Timeline of USA Presidents (1789-2026) | Complete Chronological List With Mini Biography & Cause of Death
Timeline of USA Presidents (1789–2026)
Complete Chronological List With Mini Biography & Cause of Death
George Washington (1789–1797)
First U.S. president and Revolutionary War general. Established key presidential precedents, including the peaceful transfer of power and the two-term tradition. Focused on stabilizing the new federal government and keeping the nation neutral in foreign conflicts.
Cause of death: Throat infection (likely epiglottitis), 1799.
John Adams (1797–1801)
Founding Father and diplomat. Strengthened the U.S. Navy and avoided full war with France during the Quasi-War.
Cause of death: Heart failure, 1826.
Thomas Jefferson (1801–1809)
Author of the Declaration of Independence. Completed the Louisiana Purchase, doubling U.S. territory.
Cause of death: Natural causes (age-related illness), 1826.
James Madison (1809–1817)
“Father of the Constitution.” Led the nation through the War of 1812 against Britain.
Cause of death: Heart failure, 1836.
James Monroe (1817–1825)
Issued the Monroe Doctrine, warning European powers against interference in the Americas.
Cause of death: Heart failure, 1831.
John Quincy Adams (1825–1829)
Promoted infrastructure, science, and education. Later served in Congress after presidency.
Cause of death: Stroke (collapsed in the U.S. Capitol), 1848.
Andrew Jackson (1829–1837)
Expanded executive power and championed populism. Controversial for Native American removal policies.
Cause of death: Tuberculosis and heart failure, 1845.
Martin Van Buren (1837–1841)
Faced the Panic of 1837, a severe economic crisis.
Cause of death: Asthma and heart failure, 1862.
William Henry Harrison (1841)
Shortest presidency in U.S. history (31 days).
Cause of death: Pneumonia, 1841.
John Tyler (1841–1845)
First vice president to assume presidency after death of a sitting president.
Cause of death: Stroke, 1862.
James K. Polk (1845–1849)
Oversaw major territorial expansion following the Mexican-American War.
Cause of death: Cholera, 1849.
Zachary Taylor (1849–1850)
Mexican War hero who died while in office.
Cause of death: Acute gastroenteritis, 1850.
Millard Fillmore (1850–1853)
Supported the Compromise of 1850 amid growing sectional tensions.
Cause of death: Stroke, 1874.
Franklin Pierce (1853–1857)
Signed the Kansas-Nebraska Act, intensifying slavery conflicts.
Cause of death: Cirrhosis of the liver, 1869.
James Buchanan (1857–1861)
Presided during the lead-up to the Civil War; criticized for inaction during secession.
Cause of death: Respiratory failure, 1868.
Abraham Lincoln (1861–1865)
Led the Union during the Civil War and issued the Emancipation Proclamation.
Cause of death: Assassination (gunshot by John Wilkes Booth), 1865.
Andrew Johnson (1865–1869)
Oversaw early Reconstruction; first president impeached (acquitted).
Cause of death: Stroke, 1875.
Ulysses S. Grant (1869–1877)
Civil War general who worked to protect civil rights during Reconstruction.
Cause of death: Throat cancer, 1885.
Rutherford B. Hayes (1877–1881)
Ended Reconstruction through the Compromise of 1877.
Cause of death: Heart attack, 1893.
James A. Garfield (1881)
Assassinated months after taking office.
Cause of death: Assassination (infection from gunshot), 1881.
Chester A. Arthur (1881–1885)
Advanced civil service reform with the Pendleton Act.
Cause of death: Stroke complications, 1886.
Grover Cleveland (1885–1889; 1893–1897)
Only president to serve two non-consecutive terms.
Cause of death: Heart attack, 1908.
Benjamin Harrison (1889–1893)
Signed the Sherman Antitrust Act.
Cause of death: Pneumonia, 1901.
William McKinley (1897–1901)
Led during the Spanish-American War.
Cause of death: Assassination (gunshot infection), 1901.
Theodore Roosevelt (1901–1909)
Progressive reformer and trust-buster; advanced conservation and built Panama Canal.
