Whether you’re gearing up for your next game of political trivia, looking to learn a little more about our nation’s history, or just want to incorporate a few facts that you can drop in conversation, these fifty facts will help you out.
1. Thomas Jefferson’s book collection formed the basis for the Library of Congress.
2. Harry Truman was the first president to give a speech on television.
3. The Republican Party was established in 1854.
4. Jimmy Carter was the sixth cousin of Richard Nixon.
5. Abraham Lincoln was 6’4—the tallest president.
6. Ronald Reagan was named Time Magazine’s Man of the Year twice.
7. During World War II, the Constitution was moved to Fort Knox for protection.
8. When two justices join the Supreme Court on the same day, seniority is determined by age.
9. Thanksgiving Day was created by George Washington and was intended as a day to give thanks for the Constitution.
10. Benjamin Franklin was the oldest delegate at the Constitutional Convention.
11. Article III of the Constitution established the Supreme Court.
12. The first women’s rights convention took place in Seneca Falls, New York.
13. John Marshall and Salmon Chase are the only two Supreme Court justices to appear on currency.
14. JFK was the only president to appoint a brother to a cabinet position.
15. While boxing in the White House, Teddy Roosevelt became blind in one eye.
16. Until President Trump, Ronald Reagan was the only president to have been divorced.
17. Susanna Salter was the first female mayor.
18. The Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787.
19. In 1920, the 19th Amendment was ratified which gave women the right to vote.
20. Because of his old age, Benjamin Franklin needed help to sign the Constitution.
21. The Republican Party was founded to end slavery.
22. Gerald Ford became vice president and president without being elected to either office.
23. Dwight Eisenhower was the first president licensed to fly an airplane.
24. John Quincy Adams was the first president to be photographed.
25. Minnie Buckingham Harper became the first black woman in a state legislature.
26. Jonathan Dayton was the youngest man to sign the Constitution.
27. Only two presidents signed the Constitution.
28. Thomas Jefferson was the main author of the Declaration of Independence.
29. JFK was the first president to have served in the Navy.
30. Margaret Chase Smith was the first woman elected to the Senate without first being appointed.
31. Justice Lorna Lockwood was the first woman to serve as a chief justice of a state supreme court.
32. Gerald Ford’s two assassination attempts were both made by women.
33. Grover Cleveland dedicated the Statue of Liberty.
34. Herbert Hoover was the first president born west of the Mississippi.
35. Zachary Taylor’s horse grazed on the White House lawn.
36. Warren Harding lost all of the White House china while gambling on a game of cards.
37. George HW Bush survived four plane crashes during World War II.
38. The approval for chief justice of the Supreme Court is the same as the approval process for associate justices.
39. Vesta Roy was the first woman to hold the position of president in a state senate.
40. Vermont ratified the Constitution even though it was not a state at the time.
41. Four signers of the Constitution were born in Ireland.
42. President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863.
43. Lyndon Johnson proposed to Ladybird with a $2.50 ring.
44. John Adams was the first president to call the White House home.
45. Condoleezza Rice was the first woman to hold the position of National Security Advisor.
46. The average tenure of a Supreme Court justice is about 17 years.
47. Martin Van Buren was the first president to be born in the United States.
48. Eight presidents have died while in office.
49. George Washington was not associated with a political party.
50. Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton are the only presidents to have been impeached.
Now that you’ve learned at least one new piece of political trivia, it’s time to showcase your knowledge!
ERIN S
CABINET
