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U.S. Presidential Inaugurations: A Resource Guide

Presidential Inaugurations: 1829-1857

This page contains primary source materials related to presidential inaugurations from 1829 to 1857. Select a link below to jump directly to a description of that president's inauguration along with related digitized materials from the Library's collections.

Andrew Jackson

The seventh president of the United States, Andrew Jackson served two terms as president (1829-1837).

First Inauguration - March 4, 1829

Facts*

  • First President to take the oath of office on the east front portico of the U.S. Capitol.
  • Outgoing President John Quincy Adams did not attend his successor's Inaugural Ceremony. Relations between the two men were not good after the bitter campaign of 1828. Jackson blamed the verbal attacks made by Adams and his political allies for the death of his wife.

Second Inauguration - March 4, 1833

Facts*

  • Last time Chief Justice John Marshall administered the oath office; he presided over nine Inaugurations, from Adams to Jackson.
  • Jackson's second Inauguration was the first time two Inaugural balls were held, one at Carusi's, and one at the Central Masonic Hall.

Martin Van Buren

The eighth president of the United States, Martin Van Buren served one term as president (1837-41).

Inauguration - March 4, 1837

Facts*

  • First President who was not born a British subject.
  • First time the President and President-elect rode to the Capitol together for the Inauguration.

William Henry Harrison

The ninth president of the United States, William Henry Harrison died in office after only thirty-two days on April 4, 1841.

Inauguration - March 4, 1841

Facts*

John Tyler

The tenth president of the United States, John Tyler assumed the presidency (1841-45) upon the death of William Henry Harrison.

Oath of Office - April 6, 1841

Facts*

  • First Vice President to assume Presidency upon the death of the President.

James Polk

The eleventh president of the United States, James Polk served one term as president (1845-49).

Inauguration - March 4, 1845

Facts*

  • First Inauguration covered by telegraph.
  • First known Inauguration featured in a newspaper illustration; illustration appeared in the Illustrated London News.

Zachary Taylor

The twelfth president of the United States, Zachary Taylor (1849-50) died in office on July 9, 1850.

Inauguration - March 5, 1849

Facts*

  • March 4, 1849, fell on a Sunday, so following precedent, Taylor was Inaugurated the next day, Monday, March 5, 1849.
  • Three Inaugural balls were held that evening, and Taylor attended all of them.

Millard Fillmore

The thirteenth president of the United States, Millard Fillmore assumed the presidency (1850-53) upon the death of Zachary Taylor.

Oath of Office - July 10, 1850

Facts*

  • President Zachary Taylor died in office on July 9, 1850, of apparent food poisoning. Millard Fillmore took the oath of office in the House of Representatives Chamber on July 10, 1850.

Franklin Pierce

The fourteenth president of the United States, Franklin Pierce served one term as president (1853-57).

Inauguration - March 4, 1853

Facts*

  • Affirmed the oath of office rather than swear it.
  • Pierce was the first President to recite his speech entirely from memory.
  • Cancelled the inaugural ball.
  • Pierce's Vice President, William R. King, did not attend the Inaugural ceremonies. He was very ill and had gone to Cuba to try to recover at the time of the Inauguration, and was sworn into office there on March 24, 1853. He died on April 18, 1853, one day after returning to his home in Alabama.

James Buchanan

The fifteenth president of the United States, James Buchanan served one term as president (1857-61).

Inauguration - March 4, 1857

Facts*

  • First Inauguration known to have been photographed.

*Please note: This information is based on a compilation by the Office of the Curator, Architect of the Capitol, Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, from contemporary accounts and other sources. Additional research provided by Library of Congress staff.