The Complete List of United States Presidents, Chronological Order and Historical Transitions | List of Presidents in Order

 

Table of Contents:

• Total Presidencies and the Unique Case of Non-Consecutive Terms
• A Chronological Overview of US Presidents
• The Early Years: The Founding Fathers and the Antebellum Era (Presidents 1 through 15)
• Civil War and Reconstruction (Presidents 16 through 21)
• The Gilded Age and Early 20th Century (Presidents 22 through 31)
• The Modern Era: The Longest-Serving and Wartime Leaders (Presidents 32 through 40)
• Recent History: The Last Six Presidents and the 47th Presidency (Presidents 41 through 47)
• Why Understanding Presidential History Matters
• FAQ

The Complete List of United States Presidents, Chronological Order and Historical Transitions

Did you know that the United States presidency count reached 47 total presidencies from its start in 1789 through 2025, even though there were only 46 different men who served? The list of presidents in order begins with George Washington, the first president, who served from 1789 to 1797, and goes through to the current and 47th president, Donald Trump, who took office again in 2025 after a previous term from 2017 to 2021. This number includes the specific situation of Donald Trump serving terms that were not next to each other.

Total Presidencies and the Unique Case of Non-Consecutive Terms

The total number of presidencies - 47 - counts each separate term a person holds office, even if a different person holds the office in between. This means that two presidents, Grover Cleveland, also Donald Trump, hold two spots in the chronological list because their terms did not run back-to-back.

Key Fact - Donald Trump is the only president to serve two terms that did not follow one after the other in the 21st century.

A Chronological Overview of US Presidents

This is a view of the U.S. presidents in order, pointing out major times of change:

The Early Years: The Founding Fathers and the Antebellum Era (Presidents 1 through 15)

• George Washington (1789–1797) – The first president and a Founding Father.
• John Adams (1797–1801)
• Thomas Jefferson (1801–1809)
• James Madison (1809–1817)
• James Monroe (1817–1825)
• John Quincy Adams (1825–1829)
• Andrew Jackson (1829–1837)
• Martin Van Buren (1837–1841)
• William Henry Harrison (1841)
• John Tyler (1841–1845)
• James K. Polk (1845–1849)
• Zachary Taylor (1849–1850)
• Millard Fillmore (1850–1853)
• Franklin Pierce (1853–1857)
• James Buchanan (1857–1861)

Civil War and Reconstruction (Presidents 16 through 21)

The period that surrounds the Civil War holds some of the most difficult presidencies in American history.

16. Abraham Lincoln (1861–1865) – He led the nation through the Civil War.
17. Andrew Johnson (1865–1869)
18. Ulysses S. Grant (1869–1877)
19. Rutherford B. Hayes (1877–1881)
20. James A. Garfield (1881)
21. Chester A. Arthur (1881–1885)

The Gilded Age and Early 20th Century (Presidents 22 through 31)

Grover Cleveland provides the first example of a person serving two terms that were not back-to-back.

22. Grover Cleveland (1885–1889) – First term.
23. Benjamin Harrison (1889–1893)
24. Grover Cleveland (1893–1897) – Second term, not following the first.
25. William McKinley (1897–1901)
26. Theodore Roosevelt (1901–1909)
27. William Howard Taft (1909–1913)
28. Woodrow Wilson (1913–1921)
29. Warren G. Harding (1921–1923)
30. Calvin Coolidge (1923–1929)
31. Herbert Hoover (1929–1933)

The Modern Era: The Longest-Serving and Wartime Leaders (Presidents 32 through 40)

Franklin D. Roosevelt holds the record for the most time served in office.

32. Franklin D. Roosevelt (1933–1945) – The president who served the longest time.
33. Harry S. Truman (1945–1953)
34. Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953–1961)
35. John F. Kennedy (1961–1963)
36. Lyndon B. Johnson (1963–1969)
37. Richard Nixon (1969–1974)
38. Gerald Ford (1974–1977)
39. Jimmy Carter (1977–1981)
40. Ronald Reagan (1981–1989)

Recent History: The Last Six Presidents and the 47th Presidency (Presidents 41 through 47)

The history of the presidency extends into the current day, showing the return of Donald Trump for a second, separate term.

41. George H. W. Bush (1989–1993)
42. Bill Clinton (1993–2001)
43. George W. Bush (2001–2009)
44. Barack Obama (2009–2017)
45. Donald Trump (2017–2021)
46. Joe Biden (2021–2025)
47. Donald Trump (2025–present) – Note that Trump is the only president to have served two terms that did not follow one after the other in the 21st century.

Why Understanding Presidential History Matters

This list reflects how the American presidency grew through different periods of history, including the time of the Founding Fathers, the Civil War, Reconstruction, the 20th century, as well as now into the present day. Each president gave something unique to the country's progress. Some served more than one term - others held the office for a short time or had their terms stopped.

If you want detailed stories about each president's life, election outcomes, in addition to major events during their time in office, respected sources provide a lot of clear, factual information. These places give full timelines, official papers, next to background analysis that make your understanding of U.S. presidential history much richer.

FAQ

How many different men have served as U.S. President?

There have been 46 different men who served as U.S. President from 1789 through 2025. Donald Trump is counted twice in the chronological list because his terms were not consecutive, but he is one person.

Who is the only president to serve two non-consecutive terms in the 21st century?

Donald Trump holds this unique distinction. Grover Cleveland is the only other president in history to serve two terms that did not follow one another.

Who served the longest time as President?

Franklin D. Roosevelt holds the record for the longest time served, from 1933 to 1945. He won election four times.

Resources & References:

1. https://www.graphicnews.com/en/pages/40969/us-election-presidents-timeline-interactive-4
2. https://www.arlingtoncardinal.com/presidents/
3. https://www.jagranjosh.com/general-knowledge/complete-list-of-presidents-of-the-united-states-1730813085-1
4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_presidents_of_the_United_States
5. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jG_15fD5hc
6. https://henrybeaver.com/newserx/45925-list-of-united-states-presidents-in-chronological-order
7. https://nationalemergingartprize.com.au/newserx/53195-timeline-of-american-presidents-a-comprehensive-overview
8. https://www.archives.gov/presidential-libraries/research/alic/presidents
9. https://www.britannica.com/topic/presidents-of-the-United-States-2226856