The president of the United States is the head of state and the head of government of the United States of America. Each president after election serves four years, with a maximum amount of two terms, or eight years, in office. The officeholder leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces.
Since the office was established in 1789, 51 men and 3 women have taken office. The first, George Washington, won a unanimous vote of the Electoral College, the only time in history the electoral votes were unanimous. Grover Cleveland served two non-consecutive terms in office and so is counted as the 22nd and the 24th president of the United States. This is the only time this has happened in presidential history, too.
Throughout most of its history, American politics have been dominated by political parties. Throughout the late 1700's, federalism was the leading political party in the United States. Throughout the early 1800's, Democratic-Republicanism was the leading political party. In the mid-1800's, there was a long-fought rivalry between the dominating Whig and Democratic parties. From the late-1800's to today, there is a continuous rivalry between the Republican and Democratic Parties, which both still exist and have been ruling American politics since Lincoln's presidency in 1861.
Presidents[]
George Washington: 1789-1797[]
A portrait of George Washington, painted by Gilbert Stuart (1795)
George Washington (February 22, 1732 - December 14, 1799) was an American political leader, military general, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States of America from 1789 to 1797. He was noteworthy for his courage in the American Revolutionary War, being the leader of the Continental Army and leading Patriot forces to victory against the British. He presided at the Constitutional Convention of 1787, and was one of the first men to oversee the U.S. Constitution and the establishment of a federal government. Washington is commonly referred to as the "Father of His Country" for his excellent leadership during the American Revolutionary War and his strides to maintain peace during his presidency.
Washington was born in Westmoreland County, Virginia, and his childhood was primarily spent being homeschooled and riding his pony. He was the tallest, strongest, fastest, and the best rider of most boys his age in his county, and spent much of his time training to become an expert rider. Washington joined the military in February 1753 as a major of the militia, volunteering for active duty ten months later. Twenty years later, Washington was promoted to the leader of the Continental Army and became a loyal patriot in the American Revolutionary War. He fought long and hard, and his leadership allowed for the Continental Army to successfully defeat the British and become the Thirteen Colonies of North America.
For Washington's heroism and remarkable achievements in life, many American citizens wanted him to become the king of America, however Washington vowed that power wasn't going to get to his head. A federal government and a constitution was established, and he won a unanimous electoral vote in the 1788-89 presidential elections. Many inaccurate sources state that Washington was a federalist candidate as he agreed with Federalists on most conflicts and situations in America, however Washington was officially unaffiliated with any political party. He later stated that political parties would be the downfall of America.
During George Washington's presidency, several major actions were taken to ensure American security. For one, Washington announced a policy of neutrality to keep America at peace. His country was in mass debt due to the American Revolutionary War, so conflicts would be its downfall. He oversaw the creation of a national bank, and ratified the first ten amendments of the U.S. Constitution. Finally, the second presidential election would roll around and, once more, Washington would win in a unanimous electoral vote. His vice president was declared to be John Adams, a fellow Founding Father and a federalist candidate who also partook in the 1788-89 election, losing to Washington drastically.
However, during his second term, reception of Washington began to tank. His presidency caused mass deterioration in British relations, and public approval rating seemed to be dropping. By the end of his term, he released the noteworthy "Farewell Address" where he warned against American political parties and requested that future American leaders kept foreign relations to a minimum. He died on December 14, 1799 after succumbing to a throat infection at home on Mount Vernon.
John Adams: 1797-1801[]
(Portrait of John Adams by Gilbert Stuart in 1815)