People And Biographies

INTRODUCTION
George Washington (1732-1799), first president of the United States (1789-1797) and one of the most important leaders in United States history. His role in gaining independence for the American colonies and later in unifying them under the new U.S. federal government cannot be overestimated. Laboring against great difficulties, he created the Continental Army, which fought [...]

I  INTRODUCTION
Martin Van Buren (1782-1862), eighth president of the United States (1837-1841) and the first president born after the United States won its independence. He was regarded by his contemporaries as such a wily and artful politician that they dubbed him the “Little Magician” and the “Red Fox of Kinderhook.” However, these unflattering nicknames [...]

I  INTRODUCTION
Andrew Jackson (1767-1845), seventh president of the United States (1829-1837) and the first Westerner to be elected president. His election marked the end of a political era dominated by the planter aristocracy of Virginia and the commercial aristocracy of New England. Jackson himself was an aristocrat, but from a rougher mold than his [...]

I  INTRODUCTION
John Quincy Adams (1767-1848), sixth president of the United States (1825-1829), who devoted his life and his great ability to serving the people of the United States. Of the 81 years he lived, 50 were spent in public office. His service ended only with his death at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. [...]

I  INTRODUCTION
James Monroe (1758-1831), fifth president of the United States (1817-1825) and the last of the so-called Virginia dynasty of U.S. presidents. He succeeded his lifelong friends Thomas Jefferson and James Madison in the nation’s highest office. Monroe was a man of good intelligence, sound judgment, and highest integrity. In more than 40 years [...]

I  INTRODUCTION
James Madison (1751-1836), fourth president of the United States (1809-1817) and one of its founding fathers. In a distinguished public career that covered more than 40 years, he worked for American independence, helped to establish the government of the new nation, and went on to participate in that government as congressman, secretary of [...]

I  INTRODUCTION
Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), third president of the United States (1801-1809) and author of the Declaration of Independence. He was one of the most brilliant individuals in history. His interests were boundless, and his accomplishments were great and varied. He was a philosopher, educator, naturalist, politician, scientist, architect, inventor, pioneer in scientific farming, musician, [...]

I  INTRODUCTION
John Adams (1735-1826), second president of the United States (1797-1801) and one of the great figures in American history. In the years before the American Revolution (1775-1783) he joined with other patriots in resisting British rule. When the revolution began, Adams was among the first to propose American independence. He served on the [...]