11 historical facts about US inauguration day Inauguration day is the day that the president-elect becomes officially sworn in as the pres...
11 historical facts about US inauguration day
Inauguration day is the day that the president-elect becomes officially sworn in as the president of the United States of America.
In respect to his victory in the last election, Donald Trump will officially be announced president of America.
The 58th presidential inauguration ceremony will take place on Friday, January 20. Below are list of amazing historical facts you should know about the US inauguration day.
1. The place of the Bible
The Bible over the years has played a significant tradition in United States inauguration. The Bible is used when the president-elect is taking oat into office. This tradition was first begun by George Washington. He was the only president to kiss the Bible as he was sworn in.
Presidents like Washington and Abraham Lincoln opened the Bible randomly but most others must have opened the Bible to a specific page because of a meaningful verse. Meanwhile Harry Truman in 1945 and John F. Kennedy in 1961 didn’t even open the Bible at all while Theodore Roosevelt in 1901 was the only one who refrained from using a Bible.
2. The inaugural address
President John Kennedy delivers his inaugural address
In the history of US inaugural address, William Harrison in 1841 gave the longest speech. He gave a lengthy speech of 8,495 words, which lasted for 100 minutes in the middle of snowstorm.
George Washington gave the shortest inauguration address during his second inauguration on March 4, 1793. Washington’s second inaugural address was only 135 words long while the second shortest inaugural address was given by Franklin Roosevelt at his fourth inauguration with only 558 words long.
3. US president’s death after inaugural address
William Harrison gave the longest inaugural address
Despite the snowstorm William Henry Harrison refused to make his inaugural ceremony an indoor affair. As he is known to have given the longest inaugural address, Harrison on March 4, 1841 delivered and took his oath of office in the middle of snowstorm.
Without overcoat, scarf or hat he celebrated his inauguration but unfortunately he died of pneumonia on April 4, 1841. Although he gave the longest inaugural address, he served the shortest term (31 days) as president and the first US president to die in office.
4. The constitutional guide
United States of America presidential inaugural day ceremony
The US constitution has also made provision for inauguration day ceremony. This constitutional guide in addition to the date and time of the ceremony has specified the exact wording of the oath taken by the president-elect before he begins his duties.
The oath states: "I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."
(Article II, Section 1 of the U.S. Constitution)
5. So help me God
Obama adopted George Washington "so help me God"
This is an ad hoc adopted by George Washington at the end of his official oath. Unknowing to Washington, he has set a precedent for the future. Barrack Obama also used the phrase in his official oat.
In as much as the phrase is not official most presidents have also uttered it at the end of their oaths, except for Theodore Roosevelt, who decided to end his oath with the phrase, "And thus I swear."
6. The oath givers
US inauguration ceremony
Although it is not stipulated in the constitution, it has become a tradition to have the chief Justice of the Supreme Court be the oath giver to the president on inauguration day. The only president to become an oath giver himself was William Taft. He became a Chief Justice of the Supreme Court after he had served as president. The only woman to have ever sworn in a president was U.S district judge Sarah Hughes. The Chief justice, John Marshall holds the record for having given the most presidential oaths on inauguration day, he has given the oath nine times.
7. Outgoing president and president-elect ride in same carriage
The outgoing president and president-elect of the United states riding togther
Also in the history of US inauguration the outgoing president Andrew Jackson and president-elect Martin Van Buren in 1837 rode together to the Capitol in the same carriage. However, most of the following presidents and president-elects have continued this tradition of traveling together to the ceremony. In 1877, the inauguration of Rutherford Hayes began the tradition of the president-elect first meeting the outgoing President at the White House for a short meeting and then traveling from the White House together to the Capitol for the ceremony.
8. Elected official amendment
Franklin Roosevelt was the last president to be inaugurated on March 4, 1993
Prior to the development of technology, news was carried by messengers on horses and this used to be a great length of time between election day and inauguration day, since all votes needs to be tallied and reported.
