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Student Reading 16.1: Eight Presidents!! All from Ohio!
From 1841 to 1921, eight men from Ohio became President of the United
States. Why Ohio? Ohio was a pretty important state. It was the fifth state to join
the union after the original 13 colonies. The Civil War, fought from 1861 to 1865,
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Activity 16.1: Presidents from Ohio
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also removed the southern states from consideration for presidential candidates.
Here are the names, their date their service began, and a little piece of trivia
about each of the Ohio Presidents:
Warren G. Harding (began serving in 1921) was also a
newspaper editor in Marion, Ohio. He was the first president
to ride to his inauguration in an automobile and the first
president to speak on the radio. This 29th President of the
United States organized the Citizens Coronet band and
(Warren G. Harding. Courtesy
of the Ohio History
Connection.)
claimed to have played every instrument but the slide
trombone and the E-flat coronet. Harding's dog, an
Airedale named "Laddie Boy," had his own chair at
meetings. Other Harding pets in the White House
included a bulldog named "Old Boy," along with several
canaries.
William Howard Taft (began serving in 1909) was
the first president to have a presidential car. He also
(William Howard Taft. Courtesy of
the Ohio History Connection.)
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Activity 16.1: Presidents from Ohio
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served as the Governor of the Philippines and appointed as United States
Secretary of War. In addition to President John F. Kennedy, Taft is the only other
president who is buried in Arlington National Cemetery. As the 27th United States
President, he was the first and only president to become Chief Justice of the
United States Supreme Court. Taft had only one pet in the White House, a cow
named "Pauline Wayne." Perhaps the most well-known legend about William
Howard Taft relates to his size. A rather large man (332 pounds) Taft was rumored
to have gotten stuck in the White House bathtub and later had an oversized tub
installed just for his use.
William Henry Harrison (served beginning in 1841), our
ninth president, gave the longest inaugural speech of
any United States President with a total of 8,445 words.
Unfortunately, he was the first president to die in
office. His gave his speech on a cold, rainy day and later
developed pneumonia. After serving only one month,
(William Henry Harrison. Courtesy
of the Ohio History Connection.)
the shortest term of any president, Harrison died.
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Activity 16.1: Presidents from Ohio
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While campaigning for president, Harrison was the first to have a campaign
slogan, "Tippecanoe and Tyler Too." During his campaign in 1840, he distributed
walking sticks made of Buckeye wood. Sharing the
White House with Harrison and his family was a goat
and a cow.
Rutherford B. Hayes (began serving in 1877)
became the 19th President of the United States. As a
child, he won elementary school contests in spelling.
(Rutherford B. Hayes. Courtesy of
the Ohio History Connection.)
His wife, Lucy, was the First Lady to graduate from a
college, Ohio Wesleyan in Delaware. Hayes was the first
president to use a telephone in the White House, which
was also home to their Siamese cats, several dogs, cows,
horses, goats and canaries.
Benjamin Harrison (began serving in 1889)
attended Miami University in Ohio, becoming a lawyer,
(Benjamin Harrison.
Courtesy of the Ohio
History Connection.)
military leader, and Senator. He was the grandson of William Henry Harrison and
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Activity 16.1: Presidents from Ohio
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the first president to use electricity in the White House. The 23rd President of the
United States and his family shared the White House
with their dogs, "Whiskers," the goat, and an
opossum.
James A. Garfield (began serving in 1881) was
considered a great orator. He could write in Latin with
one hand while writing in Greek with the other hand.
(James A. Garfield. Courtesy of
He was the last president born in a log cabin and was
the Ohio History Connection.)
assassinated in a Washington railroad station. As a
young man, Garfield drove a canal boat team to
earn money for an education. The 20th President
of the United States and his family shared the
White House with their horse, a dog, and fish.
William McKinley (began serving in 1897)
attended Allegheny College and was a teacher in a
(William McKinley. Courtesy of the
Ohio History Connection.)
country school when the Civil War broke out. While
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Activity 16.1: Presidents from Ohio
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McKinley served as the 25th President of the United States, America became
involved in the Spanish American War. He was the third President to be
assassinated. McKinley always wore a red carnation in the lapel of his coat or suit
and in his honor, the scarlet carnation was adopted as the state flower of Ohio.
He shared the White House with a parrot and an Angora cat and her kittens.
Ulysses S. Grant (began serving in 1869) was a military officer and an Ohio
farmer. Not only did he bring along part of his Army
staff, but most of the farm with him to the White
House, including horses, pigs, roosters, two ponies,
named "Reb" and "Billy Button," his Newfoundland dog,
"Faithful," and a parrot. He was the first and only
president to get a speeding ticket, charged $20 for
(Ulysses S. Grant. Courtesy of
the Ohio History Connection.)
speeding on his horse. He was our 18th president.
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Activity 16.1: Presidents from Ohio
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Reading Comprehension Questions
1. Which of the Presidents from Ohio did you find the most interesting and
why?
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2. Which President had the most unusual pet, in your opinion?
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3. What do you think would be the hardest part of the job as President of the
United States?
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Activity 16.1: Presidents from Ohio