PERIODIC PRESIDENTS on BOBBLEHEAD GEORGE

George Washington - with Periodic Presidents

There have been a lot of tough acts to follow in history, but perhaps nobody had as hard a time stepping out of the shadow of their predecessor as John Adams. George Washington left impossible shoes to fill for his successor, and anybody would have had a hard time living up to the standard set by the American Cincinnatus.

A man of science, Jefferson loved to learn and took every opportunity to gain knowledge that could enrich his life. He was always ready to accept new discoveries and adopt new theories, even when they might contradict his own beliefs. He believed that inventions were the ultimate practical application of scientific discoveries for the good of man. After all, knowledge should have some practical application.

James Madison may have been small in stature... but he made up for it with his enormous IQ... famously authoring the Virginia Plan... garnering him the nickname “Father of the Constitution” and the Bill of Rights.

James Monroe was the last of the founding generation to win the Presidency.

John Quincy's win in 1824 marked the end of the Era of Good Feelings. John Quincy, the son of John Adams, was the last Democratic-Republicans to hold the office of the Presidency. John Quincy's presidency may not have been memorable, but his time in the House of Representatives was epic!

Andrew Jackson, the Hero of the Common Man, clawed his way to the presidency in 1828. Known as Old Hickory, Andrew Jackson was the first president from the Democratic Party. He left a long lasting (and often controversial) impact on the nation and on the presidency.

Van Buren was a sure thing in the election of 1836... but man known as the Little Magician wasn't able to deal effectively with the Panic of 1837. In 1840, Martin Van Buren's magic ran out.

Unlike his long military career, William Henry Harrison's presidency was remarkably short. The shortest presidency ever, to be precise. Harrison was the first Whig to win the presidency and was the first president to die in office.

The second Whig to hold the office of the presidency, John Tyler was was the first vice-president to ascend to the presidency after the death of the sitting president.... earning him the unflattering knick-name, "His Accidency." John Tyler, abandoned by both of the major political parties, made waves by overseeing the annexation of Texas in 1845.

Democrat, James K. Polk is considered to be the last "strong" president before the Civil War. Polk, a protégé of Andrew Jackson was often referred to as "Young Hickory." Determined and hardworking, James K. Polk secured the Oregon Territory and acquired the Mexican Cession for the United States.

Zachary Taylor, who gained fame in the Mexican War, ran as the Whig candidate in the presidential election of 1848. Taylor, the seventh of eight Virginia-born presidents, was the second president to die in office.

Millard Fillmore became the second vice-president to ascend the presidency when, in the tradition of all elected Whig presidents, Zachary Taylor died in office. Fillmore, the last of the Whig presidents, is the last president not to be associated with the Democratic or Republican parties.

At the age of 48, Pierce was, up until that point, the youngest person to inaugurated as President of the United States. Widely agreed to be amongst the most handsome men ever to be president, Franklin Pierce was the second in a trio of pre-civil war presidents whose uninspired and shortsighted administrations did nothing to avert the Civil War.

On paper, Buchanan was highly qualified...serving as a member of the Pennsylvania State Legislature, the U.S. House of Representatives, the U.S. Senate, Foreign Minister to both Russia and Great Britain, and as Secretary of State for president Polk. This didn't translate into a successful presidency. Presiding over a rapidly dividing Nation, Buchanan inadequately grasped the political realities of the time.

No other president other than George Washington has achieved the level of popularity and admiration from the American people and scholars as Lincoln. The self-taught attorney was born into poverty in a cabin in Kentucky in 1809, and began his political career as a member of the Whig party. His debates against Stephen Douglas in 1858 helped to paved the way to the Republican nomination in 1860.

Vice-president Andrew Johnson, who was thrust into office after Lincoln’s death, was ill prepared to deal with the 2 major issues facing our country: The reconstruction of the Union & determining the future of the confederate states.

General Grant was the obvious choice for the Republican ticket in the election of 1868. President Grant won the election of 1868 over his opponent, New York governor, Horatio Seymour. He may have been obvious, but the skills that helped him lead the Union to victory in the Civil War did not translate into the complexities of leading the large, swiftly growing, and rapidly changing nation.

Hayes is perhaps best known as the president that oversaw the end of reconstruction, as federal troops were removed from former confederate territory. Hayes’s administration was not completely from domestic conflict, as the Army was called in to end the Great Railroad Strike of 1877. As President, Hayes backed the gold standard, advocated for civil service reform, and had the first telephone installed in the White House.

James Garfield was the last of the “log cabin” presidents. He was born into poverty in Ohio and then, through his own hard work, perseverance, and determination became a teacher, a lawyer, a college president at the age of 26, an army general at the age of 30, and a powerful politician.

In 1880, James Garfield chose Arthur as his running mate. The shooting of Garfield placed Arthur in a position no other Vice President ever found themselves in. Although Garfield was shot on July 2nd, he did not pass away until September 19th, leaving the country without a president for months. Arthur was sworn in as President after he heard of the death of Garfield early on the morning of September 20.

The First Democrat elected after the Civil War, Grover Cleveland was the only President..to date…to leave the White House and return for a second term four years later.

Benjamin Harrison with Periodic Presidents.

With the economic Panic of 1893 fresh in everyone’s mind, the Democrats started this race a step behind. William McKinley, the Civil War officer and Governor of Ohio, faced William Jennings Bryan, the great orator.