George Washington was the first president of the United States. He served as a general in the Revolutionary War and presided over the Constitutional Convention. The other early presidents included John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and James Monroe, each of whom made important contributions to the founding and growth of the new American nation.
4. Quit *George Washington was born on February 22, 1732 in Virginia. *Through the course of his life, Washington was a surveyor, a planter, and a member of both the British and American military. *Washington married Martha Dandridge Custis, and had two children. *The home where Washington lived was called Mount Vernon. *When tensions with the British grew, Washington was a Virginia delegate to the Second Continental Congress. *The wedding of George Washington and Martha Dandridge Custis.
5. Quit *George Washington, the first president, was the only U.S. president to be elected unanimously. *When George Washington was elected, there were only 7 states in the Union. "As the sword was the last resort for the preservation of our liberties, so it ought to be the first to be laid aside when those liberties are firmly established." *In 1782, George Washington was the first to award a purple heart to soldiers who Displayed bravery and courage; this award is still given to soldiers who prove to have these characteristics. *George Washington was an American general during the American Revolution. A quote by Washington: *After serving as president from 1789- 1797, Washington died on December 14, 1799.
6. Quit *In this video, you will learn more about the life of George Washington. Click on the video to play.
8. Quit *John Adams was born October 30, 1735 in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. *Adams attended Harvard, where he became a lawyer. *He married Abigail Smith, and they had five children. *He was a delegate to the First Continental Congress, as well as the Second Continental Congress. *During the Revolutionary War, he was a diplomat to both Holland and France. *He served two terms as vice president to George Washington. *The house where John Adams was born.
9. Quit *The third president, John Adams, was the first president to have a son who also became president. *John Adams was also the first president to live in the White House. *He helped to create the Declaration of Independence, as well as the Constitutional government. "By my physical constitution, I am but an ordinary man. The times alone have destined me to fame - and even these have not been able to give me much." A Quote by Adams: *John Adams died on July 4, 1826- the same day as his rival, Thomas Jefferson. *Adams was president from 1797-1801.
12. Quit *Thomas Jefferson was born on April 13, 1743 in Albemarle County, Virginia *Jefferson attended the College of William and Mary, and became a lawyer *He married Martha Wayles Skelton, and had five children *The home in which Jefferson lived was called Monticello *Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence *Besides president, he also served as minister to France, as well as on the cabinet of George Washington *Monticello
13. Quit *Thomas Jefferson, the third president, authorized the Lewis and Clarke expedition, which led to the Louisiana Purchase. *He was the first president to be elected by the House of Representatives. *While he was president, the U.S. population was 5.5 million. *Because his wife died 19 years before he became president, his daughter, Martha, took on the role of First Lady. *Thomas Jefferson served as president from 1801- 1809, and died the same day as John Adams, on July 4, 1826. “ All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent.” A quote by Jefferson:
14. Quit *In this video, you will learn more about the life of Thomas Jefferson. Click on the video to play.
16. Quit *James Madison was born March 16, 1751, and was brought up in Orange County, Virginia. *Madison attended Princeton University, and studied history and government. *Throughout his life, Madison worked as: a farmer, a planter, and a Colonel in the military. *He married Dolly Payne Todd. *Madison was part of the Continental Congress, as well as the Virginia Assembly. *Madison helped the frame the Virginia Constitution, as well as the Bill of Rights, as well as help to write the Federalist Papers , along with John Jay and Alexander Hamilton. *The men who wrote the Federalist Papers: (l-r) John Jay, James Madison, and Alexander Hamilton.
17. Quit *James Madison, the fourth president, was president during the War of 1812- the was even referred to as “Mr. Madison’s War”. *Madison kept the most complete notes on the Constitutional Convention. *He was a central person in the development of the Constitution of the United States. *He served two terms as president, from 1809- 1817, but both of his vice presidents died while in office. *James Madison died on June 28, 1836. "A popular Government without popular information, or the means of acquiring it, is but a prologue to a farce or a tragedy; or, perhaps both." A quote by Madison:
18. Quit *In this video, you will learn more about James Madison, and how he helped to revise the Articles of Confederation. Click on the video to play.
20. Quit *James Monroe was born on April 28, 1758 in Westmoreland County, Virginia. *Monroe attended the College of William and Mary, and became a lawyer in Fredericksburg, Virginia. *He also served in the Continental Army as a Lieutenant and Colonel. *James Monroe married Elizabeth Kortright, and they had three children. *Before becoming president, Monroe was a senator for the state of Virginia, and also a Minister to France. *As the Presidents before him, Monroe also served on the Continental Congress. *The home of James Monroe.
21. Quit *The fifth president, James Monroe received all but one vote from the electoral college in the election of 1820. *Monroe bought Florida from Spain in 1819. *He issued The Monroe Doctrine, which protected Latin America, as well as the Northwest Territories from Europe. *Monroe’s presidency was known as “The Era of Good Feelings”. *He served two terms as president, from 1817-1825. *James Monroe died on July 4, 1831. "The earth was given to mankind to support the greatest number of which it is capable, and no tribe or people have a right to withhold from the wants of others more than is necessary for their own support and comfort." A quote by Monroe:
22. Quit *In this video, you will learn more about how the United States acquired Florida from Spain during the presidency of James Monroe. Click on the video to play.
