James BUCHANAN (23 April 1791, Cove Gap, Franklin County, Pennsylvania, USA - 1 June 1868, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA)

1857 - March 4 - James Buchanan (1791-1868) becomes 15th President of the United States - the only bachelor to be President.

He was elected president in 1856, defeating John C. Frémont, the Republican candidate, and former President Millard Fillmore of the American Party. The growing crisis over slavery presented Buchanan with problems he lacked the will to tackle. His appeasement of the South... Read MORE...

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     Abraham LINCOLN (12 February 1809, , Kentucky, USA - 15 April 1865, Washington, DC, USA)

1861 - March 4 - Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) becomes 16th President of the United States.

Lincoln's inaugural address was stirring. He appealed for the preservation of the Union. To retain his support in the North without further alienating the South, he called for compromise. He promised he would not initiate force to maintain the Union or interfere with... Read MORE...

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     Hiram Ulysses Simpson GRANT (27 April 1822, Point Pleasant, Ohio, USA - 23 July 1885, Saratoga, New York, USA (Schuylerville) (Victory))

1869 - March 4 - Ulysses S. Grant (1822-1885) becomes 18th President of the United States

In 1868, as Republican candidate for president, Grant was elected over the Democrat, Horatio Seymour. From the start, Grant showed his unfitness for the office. His cabinet was weak, his domestic policy was confused, and many of his intimate associates were corrupt. The... Read MORE...

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     Rutherford Birchard HAYES (4 October 1822, Delaware, Ohio, USA - 17 January 1893, Fremont, Ohio, USA)

1877 - March 4 - Rutherford B. Hayes (1822-1893) becomes 19th President of the United States

On the night of the 1876 presidential election, Republican candidate Rutherford B. Hayes went to bed early. He assumed that he had lost the election to his opponent, Democrat Samuel J. Tilden. Tilden did win the popular vote that night, but the Republicans challenged the... Read MORE...

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