The American Presidents and Vice Presidents

With the Presidency being the most high-profile political office in the United States, it comes as no surprise that there are a wealth of web sites offering information about the office itself and the 41 men who have held it. Presidential web sites vary greatly in style and approach and contain all sorts of interesting facts and trivia, from serious and respectful to irreverent and witty. Many are devoted to simply providing biographies, offering comprehensive information about a president’s life before and after taking office.

Others contain wonderful photographs that portray presidents in a variety of situations, giving us rare glimpses into their personal and professional lives. The multimedia capabilities of the Web make it possible for visitors to some sites to listen to sound clips of landmark moments in presidential history, hear audio clips of various presidential pooches, and view QuickTime or RealVideo clips of presidents and their families. Online galleries display exhibits of oil paintings, candid photographs, and an occasional daguerreotype to help us obtain a visual sense of these men who were so important to American history.

Some web sites offer fascinating trivia about the presidents, such as presidential firsts, biographies of First Ladies, medical histories, presidential peccadilloes, and notable sex scandals involving a president. Many sites also offer links to other Web resources that refer to the presidency, such as the White House home page. For anyone who has a burning desire to find out more about the men who are responsible for our three-day weekend in February every year (not to mention some terrific white sales), the Web is a good place to look.