You’d think after 237 years we’d have the math down, right?
Most people will tell you Joe Biden was the 46th president and Donald Trump is the 47th. That’s the official count. But if you actually sit down and look at the president of the United States all in a row, the numbers get weird. We’ve actually only had 45 different human beings hold the job.
Grover Cleveland is the reason your history teacher had a headache. He served as the 22nd president, lost an election, and then came back four years later to be the 24th. Because he wasn't consecutive, the National Archives counts him twice. Now, with Donald Trump serving as the 45th and 47th, we have two "double-counted" men in the history books. It’s a bit of a clerical nightmare, honestly.
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The Men Who Weren't Supposed to Be There
Being the "spare" is a tough gig. Nine times in American history, the Vice President has had to pack their bags and move down the hall because the boss died or quit.
John Tyler was the first. When William Henry Harrison died just 31 days into his term in 1841—mostly because he gave a two-hour speech in the freezing rain without a coat—nobody really knew what to do. The Constitution was kinda vague. Was Tyler "Acting President" or the actual President? Tyler didn't care for the debate. He moved into the White House, returned all mail addressed to "Acting President" unopened, and basically forced the government to recognize him as the 10th president.
Then you’ve got the tragic transitions.
- Andrew Johnson taking over for Lincoln.
- Lyndon B. Johnson being sworn in on Air Force One next to a blood-stained Jackie Kennedy.
- Gerald Ford, the only man to serve as president without being elected to the presidency or the vice presidency by the people.
Ford's situation was wild. He was appointed VP when Spiro Agnew resigned in a bribery scandal, then became president months later when Nixon resigned over Watergate. Talk about being in the right (or wrong) place at the right time.
Strange Habits and Presidential Secrets
When we talk about the president of the United States all together, we tend to think of them as these marble statues. They weren't. They were often incredibly weird people.
Take John Quincy Adams. He was a fitness nut before that was a thing. He used to go skinny-dipping in the Potomac River every morning at 5:00 AM. One morning, a female journalist named Anne Royall—who had been trying to get an interview for weeks—found his clothes on the shore. She sat on them and refused to leave until he answered her questions while he bobbed in the water. He gave the interview.
Then there’s the height thing. James Madison was a tiny guy, barely 5'4" and 100 pounds. Compare that to Abraham Lincoln or LBJ, both of whom were 6'4". If you stood Madison next to Lincoln, it would look like a comedy routine.
And don't even get started on the pets.
- Martin Van Buren had two tiger cubs (Congress made him give them to the zoo).
- Teddy Roosevelt had a literal menagerie, including a badger named Josiah and a pony that once rode the White House elevator.
- Andrew Jackson taught his parrot, Poll, how to curse. The bird had to be removed from Jackson’s own funeral because it wouldn't stop screaming profanities at the mourners.
Misconceptions That Just Won't Die
We love a good myth.
Almost everyone thinks George Washington had wooden teeth. He didn't. His dentures were actually a horrifying mix of ivory, brass, and—sadly—teeth taken from enslaved people and animals. They were uncomfortable, stained easily, and made his face look perpetually swollen.
Another one? The idea that the "Oval Office" has always been the hub. It hasn't. The West Wing wasn't even built until 1902 under Teddy Roosevelt. Before that, the president basically lived and worked in the same rooms, with the public often just wandering into the hallways hoping for a chat. Imagine wandering into the White House today and just bumping into the president near the kitchen.
The Heavy Cost of the Job
The presidency isn't just a title; it’s a physical toll. If you look at photos of any president of the United States all from their first day to their last, they look like they've aged twenty years in four.
Four presidents were assassinated: Lincoln, Garfield, McKinley, and Kennedy. Garfield’s death was actually the most preventable. He was shot in a train station, but he likely would have survived if his doctors hadn't spent days poking around his wound with unwashed fingers and dirty tools. It wasn't the bullet that killed him; it was the infection caused by his own medical team.
Getting It Right: A Quick Reality Check
If you're trying to keep the facts straight, remember these three things:
- The Count: We are on President #47 (Trump), but he is only the 45th person to hold the office.
- The Origins: Virginia is the "Mother of Presidents," having produced eight of them. Ohio is a close second with seven.
- The Requirements: You don't just need to be 35 and a natural-born citizen; you have to have lived in the U.S. for 14 years.
Actionable Steps for History Buffs
If you want to actually understand the presidency beyond a list of names, start with the primary sources.
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Don't just read a textbook. Go to the Library of Congress digital archives. Look at the handwritten letters from Madison or the frantic notes taken during the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Visit a Presidential Library if you're ever near one. Each one is a time capsule of a specific era in American life. Seeing the actual desk where the 1964 Civil Rights Act was signed or the tiny TV Eisenhower used to watch the news changes how you see these men. They weren't just icons; they were guys trying to figure out a job that has no manual.
Next time someone asks you about the president of the United States all, you can tell them that the history is a lot messier, funnier, and more human than the number on the 20-dollar bill suggests.