WhiteHouse101: Fun Facts

[Vladimir]

So I was working on some homework and I knew the answer to "Шестнадцатый американский президент," was Abraham Lincoln (it was either that or Yuri Gagarin left as possible answers ) but wasn't quite sure what number that was so figured the quick way was to look up which president Lincoln was. Anyway, I ended up on this page (in case you were wondering how I got there) and noticed some oddities (pasted below the complete list).

Did you know?

Before he became president, Lyndon Johnson was a teacher at a small school in South Texas.

Before he became president, Woodrow Wilson was president of Princeton University.

Only one president was a preacher -- James Garfield.

Did you know that William Howard Taft is the only President who served as both President and Chief Justice of the United States?

President John F. Kennedy won a Pulitzer Prize in 1957 for his collection of essays, Profiles in Courage.

Both George Washington and Jimmy Carter were farmers before they became president -- President Washington was a planter and a farmer at his home in Mount Vernon, and Before he was President, Jimmy Carter ran his family's peanut farm in Plains, Georgia.

Before he became president, Barack Obama was a U.S. Senator. Before that, he was an Illinois State Senator, and before that he was a community organizer in Chicago.

The President's personal office is called the oval office. Any plane he flies on is called Air Force One, and any helicopter is called Marine One.

The "S" in Harry S. Truman's name isn't short for anything. The President was named after both of his grandfathers, Anderson Shippe Truman and Solomon Young. The initial honors them both.

The first public reading of the Declaration of Independence took place in Philadelphia -- where the bell now-known as the Liberty Bell rang out to call the city's population together on July 8, 1776.

On July 9, 1776, General George Washington gave an order for the Declaration of Independence to be read to his army.

In the early part of the 19th century, a network called the Underground Railroad, which received its name in 1831, helped escaped slaves gain freedom. As a conductor on the Underground Railroad, Harriet Tubman helped 300 slaves gain freedom during the 1800s.

The Statue of Liberty was a gift of friendship resulting from the diplomatic relationship between the United States and France.

President Lincoln owned only one home during his lifetime -- in Springfield, Ill.

President Jefferson spent more than 40 years designing and building his home in Charlottesville, VA known as Monticello. The President admired classical architecture and incorporated this style into his home.

President Jackson's estate outside of Nashville, TN was known as the Hermitage.

President Richard M. Nixon was offered a position as a player's representative to the Major League Baseball Players Association in 1965. He declined, stating that he was needed in politics. Nixon served as President from 1969 to 1974.

George H.W. Bush played first base on the Yale University team that twice reached the finals of the College World Series.

Grace Coolidge, wife of President Calvin Coolidge, could often be found keeping a perfect scorecard while watching baseball games in the presidential box.

In 1915, Woodrow Wilson became the first President to attend the World Series, where he and his fiance, Edith Gault, made their first public appearance since announcing their engagement. The President insisted on paying for his own tickets.

In 1787, just four years after the end of war with Great Britain, 55 delegates gathered in Philadelphia to replace the Articles of Confederation. The Constitutional Convention led to the creation of the U.S. Constitution, which was signed on September 17, 1787.

On December 7, 1787, Delaware became the first state to ratify the Constitution.

The first day Congress conducted business under the Constitution was April 6, 1789. On this day, members of Congress counted the votes of the electors, who unanimously elected George Washington as the nation's first president.

In order to amend the Constitution, three quarters of all states must vote in favor before the proposed amendment becomes law.

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ODDITIES

Before he became president, Barack Obama was a U.S. Senator. Before that, he was an Illinois State Senator, and before that he was a community organizer in Chicago.

And I bet George Washington once took a ***** in the woods? Who cares?

The "S" in Harry S. Truman's name isn't short for anything. The President was named after both of his grandfathers, Anderson Shippe Truman and Solomon Young. The initial honors them both.

It's always possible that I am wrong... but I was always under the impression that because the "S" didn't stand for anything, it was improper to place a period after the "S", making him not "Harry S. Truman," but rather "Harry S Truman." Semantics sure, but this is our freaking White House's website.

In the early part of the 19th century, a network called the Underground Railroad, which received its name in 1831, helped escaped slaves gain freedom. As a conductor on the Underground Railroad, Harriet Tubman helped 300 slaves gain freedom during the 1800s.

Though the last entry is close (about amending the Constitution), if you were asked on a test to pick "which one doesn't belong," it would be a pretty tough choice huh? The first, about Obama himself, is unspectacular to say the least, but at least relevant. I hate to even point this one out because obviously in any other circle, claiming this doesn't belong on the "Fun Facts" page about the White House would get me labeled a racist .

EDIT: I did do a little research, hoping to catch Obama's people of sliding those two in there. But the page was a complete redesign after Bush and no such list existed on the old site. Curiously enough it is much harder to find the link to get it in Spanish on Obama's version!!!

[1shot1k]

Good post and of course ,interesting history bits of sort.

I have always felt Truman deserves more credit than he was allowed with history.

I recall reading of one instance where his daughter ( on a singing performance ) received a blasting review by an entertainment critic in a DC paper. Truman responded in print as well , that if any similiar reports were published or infered , he would come down and punch the individual " in the nose " . This while in office....and of course, the private struggle between he and MacArthur is reading of pure quality.

[LurpyGeek]

Originally Posted by Vladimir

George H.W. Bush played first base on the Yale University team that twice reached the finals of the College World Series.

This is the one I found odd...

Did you know that George H.W. Bush played baseball? Neato! Of course, that's much more important than the fact that he was a pilot in World War II.

[bcj1755]

Originally Posted by Vladimir

It's always possible that I am wrong... but I was always under the impression that because the "S" didn't stand for anything, it was improper to place a period after the "S", making him not "Harry S. Truman," but rather "Harry S Truman." Semantics sure, but this is our freaking White House's website.

That's what I was always told. I had a US History teacher in 11th Grade that ponded that point repeatedly.

But you know how the revisionists are, with their changing history and all

[mrkirker]

Very interesting, Vlad!

[kevinleif37]

having worked in the House, the one really cool thing i found interesting, was that in the Rosevelt Room (room across from the Oval-it's used as a meeting room), the flags of the armed forces are lined next to each other in order of when they were formed: first two start with the President's flag, followed by the VP's, next comes the Army, then Marine's, then Navy, then Air Force and lastly the Coast Guard...the Coast Guard comes last (even though historically formed before the Air Force) because it now falls under Homeland Security, but in times of war will be placed before the Air Force flag because when the country is at war, they are then considered the "armed forces" and not part of Homeland.

[22WRF]

Founded by Alexander Hamilton as the Revenue Cutter Service (Coast Guard) on August 4, 1790, it lays claim to being the United States' oldest continuous seagoing service.

The Continental Navy was disbanded and we had no Navy for nearly 10 years

[Vladimir]

Originally Posted by 22WRF

The Continental Navy was disbanded and we had no Navy for nearly 10 years

This is an example of why I give Obama a "D". We still have a Navy .

EDIT: I realized you could read that multiple ways. lol.

[ponycar17]

Another fun fact... There are more pricks in the press room than a family of porcupines with a new litter.

[bcj1755]

Originally Posted by ponycar17

Another fun fact... There are more pricks in the press room than a family of porcupines with a new litter.

Not just the press room, but the whole house