-
Founding Presidents (1789-1829)
- George Washington: The Father of the United States – Lesson
- John Adams: A Stubborn but Dedicated Leader – Lesson
- Thomas Jefferson: The Author of Independence – Lesson
- Founding Presidents: Washington, Adams, and Jefferson – Quiz
- James Madison: The Father of the Constitution – Lesson
- James Monroe: Opposing the Federalists – Lesson
- John Quincy Adams: The Federalists who Abandoned the Party – Lesson
- Founding Presidents: Madison, Monroe, and Adams – Quiz
-
Civil War Presidents (1829-1869)
- Andrew Jackson: The First Democrat – Lesson
- Martin Van Buren: The Little Magician – Lesson
- Civil War Presidents: Jackson and Van Buren – Quiz
- William Henry Harrison: The Indian-Fighter – Lesson
- John Tyler: The First President to Not Be Elected – Lesson
- James Polk: Young Hickory – Lesson
- Zachary Taylor: Old Rough and Ready – Lesson
- Millard Fillmore: The Last Whig President – Lesson
- Franklin Pierce: A President Ruined by Slavery – Lesson
- Franklin Pierce: A President Ruined by Slavery – Quiz
- James Buchanan: A President for States’ Rights – Lesson
- James Buchanan: A President for States’ Rights – Quiz
- Abraham Lincoln: The Great Emancipator – Lesson
- Abraham Lincoln: The Great Emancipator – Quiz
- Andrew Johnson: The First President to Be Impeached – Lesson
-
Reconstruction Presidents (1865-1901)
- Ulysses S. Grant: A Friend of Mark Twain – Lesson
- Ulysses S. Grant: A Friend of Mark Twain – Quiz
- Rutherford B. Hayes: The First President to Lose the Popular Vote – Lesson
- Rutherford B. Hayes: The First President to Lose the Popular Vote – Quiz
- James A. Garfield: The Last of the Log Cabin Presidents – Lesson
- James A. Garfield: The Last of the Log Cabin Presidents – Quiz
- Chester A. Arthur: A One Term President – Lesson
- Chester A. Arthur: A One Term President – Quiz
- Grover Cleveland: A President of Principle – Lesson
- Grover Cleveland: A President of Principle – Quiz
- Benjamin Harrison: The Second President in His Family – Lesson
- Benjamin Harrison: The Second President in His Family – Quiz
- William McKinley: The Third Presidential Assassination – Lesson
- William McKinley: The Third Presidential Assassination – Quiz
-
20th Century Presidents
- Richard Nixon: The Only President to Ever Resign – Lesson
- Richard Nixon: The Only President to Ever Resign – Quiz
- Gerald Ford – America’s First Unelected President – Lesson
- Gerald Ford – America’s First Unelected President – Quiz
- Jimmy Carter – the President Who Promised He’d Never Lie – Lesson
- Jimmy Carter – the President Who Promised He’d Never Lie – Quiz
- Ronald Reagan – The ‘Peace Through Strength’ President – Lesson
- Ronald Reagan – The ‘Peace Through Strength’ President – Quiz
Benjamin Harrison: The Second President in His Family – Lesson
Benjamin Harrison’s grandfather, William Henry Harrison, was the ninth president.
Benjamin Harrison (1833 – 1901), the 23rd president of the United States, was the second in his family to be elected to the position. His grandfather, William Henry Harrison, was the ninth president and served the shortest term in history. He was in office exactly one month before dying of pneumonia. Ironically, the elder was known as the “Indian Fighter” while the grandson, Benjamin, fought for Native American rights.
During the Civil War, Benjamin joined the Union Army in the 70th Indiana Volunteer Infantry Regiment and achieved the rank of brigadier general by 1865. He was the last Civil War general to become president.
During the 1888 Republican Convention he was nominated for the presidency and started the first “front-porch” campaigns, in which he gave short speeches to the delegates that visited him in Indianapolis.
Benjamin Harrison Presidency
Harrison had already demonstrated his belief in equal rights, fighting for homesteaders, Native Americans, and even going against the Republican Party in 1882 to oppose the Chinese Exclusion Act which would prevent Chinese immigrants from entering the United States. He continued to champion veterans’ rights and forest protection as well.
In 1889, the First International Conference of American States was held in Washington, D.C. This would become the Pan-American Union. During this meeting, the state department negotiated terms for an American settlement in the Samoan Islands with Germany and Great Britain. Harrison tried – but failed – to construct a canal in Nicaragua and annex Hawaii.
One of the biggest challenges the new president faced, and which would ultimately cost him the re-election, was economic. He had to manage a large government surplus. For the first time (except during a war), Congress had amassed a billion dollars. In July 1890, Harrison enacted the Sherman Anti-Trust Act, which forbade business practices that tried to create a monopoly. He also signed the Sherman Purchase Act into law in July, which doubled the amount of silver that could be purchased by the Treasury to 4.5 million ounces each month.
On October 1, 1890, Congress passed the McKinley Tariff, a very controversial bill that increased the president’s power in foreign trade. It was hoped this legislation would help Harrison to have more influence over Latin countries so that American export rates would be lowered.
Harrison ran for re-election but was defeated by president Grover Cleveland, who had already served his first term and now started his second.