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These US Presidents Were Vice-Presidents First

The choice for the person who will serve as vice-president is just as critical as the person voted in to be president of the United States.  Why? Because should something happen to the POTUS, the Veep must be prepared to step into his/her shoes, pick up where he/she left off and carry on with the business of the nation.  ( Yeah.  I know America has never had a woman president but I still said “her” and “she”.  It could happen!  )

During the years 1789 to 1929, there were nine men (9) who first served as Vice-President and then served as President.  After 1929, there were four (4) more.  This quiz covers incidents that occurred PRE-1929 and that also occurred once the Veep had become the POTUS and they could not “pass the buck” any further.  Who was the POTUS when these events occurred?

  • Question of

    He was the first POTUS to be inaugurated in Washington, D.C.

    • Martin Van Buren
    • Thomas Jefferson
    • John Adams
  • Question of

    He convinced Congress to set up a federal Treasury, independent of the nation’s banking and financial system, intended to safeguard federal funds from private bank failures. The economy was in crisis mode for his entire presidential term.

    • Martin Van Buren
    • Thomas Jefferson
    • John Adams
  • Question of

    He fell out of favor with his own political party for vetoing their banking bills, but pressed on despite the opposition, getting Florida and Texas admitted to the Union and opening up trade relations with China.

    • Martin Van Buren
    • John Adams
    • John Tyler
  • Question of

    The XYZ Affair sounds like the title for a movie but it is a real incident. 3 French agents (dubbed X, Y and Z) demanded money (a “bribe”) from 3 U.S. agents to settle a dispute about commerce. The incident almost caused a war between the USA and France. The POTUS was able to settle the matter and keep the peace.

    • Martin Van Buren
    • Thomas Jefferson
    • John Adams
  • Question of

    He signed the Compromise of 1850, hoping the action would quell the heated debate about abolishing slavery so that the important business of nation-building could continue. But the terms of the agreement caused so much acrimony, matters were ultimately decided by American Civil War.

    • John Tyler
    • Millard Fillmore
    • Andrew Johnson
  • Question of

    The assassination of a president was the tragic reason he took on the duties and responsibilities of the office. The records of American history give this POTUS the shame and dishonor of being the first president to ever be impeached.

    • Chester A. Arthur
    • Andrew Johnson
    • John Tyler
  • Question of

    During his administration he closed the deal for the purchase of Alaska from Russia.

    • Chester A. Arthur
    • Andrew Johnson
    • Millard Filmore
  • Question of

    The assassination of a president was the tragic reason he took on the duties and responsibilities of the office. However, it seems he had questionable “ties” to certain people in New York and the general public did not trust him to “untie” himself from them while in office.

    • Millard Fillmore
    • Chester A. Arthur
    • Theodore Roosevelt
  • Question of

    The only thing he managed to accomplish during his presidential term was passing the Edmunds Anti-Polygamy Bill aimed at the Mormons in Utah.

    • Millard Fillmore
    • Chester A. Arthur
    • Theodore Roosevelt
  • Question of

    The assassination of a president was the tragic reason he took on the duties and responsibilities of the office. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize one year and the following year the nation was plunged into a financial crisis.

    • Theodore Roosevelt
    • Chester A. Arthur
    • Millard Fillmore
  • Question of

    The Kellogg-Briand Pact was signed during his term in office. It was an agreement renouncing the use of war as an “instrument of national policy”. (Although 60 nations signed off on it, can’t tell which country follows through on it. Can you?)

    • Thomas Jefferson
    • Andrew Johnson
    • Calvin Coolidge
  • Question of

    These two presidents have their faces carved into the Mount Rushmore National Memorial, along with George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.

    • Andrew Johnson and Millard Filmore
    • John Adams and John Tyler
    • Thomas Jefferson and Theodore Roosevelt
  • Question of

    Sad personal notes: Both of these presidents died on the 4th of July, albeit in different years. They passed away peacefully in their homes.

    • Martin Van Buren and Theodore Roosevelt
    • John Adams and Thomas Jefferson
    • Millard Fillmore and Chester A. Arthur
  • Question of

    Cool personal note: He was born on the 4th of July.

    • Thomas Jefferson
    • John Adams
    • Calvin Coolidge

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