Cause of death: Heart attack, 1919.
William Howard Taft (1909–1913)
Later became Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
Cause of death: Heart disease, 1930.
Woodrow Wilson (1913–1921)
Led during World War I and proposed the League of Nations.
Cause of death: Stroke complications, 1924.
Warren G. Harding (1921–1923)
Presidency marked by Teapot Dome scandal.
Cause of death: Heart attack, 1923.
Calvin Coolidge (1923–1929)
Pro-business policies during the Roaring Twenties.
Cause of death: Heart attack, 1933.
Herbert Hoover (1929–1933)
Faced the Great Depression after the 1929 stock market crash.
Cause of death: Internal bleeding (colon cancer), 1964.
Franklin D. Roosevelt (1933–1945)
Only president elected four times; led during the Great Depression and most of WWII.
Cause of death: Cerebral hemorrhage, 1945.
Harry S. Truman (1945–1953)
Authorized atomic bombs and began Cold War policies.
Cause of death: Organ failure, 1972.
Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953–1961)
Oversaw creation of the Interstate Highway System.
Cause of death: Heart failure, 1969.
John F. Kennedy (1961–1963)
Managed Cuban Missile Crisis and advanced the space race.
Cause of death: Assassination (gunshot), 1963.
Lyndon B. Johnson (1963–1969)
Passed Civil Rights Act and escalated Vietnam War.
Cause of death: Heart attack, 1973.
Richard Nixon (1969–1974)
Opened diplomatic relations with China; resigned after Watergate.
Cause of death: Stroke, 1994.
Gerald Ford (1974–1977)
Became president after Nixon’s resignation.
Cause of death: Heart failure, 2006.
Jimmy Carter (1977–1981)
Focused on human rights and brokered the Camp David Accords.
Status: Living (as of 2026).
Ronald Reagan (1981–1989)
Economic reforms and Cold War diplomacy.
Cause of death: Pneumonia (Alzheimer’s complications), 2004.
George H. W. Bush (1989–1993)
Led during the Gulf War and oversaw the end of the Cold War.
Cause of death: Parkinson’s-related complications, 2018.
Bill Clinton (1993–2001)
Strong economic growth; impeached but acquitted.
Status: Living (as of 2026).
George W. Bush (2001–2009)
Led during 9/11 attacks and Iraq War.
Status: Living (as of 2026).
Barack Obama (2009–2017)
First African American president; signed Affordable Care Act.
Status: Living (as of 2026).
Donald Trump (2017–2021; 2025–Present)
Businessman turned politician; returned to office in 2025.
Status: Living (as of 2026).
Joe Biden (2021–2025)
Focused on pandemic recovery and infrastructure investment.
Status: Living (as of 2026).
Complete Border List: U.S. Presidents Timeline
- George Washington (1789–1797)
- John Adams (1797–1801)
- Thomas Jefferson (1801–1809)
- James Madison (1809–1817)
- James Monroe (1817–1825)
- John Quincy Adams (1825–1829)
- Andrew Jackson (1829–1837)
- Martin Van Buren (1837–1841)
- William Henry Harrison (1841)
- John Tyler (1841–1845)
- James K. Polk (1845–1849)
- Zachary Taylor (1849–1850)
- Millard Fillmore (1850–1853)
- Franklin Pierce (1853–1857)
- James Buchanan (1857–1861)
- Abraham Lincoln (1861–1865)
- Andrew Johnson (1865–1869)
- Ulysses S. Grant (1869–1877)
- Rutherford B. Hayes (1877–1881)
- James A. Garfield (1881)
- Chester A. Arthur (1881–1885)
- Grover Cleveland (1885–1889; 1893–1897)
- Benjamin Harrison (1889–1893)
- William McKinley (1897–1901)
- Theodore Roosevelt (1901–1909)
- William Howard Taft (1909–1913)
- Woodrow Wilson (1913–1921)
- Warren G. Harding (1921–1923)
- Calvin Coolidge (1923–1929)
- Herbert Hoover (1929–1933)
- Franklin D. Roosevelt (1933–1945)
- Harry S. Truman (1945–1953)
- Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953–1961)
- John F. Kennedy (1961–1963)
- Lyndon B. Johnson (1963–1969)
- Richard Nixon (1969–1974)
- Gerald Ford (1974–1977)
- Jimmy Carter (1977–1981)
- Ronald Reagan (1981–1989)
- George H. W. Bush (1989–1993)
- Bill Clinton (1993–2001)
- George W. Bush (2001–2009)
- Barack Obama (2009–2017)
- Donald Trump (2017–2021; 2025–Present)
- Joe Biden (2021–2025)
Fun Facts, Trivia, Did You Know & Goofs About U.S. Presidents
The history of American presidents isn’t just wars, speeches, and serious portraits — it’s full of surprising trivia, strange coincidences, awkward mistakes, and downright funny moments. From wig mishaps to presidential pets, here are some of the most entertaining facts about U.S. presidents from George Washington to modern leaders.
