Richard M. Nixon served as President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s vice president from 1953 until 1961. He was a whiz at negotiating with foreign powers and had multiple successes under his belt even before becoming America’s 37th president. Nixon had many accomplishments in his years as president between 1969 to 1974. He ended America’s involvement in the Vietnam War, brought home POW’s, started a diplomatic dialogue with China and signed the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty with the USSR.
Nixon also established the Environmental Protection Agency, implemented the desegregation of the South, signed the Organized Crime Control Act, and spearheaded the “War on Cancer”. Nixon also ran for president in 1960 but lost the election to Democratic candidate John F. Kennedy. If it weren’t for his involvement in the Watergate scandal, President Richard M. Nixon would definitely have appeared higher on this list.
Warren G. Harding
In the 29th US presidential election, not only was Warren G. Harding voted in as president, but women were finally allowed to vote for the first time, making it an extremely important landmark. Harding began his career in the newspaper business in Ohio. He was the owner of the Marion Star newspaper but had to leave The Buckeye State when he decided to go into politics. During his time as President of the United States, from 1921 to 1923, Harding formally ended World War I by declaring peace with Germany, Hungary, and Austria.
He also promoted a “return to normalcy” policy by trying to boost the economy and bring the country back to “normal” after the war. While he was serving his term, many scandals came to light, and Harding sadly passed away from a heart attack while in office as they were surfacing.
Harrison Was Deathly Afraid of Electrocution
It’s almost impossible for us to imagine a world without electricity, but it must have been quite frightening when first invented. President Benjamin Harrison was terrified of being electrocuted by his light switches.
He was so scared of touching them that he often went to sleep with all the lights on!
The Watergate Scandal
The Watergate Scandal was a defining moment in American history which led the public to look differently at what goes on in the Oval Office.
The scandal rocked the nation and led Nixon to resign before he could be impeached. His parting words were, “I have always tried to do what is best for the nation.”
James A. Garfield
America’s 20th president, James A. Garfield was the only sitting member of the United States House of Representatives to be elected president. He served as a major general for the Union during the American Civil War and fought in numerous battles including Shiloh, Chickamauga and Middle Creek. During his short time in office between March 4, 1881 to September 19, 1881 he had many impressive accomplishments such as doing away with postal service corruption and initiating Naval reform.
Garfield was also a strong advocate for the universal education system and a staunch supporter of civil rights who appointed several African American men including Fredrick Douglass to important positions within the government. His important work was brought to a sudden halt by the attempt on his life in July of 1881 which caused multiple infections and an end to his presidency.