Throughout American history, the office of Vice President of the United States has played a crucial role in shaping the nation’s political landscape. Serving as the second-highest executive officer, the Vice President stands ready to step into the presidency if needed
In this blog post, we will take a journey through time and explore the comprehensive list of US Vice Presidents, highlighting key moments and contributions of select individuals along the way.
List of US Vice Presidents#
Here is the list of US Vice Presidents
- John Adams (1789-1797)
- Thomas Jefferson (1797-1801)
- Aaron Burr (1801-1805)
- George Clinton (1805-1812)
- Elbridge Gerry (1813-1814)
- Daniel D. Tompkins (1817-1825)
- John C. Calhoun (1825-1832)
- Martin Van Buren (1833-1837)
- Richard Mentor Johnson (1837-1841)
- John Tyler (1841)
- George M. Dallas (1845-1849)
- Millard Fillmore (1849-1850)
- William R. King (1853)
- John C. Breckinridge (1857-1861)
- Hannibal Hamlin (1861-1865)
- Andrew Johnson (1865)
- Schuyler Colfax (1869-1873)
- Henry Wilson (1873-1875)
- William A. Wheeler (1877-1881)
- Chester A. Arthur (1881)
- Thomas A. Hendricks (1885)
- Levi P. Morton (1889-1893)
- Adlai Stevenson I (1893-1897)
- Garret A. Hobart (1897-1899)
- Theodore Roosevelt (1901)
- Charles W. Fairbanks (1905-1909)
- James S. Sherman (1909-1912)
- Thomas R. Marshall (1913-1921)
- Calvin Coolidge (1921-1923)
- Charles G. Dawes (1925-1929)
- Charles Curtis (1929-1933)
- John Nance Garner (1933-1941)
- Henry A. Wallace (1941-1945)
- Harry S. Truman (1945)
- Alben W. Barkley (1949-1953)
- Richard Nixon (1953-1961)
- Lyndon B. Johnson (1961-1963)
- Hubert H. Humphrey (1965-1969)
- Spiro T. Agnew (1969-1973)
- Gerald R. Ford (1973-1974)
- Nelson A. Rockefeller (1974-1977)
- Walter F. Mondale (1977-1981)
- George H. W. Bush (1981-1989)
- Dan Quayle (1989-1993)
- Al Gore (1993-2001)
- Dick Cheney (2001-2009)
- Joe Biden (2009-2017)
- Mike Pence (2017-2021)
- Kamala Harris (2021- present)
Now here are the brief explanations from US Vice President
John Adams (1789-1797)
John Adams was the first Vice President of the United States, serving under President George Washington. He laid the foundation for the role, setting many precedents that subsequent Vice Presidents would follow. Adams is also notable for later becoming the second President of the United States.
Thomas Jefferson (1797-1801)
Thomas Jefferson, the principal author of the Declaration of Independence, succeeded John Adams as Vice President. His tenure saw significant political differences with President Adams, foreshadowing the emergence of a two-party system.
Aaron Burr (1801-1805)
Aaron Burr served as Vice President under Thomas Jefferson during his first term. He is infamous for his 1804 duel with Alexander Hamilton, which led to Hamilton’s death and tarnished Burr’s political career.
George Clinton (1805-1812)
George Clinton was Vice President under Presidents Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. He was the longest-serving Vice President up to that point, and he actively contributed to the growth of the Democratic-Republican Party.
Elbridge Gerry (1813-1814)
Elbridge Gerry served as Vice President for a short time under President James Madison. He is most remembered for the term “gerrymandering,” which described the manipulation of electoral districts.
Daniel D. Tompkins (1817-1825)
Daniel D. Tompkins served as Vice President during both of President James Monroe’s terms. He played a significant role in the development of New York City and its infrastructure.
John C. Calhoun (1825-1832)
John C. Calhoun, known for his influential political philosophy of nullification and states’ rights, was Vice President under Presidents John Quincy Adams and Andrew Jackson.
Martin Van Buren (1833-1837)
Martin Van Buren, often referred to as the “Little Magician” for his political skills, served as Vice President under Andrew Jackson and later became the eighth President of the United States.
Richard Mentor Johnson (1837-1841)
Richard Mentor Johnson was Vice President during President Martin Van Buren’s administration. He is known for his controversial personal life and claims of killing the Shawnee chief Tecumseh.
John Tyler (1841)
John Tyler, who became President upon the death of William Henry Harrison, had a brief stint as Vice President. His presidency marked the first instance of a Vice President taking office due to the death of a sitting President.
George M. Dallas (1845-1849)
George M. Dallas was Vice President during President James K. Polk’s administration, which oversaw the Mexican-American War and the acquisition of vast territories in the West.
Millard Fillmore (1849-1850)
Millard Fillmore served as Vice President under President Zachary Taylor. He later became the 13th President of the United States upon Taylor’s death.
William R. King (1853)
William R. King held the position of Vice President for only a few weeks under President Franklin Pierce before his death, making him the shortest-serving Vice President in history.
John C. Breckinridge (1857-1861)
John C. Breckinridge was Vice President under President James Buchanan. He later became a Confederate general during the American Civil War.
Hannibal Hamlin (1861-1865)
Hannibal Hamlin served as Vice President during Abraham Lincoln’s first term. His tenure coincided with the outbreak of the Civil War.
Andrew Johnson (1865)
Andrew Johnson, who served as Vice President for just a few weeks after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, became the 17th President of the United States.
Schuyler Colfax (1869-1873)
Schuyler Colfax served as Vice President under President Ulysses S. Grant. He was a proponent of civil rights and suffrage for African Americans.
Henry Wilson (1873-1875)
Henry Wilson was Vice President during President Ulysses S. Grant’s second term. He was a strong advocate for the abolition of slavery and civil rights.
