Whether you are celebrating Presidents’ Day today or you never even heard about this holiday, it never hurts to learn new things. Today we are on a short journey to discovering some ridiculous and interesting facts about U.S. presidents.
The United States has had 44 presidents but George Washington was probably the most prominent among them. Until 1971 people celebrated Washington’s Birthday as Presidents’ Day, and only later the federal government declared Washington’s Birthday to be Presidents’ Day. Here are some other facts you probably did not know about Presidents’ Day:
1. Monrovia
The capital city of Liberia, the West African country, Monrovia was named after James Monroe, the 5th president of the United States. That’s because he strongly supported the colonization of Liberia.
2. The “OK” president
Known as the “ok” president, Martin Van Buren is the only one whom we should be grateful to for the popular “okay.” The thing is, Martin Van Buren was from Kinderhook, New York that was also reknowned as “Old Kinderhook.”
3. Wooden teeth
People cannot stop talking about Washington’s wooden teeth, but in reality he did not have wooden teeth at all. It is said his teeth were made of lead, ivory, gold, and animal teeth.
4. A pet goat
How many of us do have a pet goat? I can count on the fingers of one hand. William Henry Harrison had a pet goat that he kept at the White House. He also had a cow named Sukey. It is rather a weird pet choice, but I really respect it because all the animals have equal rights.
5. The University Of Virginia
Did you know who founded The University Of Virginia? In 1819, Thomas Jefferson, the 3rd President of the United States, founded the university. He is the only president to have ever founded a college or a university.
6. The teacher student relationship
When Millard Fillmore was a 19-year-old student at the New Hope Academy he married his teacher Abigail who was 2 years older than Millard Fillmore. It was probably a true love. After all, nowadays few students marry their teachers.
More: 7 Reasons Why You Should Become a Teacher
7. Tiny killers
Whether it is false or true, but a stomach-related illness that caused Zachary Taylor’s sudden death began after he ate a bunch of ordinary cherries. Actually, it is hard to believe that cherries that boast so many health benefits can lead to death.
8. Drunk president
The 7th President of the United States, Andrew Jackson was noticeably drunk during his inauguration. It is either stress or a sense of victory made him indulge in a ‘little bit’ of whiskey before the speech, who knows?!
9. The fear of electricity
Benjamin Harrison was the first president who used electricity in the White House. But he was so afraid of being electrocuted that he avoided touching the light switches. He asked others to turn the switches on and off for him and his wife. Well, we all have fears, so it is no wonder at all.
There are many more interesting, weird and fun facts about US presidents, but these are some of the most prominent ones. Feel free to add any other jaw-dropping or simple facts about presidents to this list and let us know how did you celebrate the holiday in the comments.1