Presidential Fun Fact of the Day

Tidbits from John Quincy Adams's inauguration:

1. JQA was the first American president to take the Oath of Office while wearing long pants.

2. He didn't use the Bible for his Oath. Instead, he put his hand on a law book because he felt the Bible was inappropriate for the government ceremony. He is the only president to use a book other than the Bible.

3. He also refrained from adding "so help me God" to the end of the Oath.

4. Similar to his father, JQA didn't get much sleep before his inauguration. He wrote in his diary that he had two sleepless nights.

5. JQA had fewer popular votes and fewer electoral votes than his opponent, Andrew Jackson. Jackson did not have enough electoral votes to win, and the election was decided by the House of Representatives. Adams addressed this in his inaugural speech, saying, "Less possessed of your confidence in advance than any of my predecessors, I am deeply conscious of the prospect that I shall stand more and oftener in need of your indulgence."

Posted by Jennifer at February 26, 2004 08:21 AM

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