Presidents' Day 2010: Presidential Fun Facts

Presidents' Day 2010

In honor of Presidents' Day 2010, we're presenting the Strangest Facts About Presidents! Bet all you history buffs out there didn't realize one of the most important job titles in the world could have so much odd trivia connected to it!

1. BARACK OBAMA is the 44th US president, but there actually have only been 43 presidents: Cleveland was elected for two nonconsecutive terms and is counted twice, as the 22nd and 24th president of the US.
2. EIGHT PRESIDENTS were born British subjects: Washington, J. Adams, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, J. Q. Adams, Jackson and W. Harrison.
3. EIGHT PRESIDENTS never attended college: Washington, Jackson, Van Buren, Taylor, Fillmore, Lincoln, A. Johnson and Cleveland.
4. THE COLLEGE that has the most presidents as alumni (seven in total) is Harvard: J. Adams, J. Q. Adams, T. Roosevelt, F. Roosevelt, Rutherford B. Hayes, J. F. Kennedy and George W. Bush all went there.
5. EIGHTEEN PRESIDENTS are "Washington Outsiders" (they never served in Congress): Washington, J. Adams, Jefferson, Taylor, Grant, Arthur, Cleveland, T. Roosevelt, Taft, Wilson, Coolidge, Hoover, F. Roosevelt, Eisenhower, Carter, Reagan, Clinton and G. W. Bush.
6. THE MOST COMMON religion among presidents has been Episcopalian, followed by Presbyterian.
7. THE ANCESTRY of all 44 presidents is limited to the following heritages, or some combination of: Dutch, English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh, Swiss, German and Africian.
8. THE OLDEST president inaugurated was Reagan (age 69); the youngest was Kennedy (age 43). But Theodore Roosevelt was the youngest man to become president. He was 42 when he succeeded McKinley, who had been assassinated.
9. THE TALLEST president was Lincoln at 6'4"; at 5'4", Madison was the shortest.
10. FOURTEEN PRESIDENTS served as vice-presidents: J. Adams, Jefferson, Van Buren, Tyler, Fillmore, A. Johnson, Arthur, T. Roosevelt, Coolidge, Truman, Nixon, L. Johnson, Ford and George Bush.
11. THE TERM FIRST LADY was used first in 1849 when President Zachary Taylor called Dolley Madison "First Lady" at her state funeral.
12. JAMES BUCHANAN was the only president never to marry.
13. SIX PRESIDENTS had no children. Tyler had the most kids - 15!

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