PRESIDENTS

In his House Divided speech, Lincoln feared the outcome of the Missouri Compromise would be civil war.

“A House Divided Against Itself Cannot Stand”: Deciphering Lincoln’s Warning About Civil War

In his famous 1858 speech, Abraham Lincoln warned that only civil war would resolve the issue of slavery in the U.S. He wasn’t wrong.

Quiz: Can You Guess the Summer Jobs of These Future U.S. Presidents?

These future presidents worked some not-so-glamorous jobs as teenagers.

Why Do We Call a President’s Wife “First Lady”?

Presidents have had a lot of titles and nicknames, but the wife of every president has one common honorific. Why do we call her “first lady”?

5 Wild Ideas Rejected by the Constitutional Convention

In researching his latest book, ‘The Year of Living Constitutionally,’ author A.J. Jacobs came across some bizarre suggestions floated by members of the Constitutional Convention for the new United States government.

In the winter of 1861, former president Franklin Pierce found himself accused of treason.

The Bizarre Story Behind How Franklin Pierce Was Accused of Treason

An anonymous letter supposedly from a member of a secret society claimed that Franklin Pierce was involved in treasonous activities against the American government—an accusation that infuriated the former president.

When George Bush and Saddam Hussein Were Challenged to a Duel

In 2002, the two powerful world leaders were invited to settle their differences the old-fashioned way: Combat.

Did William Henry Harrison Really Die of Pneumonia?

People are still torn over the belief that the ninth president died of pneumonia after not wearing a coat to his inauguration.

Official White House portrait of President John Tyler by George P. A. Healy.

President John Tyler’s Grandson Is Still Alive

John Tyler was born in 1790. He took office in 1841, after William Henry Harrison died. And he has one living grandchild.

Rutherford B. Hayes, National Hero of Paraguay

How a largely forgotten U.S. president became a South American idol.

12 Historical Conspiracy Theories

From doubt over Shakespeare’s existence to Lincoln’s assassination, conspiracy theories have been around for centuries.

Presidents Day vs. President’s Day vs. Presidents’ Day: Which One Is It?

The apostrophe in Presidents Day—or President's Day or Presidents's Day—is all over the place ... or nowhere to be found at all.

Martin Van Buren’s nickname wasn’t a compliment.

30 Unusual Presidential Nicknames—And How They Were Acquired

From the obscure (“American Fabius") to the sports-related (“Barry O'Bomber”), here are just a few of the most colorful presidential nicknames.

Barack Obama giving his inauguration speech, 2009.

Listen to Some of the Most Famous Presidential Speeches From History

Listen to inaugural addresses and other speeches from each president from John F. Kennedy to Barack Obama.

George Washington’s Extra-Boozy Eggnog Recipe Will Knock You Sideways

George Washington's preferred eggnog recipe calls for four kinds of booze—and none of them in small quantities.

The Underground Cheese Caves of Missouri

in the 1980s, Springfield was home to a subterranean labyrinth made up of cheese wheels.

Elvis could have been a hunk of granite.

A Fifth Head for Mount Rushmore? Here Are Seven Famous Contenders

Who, if anybody, deserves a place alongside George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt on the famous monument?

Why Ulysses S. Grant’s Wife Julia Always Posed in Profile

After a sweet plea from her husband not to change her looks, the first lady was careful about how she presented herself in pictures.

General George Washington has the look of a man with more stars than anybody else.

Why George Washington Is History's Only Six-Star General

Thanks to a law passed in 1976, our nation's first president—who died more than 200 years ago—is still the military's highest-ranking official.

The Original Version of the Declaration of Independence

Thomas Jefferson was not happy about some of the edits made to his draft. Here's what didn't make the final cut.

John Wilkes Booth shooting Abraham Lincoln, with Clara Harris and Henry Rathbone seated to the right of the president and first lady.

The Couple Who Sat with Lincoln on the Night of His Assassination

The Lincolns weren't alone in the presidential box at Ford's Theater that night.

The Reason U.S. Presidents Aren't Allowed to Drive Cars

From Lyndon B. Johnson to Joe Biden, presidents can get neither fast nor furious behind the wheel.

President Theodore Roosevelt by John Singer Sargent

Roosevelt's "The Man in the Arena"

"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better."

The 10 Worst Presidents in American History, According to Historians

According to historians, these are the worst American presidents ever to hold the highest office in the land.

Did Thomas Jefferson really bring ice cream to the U.S.?

1 Misconception About Each U.S. President

George Washington wasn’t the only U.S. president for whom a healthy dose of fiction gets mixed in with the facts.

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