Events with tag - Political History

January 16, 28 BC

Augustus Becomes First Roman Emperor

On January 16, 27 BCE, the Roman Senate officially bestowed unprecedented powers upon Octavian, granting him the title of Augustus and effectively establishing the Roman Empire. This historic event marked the transformation of Rome from a Republic to an Empire and initiated the Pax Romana period.

October 13, 54

Nero Becomes Emperor

At just 16 years old, Nero ascended to the imperial throne of Rome following the death of Emperor Claudius, becoming the youngest sole emperor in Roman history.

March 17, 180

Death of Marcus Aurelius

Marcus Aurelius, the last of Rome's Five Good Emperors and renowned Stoic philosopher, died at age 58 in Vindobona (modern-day Vienna) while commanding Roman forces against Germanic tribes. His death marked the end of the Pax Romana era and the beginning of significant changes in the Roman Empire.

March 15, 1767

Birth of Andrew Jackson

Andrew Jackson, the seventh President of the United States, was born in the Waxhaw settlement on the border of North and South Carolina. His exact birth date and location remain disputed, with most sources citing March 15, 1767.

December 5, 1782

Birth of Martin Van Buren

Martin Van Buren, the eighth President of the United States, was born in Kinderhook, New York. Born to Dutch-American parents, his father was a tavern keeper and farmer, while his mother was a widow with three children from a previous marriage.

September 17, 1787

George Washington Signs the Constitution

George Washington, as president of the Constitutional Convention, became the first to sign the United States Constitution at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, marking a pivotal moment in American history.

June 21, 1788

US Constitution Ratification

The United States Constitution received its final approval when New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify it, establishing a new form of federal government. This historic moment transformed thirteen independent states into a unified nation with a strong central authority.

March 4, 1789

US Constitution Takes Effect

The United States Constitution officially replaced the Articles of Confederation, establishing a stronger federal government with three branches and new powers of taxation and commerce regulation.

March 29, 1790

Birth of John Tyler

John Tyler, who would become the 10th President of the United States, was born into a prominent Virginia family at Charles City County. He was the first Vice President to succeed to the presidency following the death of a sitting President.

April 23, 1791

Birth of James Buchanan

James Buchanan, the 15th President of the United States, was born in a log cabin called Stony Batter in Cove Gap, Pennsylvania. He was born into a Scottish-Irish immigrant family as the second eldest of 11 children.

March 4, 1797

John Adams' Presidential Inauguration

John Adams is inaugurated as the second President of the United States in Philadelphia's Congress Hall, succeeding George Washington in the first peaceful transfer of power in American history.

January 7, 1800

Birth of Millard Fillmore

Millard Fillmore, the 13th President of the United States, was born in a log cabin in Summerhill, New York. Born to farmer parents Nathaniel Fillmore and Phoebe Millard, his humble beginnings marked the start of a journey that would lead him to the nation's highest office.

February 17, 1800

Jefferson's Presidential Election

Thomas Jefferson's victory in the 1800 presidential election marked a pivotal moment in American history, resulting in the first peaceful transfer of power between opposing political parties and establishing key democratic principles.

November 23, 1804

Birth of Franklin Pierce

Franklin Pierce, who would later become the 14th President of the United States, was born in Hillsborough, New Hampshire. Born into a politically active family, his father Benjamin Pierce was a Revolutionary War veteran and future governor of New Hampshire.

December 29, 1808

Birth of Andrew Johnson

Andrew Johnson, the 17th President of the United States, was born into a poor family in Raleigh, North Carolina. His humble origins and early life experiences would significantly shape his future political career and presidential policies during the critical period of Reconstruction.

March 4, 1825

John Quincy Adams' Presidency

John Quincy Adams ascends to the presidency of the United States on March 4, 1825, following a controversial 'corrupt bargain' election where he defeated Andrew Jackson despite receiving fewer popular votes.

November 19, 1831

Birth of James A. Garfield

James A. Garfield, the 20th President of the United States, was born in a log cabin in Orange Township, Cuyahoga County, Ohio. Born into poverty, he would rise to become a scholar, Civil War general, and ultimately the President of the United States.

March 4, 1837

Van Buren's Presidential Inauguration

Martin Van Buren took the oath of office as the eighth President of the United States on March 4, 1837, marking a historic moment as the first U.S. President born after American independence.

March 18, 1837

Birth of Grover Cleveland

Grover Cleveland, the only U.S. president to serve two non-consecutive terms, was born in Caldwell, New Jersey. Coming from a Presbyterian minister's family, he would later become the 22nd and 24th President of the United States, known for his fiscal conservatism and reform policies.

April 4, 1841

Tyler's Presidential Succession

John Tyler becomes the first U.S. Vice President to assume the full powers of the presidency following the death of President William Henry Harrison, establishing a crucial precedent in American presidential succession.

March 4, 1853

Franklin Pierce's Inauguration

Franklin Pierce was inaugurated as the 14th President of the United States on March 4, 1853, following his landslide victory in the 1852 election. As the youngest president elected at that time, Pierce's presidency marked a critical period in American history just before the Civil War.

November 4, 1856

Buchanan's Presidential Election

James Buchanan won the 1856 presidential election, becoming the 15th President of the United States during a critical period of sectional tension between the North and South over slavery and states' rights.

November 6, 1860

Lincoln's Presidential Election

Abraham Lincoln's historic election as the 16th President of the United States on November 6, 1860, marked a pivotal moment that led to the American Civil War. He secured 180 electoral votes and 39.8% of the popular vote in a four-way race, becoming the first Republican president without winning any Southern states.

March 4, 1861

Lincoln's Presidential Inauguration

Abraham Lincoln took the oath of office as the 16th President of the United States during a period of intense national crisis, with seven Southern states already seceded from the Union. The inauguration marked the beginning of one of the most consequential presidencies in American history.

November 5, 1940

FDR's Third Term Victory

Franklin D. Roosevelt secured an unprecedented third presidential term victory in 1940, breaking George Washington's two-term tradition. He won with 54.7% of the popular vote and 449 electoral votes against Republican nominee Wendell Willkie during a critical period of World War II.