William A. Wheeler (1877-1881)
William A. Wheeler served as Vice President under President Rutherford B. Hayes. His tenure was marked by the end of Reconstruction and the withdrawal of federal troops from the South.
Chester A. Arthur (1881)
Chester A. Arthur assumed the presidency after the assassination of President James A. Garfield. His presidency saw civil service reform and modernization.
Thomas A. Hendricks (1885)
Thomas A. Hendricks served as Vice President under President Grover Cleveland for just eight months before his death.
Levi P. Morton (1889-1893)
Levi P. Morton served as Vice President during President Benjamin Harrison’s administration. He was known for his work on foreign policy.
Adlai Stevenson I (1893-1897)
Adlai Stevenson I served as Vice President under President Grover Cleveland. He later became a prominent diplomat.
Garret A. Hobart (1897-1899)
Garret A. Hobart was Vice President during President William McKinley’s first term. He played a key role in the administration’s economic policies.
Theodore Roosevelt (1901)
Theodore Roosevelt became Vice President under President William McKinley. He became the 26th President of the United States after McKinley’s assassination.
Charles W. Fairbanks (1905-1909)
Charles W. Fairbanks served as Vice President during President Theodore Roosevelt’s second term. He was a prominent figure in the Republican Party.
James S. Sherman (1909-1912)
James S. Sherman was Vice President during President William Howard Taft’s administration. He is known for being the last Vice President to die in office.
Thomas R. Marshall (1913-1921)
Thomas R. Marshall served as Vice President under President Woodrow Wilson during both of Wilson’s terms. He is famous for his quip, “What this country needs is a good five-cent cigar.”
Calvin Coolidge (1921-1923)
Calvin Coolidge became Vice President under President Warren G. Harding and later ascended to the presidency upon Harding’s death.
Charles G. Dawes (1925-1929)
Charles G. Dawes served as Vice President under President Calvin Coolidge. He was also an accomplished musician and diplomat.
Charles Curtis (1929-1933)
Charles Curtis, a member of the Kaw Nation, was the first Native American Vice President. He served under President Herbert Hoover during the Great Depression.
John Nance Garner (1933-1941)
John Nance Garner served as Vice President under President Franklin D. Roosevelt. He famously referred to the vice presidency as “not worth a bucket of warm spit.”
Henry A. Wallace (1941-1945)
Henry A. Wallace served as Vice President during President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s third term. He was a strong advocate for progressive policies.
Harry S. Truman (1945)
Harry S. Truman, after serving as Vice President for only a few months, became the 33rd President of the United States following Franklin D. Roosevelt’s death.
Alben W. Barkley (1949-1953)
Alben W. Barkley served as Vice President under President Harry S. Truman. He was known for his passionate speeches and advocacy for labor rights.
Richard Nixon (1953-1961)
Richard Nixon served as Vice President under President Dwight D. Eisenhower. He would later become the 37th President of the United States.
Lyndon B. Johnson (1961-1963)
Lyndon B. Johnson served as Vice President under President John F. Kennedy. He took the oath of office as President following Kennedy’s assassination.
Hubert H. Humphrey (1965-1969)
Hubert H. Humphrey served as Vice President under President Lyndon B. Johnson. He was a vocal advocate for civil rights and social justice.
Spiro T. Agnew (1969-1973)
Spiro T. Agnew served as Vice President under President Richard Nixon. He resigned in 1973 amidst allegations of bribery and tax evasion.
Gerald R. Ford (1973-1974)
Gerald R. Ford became Vice President after Spiro T. Agnew’s resignation. He would later become the 38th President of the United States following Richard Nixon’s resignation.
Nelson A. Rockefeller (1974-1977)
Nelson A. Rockefeller was appointed Vice President by President Gerald R. Ford following the resignation of Spiro T. Agnew. His appointment was confirmed by Congress.
Walter F. Mondale (1977-1981)
Walter F. Mondale served as Vice President under President Jimmy Carter. He played a significant role in the administration’s domestic policy initiatives.
George H. W. Bush (1981-1989)
George H. W. Bush served as Vice President under President Ronald Reagan. He later became the 41st President of the United States.
Dan Quayle (1989-1993)
Dan Quayle was Vice President under President George H. W. Bush. He is often remembered for his public gaffes and the criticism he faced during his tenure.
Al Gore (1993-2001)
Al Gore served as Vice President under President Bill Clinton. He was a prominent advocate for environmental issues and the author of “An Inconvenient Truth.”
Dick Cheney (2001-2009)
Dick Cheney served as Vice President under President George W. Bush during a time of significant global events, including the September 11 attacks and the Iraq War.
Joe Biden (2009-2017)
Joe Biden, now the 46th President of the United States, served as Vice President under President Barack Obama. During his time as Vice President, he played a key role in the passage of the Affordable Care Act.
Mike Pence (2017-2021)
Mike Pence served as Vice President under President Donald Trump. He was known for his loyalty to the President and his role in various policy initiatives.
Kamala Haris (2021-present)
Kamala Harris is the 49th Vice President of the United States, serving under President Joe Biden. Her historic election as the first female Vice President is a significant milestone in U.S. history.
Conclusion
The list of U.S. Vice Presidents provides a glimpse into the nation’s rich history and the diverse individuals who have held this important office. From the founding of the republic to the present day, Vice Presidents have played pivotal roles in shaping American politics and governance.
FAQs
Who was the first Vice President of the United States?
John Adams served as the first Vice President from 1789 to 1797 under President George Washington.
Who served as Vice President for the shortest amount of time?
William R. King served the shortest term as Vice President, just a few weeks in 1853.
Who was the first Native American Vice President?
Charles Curtis was the first Native American Vice President, serving from 1929 to 1933.
Related Post