By the early twentieth century, this huge amount of time was no longer needed. Rather than make the president wait for four whole months to leave office, the date of inauguration day was changed and the amendment specified a time bound exchange to the new president.
9. Inaugural days
Donald Trump would be sworn in as president on Friday, January 20.
US presidential inauguration is usually not held on Sundays because most offices are closed but there are seven times when it was scheduled to have landed on Sunday. The first time it landed on a Sunday was March 4, 1821 with the second inauguration of James Monroe.
Rather than hold the inauguration, Monroe pushed it back to Monday, March 5. Zachary Taylor did the same when his inauguration landed on a Sunday in 1849. In 1877, Rutherford Hayes changed the pattern. He was sworn in on Saturday in a private ceremony because he did not want to wait until Monday to be sworn.
However, in 1917, Woodrow Wilson was the first to take a private oath on Sunday and then hold the public inauguration on Monday. Other president that followed Wilson's lead includes Dwight Eisenhower (1957), Ronald Reagan (1985), and Barrack Obama (2013)
10. Vice-president who got drunk on inauguration
Andrew Johnson, vice-president who later became president
Prior to the president's swearing-in ceremony alongside with the vice-president, the vice-president usually take his oath of office in the Senate Chamber. The vice-president takes his oath and gives a short speech, followed by the president.
This usually goes very smoothly except in 1865, when the vice president Andrew Johnson was not feeling very well for several weeks before inauguration. To get him through this important day, Johnson drank a few glasses of whiskey. When he got up to the podium to take his oath, it was obvious that he was drunk. Interestingly, he later became US president after Lincoln's assassination.
11. Inauguration day rule breaker
John Adams was the first US president to wear trousers for inauguration ceremony
The 6th president of the United States, John Adams could have unconsciously broken some of the traditions of the inauguration day. Adams was the first three presidents to eschew the Bible while being sworn in. Adam decided to place his hand on the constitutional law volume instead of the Bible. Adams was also the first president to break the inaugural day dress code. He was sworn in wearing trousers instead of the regular knee breeches worn be previous United States presidents.
Inauguration day is the day that the president-elect becomes officially sworn in as the president of the United States of America.
In respect to his victory in the last election, Donald Trump will officially be announced president of America.
The 58th presidential inauguration ceremony will take place on Friday, January 20. Below are list of amazing historical facts you should know about the US inauguration day.
1. The place of the Bible
The Bible over the years has played a significant tradition in United States inauguration. The Bible is used when the president-elect is taking oat into office. This tradition was first begun by George Washington. He was the only president to kiss the Bible as he was sworn in.
Presidents like Washington and Abraham Lincoln opened the Bible randomly but most others must have opened the Bible to a specific page because of a meaningful verse. Meanwhile Harry Truman in 1945 and John F. Kennedy in 1961 didn’t even open the Bible at all while Theodore Roosevelt in 1901 was the only one who refrained from using a Bible.
2. The inaugural address
President John Kennedy delivers his inaugural address
In the history of US inaugural address, William Harrison in 1841 gave the longest speech. He gave a lengthy speech of 8,495 words, which lasted for 100 minutes in the middle of snowstorm.
George Washington gave the shortest inauguration address during his second inauguration on March 4, 1793. Washington’s second inaugural address was only 135 words long while the second shortest inaugural address was given by Franklin Roosevelt at his fourth inauguration with only 558 words long.
3. US president’s death after inaugural address
William Harrison gave the longest inaugural address
Despite the snowstorm William Henry Harrison refused to make his inaugural ceremony an indoor affair. As he is known to have given the longest inaugural address, Harrison on March 4, 1841 delivered and took his oath of office in the middle of snowstorm.
Without overcoat, scarf or hat he celebrated his inauguration but unfortunately he died of pneumonia on April 4, 1841. Although he gave the longest inaugural address, he served the shortest term (31 days) as president and the first US president to die in office.
