10 most notable presidential inaugurations in US history

(Baonghean.vn) - Every US President has an unforgettable inauguration ceremony that leaves a lasting impression on the public. However, each President has a different inauguration ceremony. Here are the 10 most notable inaugurations in US history.

1. President George Washington

President George Washington's first inauguration took place on April 30, 1789, in New York. But his second inauguration on March 4, 1793, in Philadelphia, was truly remarkable, because at this event he gave a very short speech, only 135 words. This is also the shortest inaugural speech ever given by any US President.

2. President William Henry Harrison

President William Henry Harrison, inaugurated on March 4, 1841, delivered the longest inaugural address in history, at 8,445 words. He died of pneumonia a month later. Many believe he contracted pneumonia after standing for nearly two hours in the 8°C cold on inauguration day.

3. President Abraham Lincoln

Both of Abraham Lincoln's inaugurations were notable for their tight military security. At his second inauguration (March 4, 1865), for the first time in history, African Americans attended the parade. His speech also attracted attention when it called for national unity after the great losses caused by the Civil War: "... let us strive to fulfill our assigned mission, to heal the wounds of our nation."

4. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt

President Franklin Delano Roosevelt was sworn in with the oldest Bible in the history of US presidential inaugurations. He used the same Bible for all four of his inaugurations. It was printed in 1686 and was written entirely in Dutch.

5. President Harry Truman

President Harry Truman's second inauguration, on January 20, 1949, was the first to be televised nationwide. The ceremony attracted 10 million viewers, making it the most watched event in American history.

6. President Dwight Eisenhower

During the inaugural parade on January 20, 1953, President Dwight Eisenhower had a noose thrown to him by cowboy star Montie Montana (with the permission of the Secret Service). President Eisenhower also made history at his first inauguration when he broke with tradition by reciting a prayer of his own instead of kissing a Bible.

7. President John F. Kennedy

On January 20, 1961, John F. Kennedy became the first Catholic president of the United States. He also made history when he delivered his inaugural speech with the famous quote: “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.”

8. President Ronald Reagan

President Reagan was sworn in for his second term as president on January 20, 1985, in a private ceremony at the White House. Because January 20 fell on a Sunday, there was no public ceremony but it took place in the Capitol Rotunda the following day. January 21 was the coldest day on record in Washington, D.C. The temperature was just 7 degrees Celsius (46 degrees Fahrenheit), and the wind was fierce and cold.

9. President Bill Clinton

The digital age of US presidential inaugurations began with Bill Clinton in 1997. His inauguration was broadcast live on the Internet.

10. President Barack Obama

President Barack Obama's first inauguration on January 20, 2009, made many impressions. First, the largest number of people attended an event in Washington, DC in history; Second, it was the first time an African American had been sworn in; Third, a record number of people watched the inauguration on the Internet.

Kim Ngoc

(Synthetic)