47th presidency of the USA.

46th presidency of the USA.

Trump’s term emphasized an “America First” agenda with tax cuts, trade confrontations, and conservative judicial appointments; it was characterized by political polarization, an impeachment, and the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic.

Obama’s administration passed the Affordable Care Act (expanding healthcare), oversaw recovery from a major recession, advanced climate change policies, and ordered the mission that killed Osama bin Laden.

George W. Bush’s presidency was defined by the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and the subsequent War on Terror, including wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as the 2008 financial crisis in his final year.

Clinton’s tenure enjoyed economic expansion and federal budget surpluses, alongside NAFTA’s passage, but was overshadowed by a scandal leading to his impeachment by the House (he was acquitted by the Senate).

George H. W. Bush managed the peaceful end of the Cold War and led a UN coalition in the successful Gulf War against Iraq (1991), but a domestic recession hurt his political standing.

Reagan’s administration saw a revival of the economy through tax cuts and deregulation, a military buildup that pressured the USSR, and the beginning of the end of the Cold War, though also rising national debt.

Carter brokered the Camp David Accords (peace between Egypt and Israel) and emphasized human rights, but faced domestic economic woes and the Iran hostage crisis that undermined his presidency.

Ford assumed the presidency after Nixon’s resignation, pardoned Nixon to move the nation past Watergate, and grappled with economic stagflation during his short tenure.

Nixon opened relations with China and negotiated arms control with the Soviet Union while ending U.S. involvement in Vietnam, but the Watergate scandal forced him to resign from office in 1974.

Johnson achieved landmark civil rights laws (Civil Rights Act, Voting Rights Act) and Great Society programs (Medicare, Medicaid), but his escalation of the Vietnam War provoked widespread protest and division.

Kennedy navigated high Cold War tensions (the Bay of Pigs invasion, Cuban Missile Crisis) and championed the Space Race and civil rights initiatives before his assassination in 1963.

Eisenhower’s presidency was marked by 1950s prosperity, the creation of the Interstate Highway System, and a steady hand in Cold War diplomacy, including ending the Korean War.

Truman made crucial decisions at the end of WWII (including using atomic bombs on Japan) and guided the U.S. through the start of the Cold War, implementing the Marshall Plan and entering the Korean War.

FDR launched the New Deal programs to combat the Great Depression and led the U.S. through most of World War II, significantly expanding the federal government’s role in the economy and society.

Hoover’s term was overwhelmed by the onset of the Great Depression after the 1929 stock market crash; his limited response was seen as inadequate as unemployment and hardship grew.

Coolidge’s laissez-faire leadership during the roaring 1920s featured tax cuts and economic boom, while he maintained a strict limited-government philosophy.

Harding presided over a post-WWI return to normalcy and economic prosperity, but his administration was later tarnished by major corruption scandals (like Teapot Dome) revealed after his death.

Wilson enacted progressive economic reforms (Federal Reserve, income tax, antitrust laws) and led the U.S. through World War I, later advocating the League of Nations in the peace treaty.

Taft continued antitrust prosecutions and progressive policies but favored a more conservative approach than Roosevelt; after his presidency, he served as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.

Theodore Roosevelt pursued progressive reforms (trust-busting, railroad regulation), conservation of natural resources, and a vigorous foreign policy exemplified by the start of the Panama Canal.

McKinley led the nation to victory in the Spanish–American War (1898), acquiring territories like Puerto Rico and the Philippines, and presided over economic growth until his assassination in 1901.

Returning to office, Cleveland faced the Panic of 1893, a deep economic depression, defended the gold standard, and used federal troops to quell the Pullman Strike.

Benjamin Harrison’s administration passed the McKinley Tariff and the Sherman Antitrust Act, admitted six new western states, and installed electricity in the White House.

In his first term, Cleveland was an anti-corruption reformer who vetoed many wasteful bills and opposed high tariffs, promoting honest, frugal government.

Arthur surprised critics by embracing civil service reform (Pendleton Act) and presided over a drive to modernize the U.S. Navy.

Garfield advocated civil service reform and sought to reconcile factions of his party but was assassinated just a few months into his term.

Hayes ended Reconstruction in 1877, and attempted civil service reforms amid division.

Grant fought to protect African Americans’ rights during Reconstruction and stabilized the post-war economy, though his administration was marred by scandals.

Johnson presided over early Reconstruction but clashed with Congress, leading to his impeachment (and acquittal).

Lincoln led the Union to victory in the Civil War (1861–1865) and issued the Emancipation Proclamation, preserving the nation and abolishing slavery.

Buchanan’s presidency failed to prevent the Union’s breakdown; Southern states began seceding by the time he left office, on the brink of Civil War.

Pierce’s term saw the Kansas–Nebraska Act of 1854, which inflamed the slavery issue and led to violent conflict in Kansas.

Fillmore supported and signed the Compromise of 1850, including the Fugitive Slave Act, trying to ease sectional tensions between North and South.

Taylor confronted debates over slavery’s expansion into new territories and died suddenly in 1850 before those tensions were resolved.

Polk oversaw the Mexican–American War (1846–1848), which fulfilled Manifest Destiny by expanding U.S. territory to the Pacific Ocean.

Tyler set the precedent that a vice president assumes full presidential powers. He annexed Texas near the end of his term.

Harrison served the shortest term – only one month – before dying of illness, making his presidency the briefest in history.

Van Buren’s presidency was dominated by the Panic of 1837 and the ensuing economic depression that defined his time in office.

Jackson ushered in the era of “Jacksonian Democracy,” vetoed the national bank, and enforced the Indian Removal Act, reshaping federal power.

His term was contentious; John Quincy Adams advocated federal investment in infrastructure and education amid fierce political opposition.

Remembered for the ‘Era of Good Feelings,’ Monroe promulgated the Monroe Doctrine, warning European powers against meddling in the Americas.

Madison led the country through the War of 1812 against Britain, defending the young nation’s independence.

Jefferson doubled the nation’s size with the Louisiana Purchase and sponsored the Lewis and Clark Expedition during his administration.

His presidency was marked by the undeclared naval Quasi-War with France and a peaceful transfer of power to his successor in 1801.

He set up the new government and established many precedents, while keeping the United States neutral in foreign conflicts.