a little history lesson.. take 3 !

this is an add on to my two previous articles.. you can find the first one here.. & the second one here..


so here are some more interesting facts on our former presidents !

John Tyler - Had the most children of any president.. which was 15. Tyler didn't have a Vice President. He had been William Henry Harrison's VP, and the position was not filled when Tyler assumed the presidency. He was playing marbles when informed that he had become president upon the death of Harrison.

James K. Polk - Enter text here.Enter text here.The promise of easy riches brought thousands to California in the gold rush of 1842. In 1846, "Polk's war" won the territory from Mexico. Polk was cold, forbidding, and generally unpopular, however his support for manifest destiny, the idea that gaining western lands was noble and right, resulted in the greatest territorial expansion in America's history.

Just as Andrew Jackson's toughness earned him the nickname "Old Hickory", Polk's support of Jackson was so strong that he was nicknamed "Young Hickory", and won Jackson's old seat in Congress eight times.

Zachary Taylor - Taylor was a second cousin of James Madison, a fourth cousin once removed of Robert E. Lee, and a fourth cousin three times removed of Franklin D. Roosevelt. Taylor's body was recently exhumed because some thought that his death was caused by murder instead of natural causes. Taylor chewed tobacco and was famous for never missing a spottoon when he spat. Taylor rode his horse sidesaddle whenever he went into battle. Taylor spent July 4, 1850, eating cherries and milk at a ceremony at the Washington Monument. He got sick from the heat and died five days later, the second president to die in office. Abraham Lincoln gave the eulogy at his funeral.

Millard Fillmore -  Fillmore established the first permanent library in the White House. Fillmore's wife had the first "running-water bathtub" installed in the White House. He enjoyed collecting books.

Franklin Pierce - Franklin Pierce was the first President to have a Christmas tree in the White House. Pierce was arrested while in office for running over an old woman with his horse, but his case was dropped due to insufficient evidence in 1853. One of the Democratic party's slogans during Pierce's campaign for president was: "We Polked you in 1844; we shall Pierce you in 1852." Pierce died of cirrhosis of the liver as a result of years of heavy drinking.

James Buchanan - Only President to be born in the state of Pennsylvania! Buchanan was the first unmarried man to be elected President. By the time Buchanan's presidential term ended, seven states had seceded from the Union
Abraham Lincoln - Lincoln was afraid of dentists because a dentist broke off part of Lincoln’s jawbone by pulling a tooth. Lincoln was the tallest president at 6 feet 4 inches tall, at a time when most men in the United States were about 5 feet 6 inches. His footwear had to be custom made. He was colorblind. First president to be photographed at his inauguration (with John Wilkes Boothe standing nearby in the picture). Abraham had four children, Robert Todd Lincoln, Edward Lincoln, Willie Lincoln, Tad Lincoln. Only Robert Todd Lincoln survived into adulthood. He was the first president to be assassinated. He had deep depression, even though he would frequently tell stories and jokes to friends and family. Lincoln, one week before his death, had a dream of someone crying in the White House, when he found the room; he looked in and asked who had passed away. The man in the room said the President. When he looked in the coffin it was his own face he saw.

Andrew Johnson - Johnson was drunk at his inauguration for Vice President.(His doctor had prescribed him some alcoholic medicine.) Andrew Johnson was a self-educated tailor. He is the only President who made his own clothes as well as his cabinet's. His wife was only 16 years old when they were married.

Ulysses S. Grant - President Grant's real name was Hiram Ulysses Grant, but he didn't want the initials H.U.G. on his belongings. The S. was made up at West Point and he liked the intitials U.S. First presidential canidate to have a female opponent.

Rutherford B. Hayes - In 1879, President Hayes installed the first telephone in the White House. At first it was hardly used, because there weren't many other phones in Washington to call. Enter text hereHayes's family held the first White House Easter egg roll for children, a tradition that continues today. In 1880 Hayes became the first president to visit the West Coast. Hayes received fewer popular votes than his opponent, Samuel Tilden, but was awarded the presidency by an electoral commission. Though other presidents served in the Civil War, Hayes was the only one to have been wounded - four times!