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US Presidents
President's Day
What does President's Day celebrate?
This holiday is most commonly called President's Day, but the federal holiday is officially called Washington's Birthday. The day honors all of the previous presidents of the United States.
When is President's Day celebrated?
The third Monday in February
Who celebrates this day?
Washington's Birthday is a national federal holiday. Many states celebrate Washington's Day while other states officially call the day President's Day. The holiday is held on or around President George Washington's birthday, which is on February 22nd. President Abraham Lincoln's birthday, February 12, is also near this date and is often honored on President's day.
Fun Facts
In honor of President's Day we've put together some of our favorite fun facts about presidents:
- George Washington was the only president unanimously elected. Meaning all of the state representatives voted for him.
- John Adams died on the same day as Thomas Jefferson, July 4th, 1826. This day was also the 50th anniversary of the approval of the Declaration of Independence!
- Thomas Jefferson was also an accomplished architect. He designed his famous home at Monticello as well as buildings for the University of Virginia.
- James Madison and George Washington are the only presidents who signed the Constitution.
- James Madison was the shortest president at 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighed 100 pounds. Abraham Lincoln was the tallest president at 6 feet 4 inches tall (Lyndon B. Johnson was also 6' 4").
- James Monroe was the 5th president, but the 3rd to die on the 4th of July.
- On the day he was shot, Lincoln told his bodyguard that he had dreamt he would be assassinated.
- Abraham Lincoln often stored things like letters and documents in his tall stove-piped hat.
- Franklin D. Roosevelt met President Grover Cleveland when he was five years old. Cleveland said "I am making a wish for you. It is that you may never become president of the United States".
- Franklin D. Roosevelt was the first president to appear on television during a 1939 broadcast from the World's Fair.
- At 42 years, 10 months, 18 days old Teddy Roosevelt was the youngest man to hold the office of president. Joe Biden was the oldest at 78 years, 61 days. John F. Kennedy was the youngest to be elected president.
- Teddy Roosevelt was blind in his left eye due to an injury in a boxing match.
- When Ronald Reagan was shot by an assassin in 1981, he joked "I forgot to duck".
- The "S" in Harry S. Truman does not stand for anything.
- John F. Kennedy was the first president who was a Boy Scout.
- Woodrow Wilson was buried at the Washington National Cathedral. He is the only president buried in Washington D.C.
- Andrew Jackson was shot in the chest during a gun dual, but managed to stay standing and shoot and kill his opponent. The bullet could not be safely removed and remained in his chest for the next 40 years.
- George W. Bush is the only president to have earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree.
- Barack Obama won a Grammy Award in 2006 for his voice on the audio book Dreams From My Father.
- After working at a Baskin-Robbins as a teen, President Obama no longer likes ice cream. Bummer!
- Bill Clinton enjoys playing the saxophone and was a member of a band called "Three Blind Mice" in high school.
- Martin Van Buren was the first president to be born as a citizen of the United States. The presidents before him were born as British subjects.
- Martin Van Buren was the only president to speak English as a second language. His first language was Dutch.
- William Henry Harrison was the 9th president. His grandson, Benjamin Harrison, was the 23rd president.
- John Tyler had 15 children. The White House must have been hopping!
- James K. Polk was the first president to have his photograph taken while in office.
- William Henry Harrison died just 32 days after becoming president. He died from a cold he got while standing in the rain giving his inauguration speech.
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