PRESIDENTS

47 Amazing Facts About All 45 American Presidents

Read on to discover which American president wanted to be a concert violinist, which carried a dictionary around in his pocket, who burned his official White House portrait, and why Joe Biden's dog made history.

11 Facts About Air Force One

Just as much a symbol of the presidency as the White House itself, Air Force One is probably the world’s most recognizable plane.

Can You Put All the U.S. Presidents in the Correct Order?

Let’s see how well you know your presidents.

8 Gripping Facts About the Vietnam War Draft

Dive into the history of the draft during the Vietnam War, including its origins, how long it lasted, and how some young Boomers successfully managed to dodge it.

Why America Obsesses Over the President’s First 100 Days in Office

Would you want to be compared to the man who legalized beer in his first 100 days in office?

Why Are There 9 Supreme Court Justices?

The U.S. Constitution doesn't specify how many Supreme Court justices are necessary—and there weren’t always nine on the bench.

Do You Know the Presidential Line of Succession?

The transfer of power passes through a lot of people. Can you put them in order?

5 of Abraham Lincoln’s Favorite Foods

The 16th president loved nutritious snacks—and he was also a big fan of bacon.

Martin Van Buren Had a Really Nice Toilet

The eighth president had a commode fit for a commander-in-chief at Lindenwald, his home in Kinderhook, New York.

2008 Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin had a concession speech written up for election night—but wasn’t allowed to deliver it.

12 Historical Speeches Nobody Ever Heard

For every speech, there are a bunch of versions that ended up on the writers' room floor. Here are 12 speeches that were written but, for a variety of reasons, never delivered.

Sorry, Lincoln: Presidents Day Is for George Washington Only

Presidents Day has only nothing to do with Abraham Lincoln. And it doesn’t even legally exist.

Richard Nixon opted to peace out of his successor’s swearing in ceremony.

6 Presidents Who Didn’t Attend Their Successor’s Inauguration

While skipping the incoming president’s inauguration is a break from tradition, it isn’t unprecedented.

Swearing the presidential Oath of Office on a Bible is traditional, but not required.

Has Every U.S. President Been Sworn in on a Bible?

The U.S. Constitution requires every president-elect to swear the Oath of Office—and that’s about it.

A mob outside the White House during Andrew Jackson's first inaugural reception, 1828.

7 U.S. Inauguration Day Mishaps

The inauguration of a new U.S. President is a day of pomp and ceremony, of solemn oaths and dignified celebrations. But things don’t always go as planned.

11 Surprising Movies Jimmy Carter Watched While He Was President

From ‘Midnight Cowboy’ to ‘The Cat from Outer Space,’ the former POTUS was an eclectic cinephile.

The Supreme Court has weighed a convicted person’s right to refuse a pardon in three major cases.

Can a Person Refuse a Presidential Pardon?

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled in at least three cases on a person’s right to refuse a presidential pardon.

6 of History’s Worst In-Laws

From Ivan the Terrible to Herod the Great, these historical figures weren’t the best relatives.

For a time, people couldn’t make up their minds.

The Debate Behind How to Number a President

Grover Cleveland caused quite the conundrum when he was elected for the second time in 1892 after a four-year break from the Oval Office.

President Obama departing the White House on January 20, 2016.

Here’s When a President’s Term Officially Ends

Inauguration Day isn’t just a matter of scheduling—presidential term limits are exactly four years, down to the hour.

Can You Match the U.S. President to Their Middle Name?

Take Our Latest Quizzes:

There are actually multiple versions of this iconic sticker.

A Brief but Fascinating History of the ‘I Voted’ Sticker

The origins of those ‘I Voted’ stickers you see everyone rocking on Election Day go back to the 1950s in the United States, but the design everyone recognizes most was created by Janet Boudreau in the late 1980s.

The White House’s most mysterious occupant remains unidentified.

“The Thing”: When a Mysterious Teenage Ghost Haunted Taft’s White House

To this day, no one knows who "The Thing" might have been.

When President Grover Cleveland Was Given a Proto-Ouija Board as a Wedding Present

The gift helped commercialize the “talking board,” and paved the way for future models.

Some of these presidents were well versed in October surprises.

Where Did the Term ‘October Surprise’ Originate?

Its political legacy began during the Iran hostage crisis, but other kinds of October surprises had been happening for decades.