President and the grandson of another President. He was considered for the presidency himself, and was...