4. The constitutional guide
United States of America presidential inaugural day ceremony
The US constitution has also made provision for inauguration day ceremony. This constitutional guide in addition to the date and time of the ceremony has specified the exact wording of the oath taken by the president-elect before he begins his duties.
The oath states: "I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."
(Article II, Section 1 of the U.S. Constitution)
5. So help me God
Obama adopted George Washington "so help me God"
This is an ad hoc adopted by George Washington at the end of his official oath. Unknowing to Washington, he has set a precedent for the future. Barrack Obama also used the phrase in his official oat.
In as much as the phrase is not official most presidents have also uttered it at the end of their oaths, except for Theodore Roosevelt, who decided to end his oath with the phrase, "And thus I swear."
6. The oath givers
US inauguration ceremony
Although it is not stipulated in the constitution, it has become a tradition to have the chief Justice of the Supreme Court be the oath giver to the president on inauguration day. The only president to become an oath giver himself was William Taft. He became a Chief Justice of the Supreme Court after he had served as president. The only woman to have ever sworn in a president was U.S district judge Sarah Hughes. The Chief justice, John Marshall holds the record for having given the most presidential oaths on inauguration day, he has given the oath nine times.
7. Outgoing president and president-elect ride in same carriage
The outgoing president and president-elect of the United states riding togther
Also in the history of US inauguration the outgoing president Andrew Jackson and president-elect Martin Van Buren in 1837 rode together to the Capitol in the same carriage. However, most of the following presidents and president-elects have continued this tradition of traveling together to the ceremony. In 1877, the inauguration of Rutherford Hayes began the tradition of the president-elect first meeting the outgoing President at the White House for a short meeting and then traveling from the White House together to the Capitol for the ceremony.
8. Elected official amendment
Franklin Roosevelt was the last president to be inaugurated on March 4, 1993
Prior to the development of technology, news was carried by messengers on horses and this used to be a great length of time between election day and inauguration day, since all votes needs to be tallied and reported.
By the early twentieth century, this huge amount of time was no longer needed. Rather than make the president wait for four whole months to leave office, the date of inauguration day was changed and the amendment specified a time bound exchange to the new president.
9. Inaugural days
Donald Trump would be sworn in as president on Friday, January 20.
US presidential inauguration is usually not held on Sundays because most offices are closed but there are seven times when it was scheduled to have landed on Sunday. The first time it landed on a Sunday was March 4, 1821 with the second inauguration of James Monroe.
Rather than hold the inauguration, Monroe pushed it back to Monday, March 5. Zachary Taylor did the same when his inauguration landed on a Sunday in 1849. In 1877, Rutherford Hayes changed the pattern. He was sworn in on Saturday in a private ceremony because he did not want to wait until Monday to be sworn.
However, in 1917, Woodrow Wilson was the first to take a private oath on Sunday and then hold the public inauguration on Monday. Other president that followed Wilson's lead includes Dwight Eisenhower (1957), Ronald Reagan (1985), and Barrack Obama (2013)
10. Vice-president who got drunk on inauguration
Andrew Johnson, vice-president who later became president
Prior to the president's swearing-in ceremony alongside with the vice-president, the vice-president usually take his oath of office in the Senate Chamber. The vice-president takes his oath and gives a short speech, followed by the president.
This usually goes very smoothly except in 1865, when the vice president Andrew Johnson was not feeling very well for several weeks before inauguration. To get him through this important day, Johnson drank a few glasses of whiskey. When he got up to the podium to take his oath, it was obvious that he was drunk. Interestingly, he later became US president after Lincoln's assassination.
11. Inauguration day rule breaker
John Adams was the first US president to wear trousers for inauguration ceremony
The 6th president of the United States, John Adams could have unconsciously broken some of the traditions of the inauguration day. Adams was the first three presidents to eschew the Bible while being sworn in. Adam decided to place his hand on the constitutional law volume instead of the Bible. Adams was also the first president to break the inaugural day dress code. He was sworn in wearing trousers instead of the regular knee breeches worn be previous United States presidents.
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