🇺🇸 Fun Presidential Facts
George Washington never lived in the White House.
The White House wasn’t completed until 1800, so Washington never actually stayed in the presidential mansion he helped establish.
John Adams and Thomas Jefferson died on the same day.
Both died on July 4, 1826 — exactly 50 years after the Declaration of Independence was adopted. Even stranger? They had once been political rivals. Jefferson’s last words reportedly were, “John Adams still survives,” unaware that Adams had died hours earlier.
Abraham Lincoln was a wrestling champion.
Before becoming president, Abraham Lincoln was known for his strength and reportedly lost only one wrestling match out of hundreds.
Theodore Roosevelt survived being shot during a speech.
In 1912, a bullet hit Theodore Roosevelt — but his folded speech and eyeglass case slowed the bullet. He continued speaking for nearly 90 minutes before seeking medical help!
Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected four times.
Franklin D. Roosevelt is the only U.S. president elected to four terms. After him, the Constitution was amended to limit presidents to two terms.
🤯 Did You Know?
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William Henry Harrison gave the longest inauguration speech — and died a month later. He spoke for nearly two hours in cold weather without a coat, then died of pneumonia 31 days into office.
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John Quincy Adams kept a pet alligator in the White House. The gift reportedly came from the Marquis de Lafayette.
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Andrew Jackson survived an assassination attempt — and beat the attacker with his cane. Both pistols misfired!
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Herbert Hoover and Harry Truman disliked each other deeply, yet later reconciled and became friends.
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Barack Obama won a Grammy Award for narrating his audiobook.
🐾 Presidential Pets & Oddities
Presidents love pets — but some choices were unusual.
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John Tyler had 15 children, more than any other president.
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Calvin Coolidge had a pet raccoon intended for Thanksgiving dinner — but he kept it instead.
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Theodore Roosevelt’s White House felt like a zoo, housing snakes, dogs, birds, and even a badger.
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George H. W. Bush banned broccoli from Air Force One, saying he’d disliked it since childhood.
😂 Presidential Goofs & Awkward Moments
Even presidents make mistakes.
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Gerald Ford was often portrayed as clumsy after a few public stumbles — though he was actually a former college football star.
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Richard Nixon’s famous “I am not a crook” speech became one of the most quoted political lines in U.S. history — for all the wrong reasons.
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Jimmy Carter once gave a televised speech about a “malaise” affecting America — though he never actually used the word “malaise.”
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Ronald Reagan joked after being shot in 1981, telling surgeons, “I hope you are all Republicans.”
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During a 2009 speech, Barack Obama had a fly land on his hand — and casually swatted it mid-interview.
🔎 Presidential Coincidences
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Abraham Lincoln was elected to Congress in 1846; John F. Kennedy was elected in 1946 — 100 years apart.
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Lincoln was elected president in 1860; Kennedy in 1960.
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Both were assassinated on a Friday and succeeded by men named Johnson.
History may be serious business — but as these fun facts show, the presidency is also filled with human moments, strange coincidences, and unforgettable stories.
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