US Presidents

Question 1

What is Inauguration Day?

Answer 1

The day the president of the United States takes the oath of office and begins a new presidential term.

Question 2

What does the oath of office include?

Answer 2

“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.”

Question 3

On what date did Inauguration Day originally occur?

Answer 3

March 4th.

Question 4

What was the reason for the March 4th Inauguration Day?

Answer 4

To allow ample time between the electoral college voting and for the incoming president to assemble a cabinet and get to Washington.

Question 5

When did the first presidential inauguration take place?

Answer 5

April 30, 1789.

Question 6

Where was the first presidential inauguration held?

Answer 6

New York City, on the balcony of Federal Hall.

Question 7

What tradition did George Washington start during his inauguration?

Answer 7

Putting his hand on a bible when taking the oath of office.

Question 8

Which passage was read from the bible used by Washington during his inauguration?

Answer 8

Genesis 47.

Question 9

Which presidents used the same bible as Washington during their inaugurations?

Answer 9

• Warren Harding
• Dwight Eisenhower
• Jimmy Carter
• George H. W. Bush

Question 10

Is there a legal requirement for the use of a bible during the oath of office?

Answer 10

No, it is just tradition.

Question 11

Who was the only president to use the word ‘affirm’ instead of ‘swear’ in the presidential oath?

Answer 11

Franklin Pierce.

Question 12

What phrase did George Washington ad-lib at the end of the oath?

Answer 12

…so help me God.

Question 13

True or False: All presidents have retaken the oath when they flubbed it.

Answer 13

False.

Question 14

Who was the first president to have the oath administered by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court?

Answer 14

John Adams.

Question 15

What was the significance of the 20th amendment regarding Inauguration Day?

Answer 15

It changed the inauguration date to January 20th.

Question 16

Who was the first president inaugurated on January 20th?

Answer 16

Franklin Roosevelt during his second inauguration in 1937.

Question 17

What was the warmest temperature recorded during an inauguration?

Answer 17

55°F or 13°C during Ronald Reagan’s first inauguration.

Question 18

What was the coldest temperature during an inauguration?

Answer 18

7°F or -14°C during Ronald Reagan’s second inauguration.

Question 19

What was the first televised inauguration?

Answer 19

Harry Truman in 1949.

Question 20

What tradition began in 1965 during inaugurations?

Answer 20

The First Lady holding the bible.

Question 21

How many presidential inaugurations have occurred over the past 232 years?

Answer 21

59 presidential inaugurations.

Question 22

Fill in the blank: The first automobile travel to the capitol for an inauguration occurred in _______.

Answer 22

1921.

Question 23

What was the Corrupt Bargain of 1825?

Answer 23

Supposedly resolved the election of 1824 by making John Quincy Adams president after a contested vote

Jackson won a plurality but not a majority, leading to a House decision.

Question 24

Who were the main candidates in the election of 1824?

Answer 24

• John Quincy Adams
• Andrew Jackson
• Henry Clay
• William Crawford

Question 25

What was the Petticoat Affair?

Answer 25

A scandal that disrupted Andrew Jackson’s cabinet due to social snubbing of Peggy Eaton by other cabinet wives

Led to a rift and eventual cabinet resignations.

Question 26

Who was the only cabinet member to support Peggy Eaton?

Answer 26

Martin Van Buren

Question 27

What was significant about the impeachment of Andrew Johnson in 1868?

Answer 27

It was the first time a president was impeached

Johnson was impeached for violating the Tenure of Office Act.

Question 28

What triggered the impeachment of Andrew Johnson?

Answer 28

His attempt to remove Secretary of War Edwin Stanton

Question 29

What was the Whiskey Ring scandal?

Answer 29

A conspiracy involving whiskey distillers bribing U.S. Treasury officials to evade taxes

Coordinated by General John McDonald and involved Grant’s private secretary.

Question 30

Which president was tarnished by the Whiskey Ring scandal?

Answer 30

Ulysses Grant

Question 31

What was the Pinchot–Ballinger Affair?

Answer 31

A scandal that split the Republican Party over conservation issues during Taft’s presidency

Involved accusations of corruption against Secretary of the Interior Richard Ballinger.

Question 32

What was the outcome of the Pinchot–Ballinger Affair?

Answer 32

Led to Roosevelt breaking from Taft and running with the Progressive Party in 1912

Question 33

What was the Teapot Dome scandal?

Answer 33

A major controversy involving Secretary of the Interior Albert Fall leasing Navy oil reserves at low rates

Fall became the first cabinet member to go to prison.

Question 34

What was the Watergate scandal?

Answer 34

A scandal that forced Richard Nixon to resign after a break-in at the Democratic headquarters

Investigated by reporters Woodward and Bernstein.

Question 35

What did the Watergate scandal lead to in terms of public perception?

Answer 35

A lasting drop in public trust in government

Question 36

What was the Iran–Contra scandal?

Answer 36

A scandal involving secret arms sales to Iran to fund the Contras in Nicaragua

Circumvented Congress’s prohibition on sending aid.

Question 37

Who oversaw the Iran–Contra operations?

Answer 37

Lieutenant Colonel Oliver North

Question 38

What scandal led to the impeachment of Bill Clinton?

Answer 38

The Monica Lewinsky scandal

Clinton was accused of perjury after denying an affair.

Question 39

What was the Plame Affair?

Answer 39

A scandal involving the exposure of CIA officer Valerie Plame’s identity

Linked to her husband Joseph Wilson’s op-ed disputing claims about Iraq.

Question 40

Who was sent to prison for lying to investigators in the Plame Affair?

Answer 40

Scooter Libby