Ever tried to name every single one of them in order? It's a nightmare. Honestly, most of us tap out somewhere around James K. Polk or Millard Fillmore. We remember the "big" ones—Washington, Lincoln, FDR—but the gaps in between are filled with bearded men in black suits who all seem to blend together.
As of early 2026, we’ve had 47 presidencies but only 46 people have actually held the job. If that sounds like a riddle, it’s basically just the Grover Cleveland effect. He’s the guy who won, lost, and then won again, making him both the 22nd and 24th president. Now, history has repeated itself. Donald Trump is currently serving as the 47th president after a four-year break following his first term (the 45th), joining Cleveland in that very exclusive "non-consecutive" club.
The Founders and the "Virginia Dynasty"
It all started with George Washington in 1789. He didn't even want the job, really. He had to borrow money just to travel to his own inauguration. People think of him as this marble statue, but he was a guy who struggled with terrible toothaches and wore dentures made of ivory and actual human teeth. Not wood. That’s a total myth.
The early years were dominated by Virginia. Washington, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe—they were all from the same state. This "Virginia Dynasty" basically set the blueprint for what the office looks like.
- George Washington (1789–1797): The only one ever elected unanimously.
- John Adams (1797–1801): A bit of a grump, honestly. He was the first to live in the White House, which was still basically a construction zone at the time.
- Thomas Jefferson (1801–1809): He bought Louisiana for pennies on the acre and loved fossils.
- James Madison (1809–1817): Tiny guy. Only 5'4" and barely 100 pounds. He’s the Father of the Constitution, but he could probably fit in your carry-on luggage.
- James Monroe (1817–1825): His era was called the "Era of Good Feelings," which is a nice way of saying there was only one political party for a minute.
Things Get Messy: The Mid-1800s
If you look at a list of all the presidents of the United States, the middle of the 19th century is where things get... weird. We had a string of one-termers and guys who died almost immediately.
Take William Henry Harrison. He gave the longest inaugural address in history—nearly two hours in a freezing rainstorm without a coat. He died 31 days later. Don't give long speeches, kids.
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Then you’ve got John Tyler, who was so disliked by his own party that they kicked him out while he was still president. He was the first VP to take over after a death, and people actually called him "His Accidency."
The Civil War Era
- Abraham Lincoln (1861–1865): The tallest at 6'4". He was a licensed bartender at one point and a champion wrestler. He’s arguably the most famous name on the list, but his successor, Andrew Johnson, was the first to be impeached.
The late 1800s were the "Beard Years." From Grant to Harrison, it was just a sea of facial hair. Ulysses S. Grant (the 18th) once got a speeding ticket in D.C. for riding his horse and buggy too fast. He actually paid the fine.
The 20th Century: Global Power and TV
As we moved into the 1900s, the job changed. It became about global presence. Teddy Roosevelt (the 26th) was a literal action hero. He survived an assassination attempt by getting shot in the chest and then finishing his 90-minute speech before going to the hospital.
Then came FDR. Franklin D. Roosevelt is the only reason we have term limits now. He won four elections. After he died in office in 1945, Congress decided two terms was plenty for anyone.
The 1960s brought us JFK, the first president born in the 20th century, and the first "TV president." Then came the Nixon era. Richard Nixon is still the only president to resign, which happened in 1974 because of the Watergate scandal.
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The Modern Era and the 2026 Landscape
By the time we got to the 2000s, the list of all the presidents of the United States started looking more like the world we live in today.
- George W. Bush (2001–2009): The only president with an MBA.
- Barack Obama (2009–2017): The first Black president and a two-term leader.
- Donald Trump (2017–2021): The 45th.
- Joe Biden (2021–2025): The 46th.
- Donald Trump (2025–Present): The 47th.
Currently, in 2026, the administration is focused on things like AI regulation and border policy. It’s wild to think about how different the 47th president’s daily life is compared to Washington’s. Washington spent his days worrying about quill pens and parchment; now, the White House has a dedicated "Lead the World in AI" priority.
Who Are These People? A Quick Reference List
To make it easy, here is the chronological flow of everyone who has held the title:
- George Washington
- John Adams
- Thomas Jefferson
- James Madison
- James Monroe
- John Quincy Adams
- Andrew Jackson
- Martin Van Buren
- William Henry Harrison
- John Tyler
- James K. Polk
- Zachary Taylor
- Millard Fillmore
- Franklin Pierce
- James Buchanan
- Abraham Lincoln
- Andrew Johnson
- Ulysses S. Grant
- Rutherford B. Hayes
- James A. Garfield
- Chester A. Arthur
- Grover Cleveland
- Benjamin Harrison
- Grover Cleveland (again!)
- William McKinley
- Theodore Roosevelt
- William Howard Taft
- Woodrow Wilson
- Warren G. Harding
- Calvin Coolidge
- Herbert Hoover
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Harry S. Truman
- Dwight D. Eisenhower
- John F. Kennedy
- Lyndon B. Johnson
- Richard Nixon
- Gerald Ford
- Jimmy Carter
- Ronald Reagan
- George H.W. Bush
- Bill Clinton
- George W. Bush
- Barack Obama
- Donald Trump
- Joe Biden
- Donald Trump
Some Weird Stats You Can Use to Win Trivia
Kinda surprising, but eight presidents were born in Virginia. Ohio is a close second with seven. If you want to be president, move to one of those states, I guess.
Also, the "S" in Harry S. Truman doesn't stand for anything. His parents couldn't decide between his grandfathers' names (Anderson Shipp Truman and Solomon Young), so they just gave him the "S."
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James Buchanan is the only one who never married. His niece acted as the "First Lady." And if you think the White House has always been fancy, remember that Benjamin Harrison was so scared of the newly installed electricity that he and his wife refused to touch the light switches. They often slept with the lights on because they were afraid of getting shocked.
How to Actually Remember This
Memorizing a list of all the presidents of the United States isn't about rote learning. It’s about the stories. You remember Lincoln because of the hat and the Civil War. You remember Teddy because of the "Big Stick" and the National Parks.
If you're trying to learn them for a test or just to be that person at the dinner table, try grouping them by era: The Founders, the Civil War era, the Gilded Age (lots of beards), the World War era, and the Modern age.
Actionable Next Steps
- Visit the National Portrait Gallery: If you're ever in D.C., their "America's Presidents" exhibit is the only place outside the White House with a full collection of presidential portraits. It’s honestly haunting and cool at the same time.
- Check out the White House Historical Association: They have deep dives into the weird pets (like Van Buren’s tiger cubs) and the renovation histories of the building.
- Use mnemonic devices: "Washington And Jefferson Made Many A Joke" can help you start the first few. Create your own for the sections you find hardest to remember.
- Fact-check your memes: Half the "quotes" you see from the Founding Fathers on social media are fake. Always use a source like the Library of Congress or a university press if you’re citing them for something important.
The list of all the presidents of the United States is a living document. Every four or eight years, it changes. Whether you're looking at the 1st or the 47th, each one left a footprint—some bigger than others, but all of them part of the same long, strange story.