The United States has had 46 presidents since George Washington took office in 1789. The citizenship test typically asks about a few key presidents — especially Washington, Lincoln, and the current President. Knowing the most influential presidents helps with multiple test questions.
Most-tested presidents on the citizenship exam:
- George Washington (1st, 1789-1797) — "Father of Our Country," led Continental Army
- Thomas Jefferson (3rd, 1801-1809) — wrote Declaration of Independence
- Abraham Lincoln (16th, 1861-1865) — led during Civil War, freed slaves
- Theodore Roosevelt (26th, 1901-1909) — youngest President, Progressive era leader
- Franklin D. Roosevelt (32nd, 1933-1945) — led during WWII, served 4 terms
- Dwight Eisenhower (34th, 1953-1961) — WWII general, Interstate Highway System
- Current President — verify at uscis.gov before your interview
The Complete List
| # | President | Years | Party |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | George Washington | 1789-1797 | None |
| 2 | John Adams | 1797-1801 | Federalist |
| 3 | Thomas Jefferson | 1801-1809 | Democratic-Republican |
| 4 | James Madison | 1809-1817 | Democratic-Republican |
| 5 | James Monroe | 1817-1825 | Democratic-Republican |
| 6 | John Quincy Adams | 1825-1829 | Democratic-Republican |
| 7 | Andrew Jackson | 1829-1837 | Democratic |
| 8 | Martin Van Buren | 1837-1841 | Democratic |
| 9 | William Henry Harrison | 1841 | Whig |
| 10 | John Tyler | 1841-1845 | Whig |
| 11 | James K. Polk | 1845-1849 | Democratic |
| 12 | Zachary Taylor | 1849-1850 | Whig |
| 13 | Millard Fillmore | 1850-1853 | Whig |
| 14 | Franklin Pierce | 1853-1857 | Democratic |
| 15 | James Buchanan | 1857-1861 | Democratic |
| 16 | Abraham Lincoln | 1861-1865 | Republican |
| 17 | Andrew Johnson | 1865-1869 | Democratic |
| 18 | Ulysses S. Grant | 1869-1877 | Republican |
| 19 | Rutherford B. Hayes | 1877-1881 | Republican |
| 20 | James A. Garfield | 1881 | Republican |
| 21 | Chester A. Arthur | 1881-1885 | Republican |
| 22 | Grover Cleveland | 1885-1889 | Democratic |
| 23 | Benjamin Harrison | 1889-1893 | Republican |
| 24 | Grover Cleveland | 1893-1897 | Democratic |
| 25 | William McKinley | 1897-1901 | Republican |
| 26 | Theodore Roosevelt | 1901-1909 | Republican |
| 27 | William Howard Taft | 1909-1913 | Republican |
| 28 | Woodrow Wilson | 1913-1921 | Democratic |
| 29 | Warren G. Harding | 1921-1923 | Republican |
| 30 | Calvin Coolidge | 1923-1929 | Republican |
| 31 | Herbert Hoover | 1929-1933 | Republican |
| 32 | Franklin D. Roosevelt | 1933-1945 | Democratic |
| 33 | Harry S. Truman | 1945-1953 | Democratic |
| 34 | Dwight D. Eisenhower | 1953-1961 | Republican |
| 35 | John F. Kennedy | 1961-1963 | Democratic |
| 36 | Lyndon B. Johnson | 1963-1969 | Democratic |
| 37 | Richard Nixon | 1969-1974 | Republican |
| 38 | Gerald Ford | 1974-1977 | Republican |
| 39 | Jimmy Carter | 1977-1981 | Democratic |
| 40 | Ronald Reagan | 1981-1989 | Republican |
| 41 | George H.W. Bush | 1989-1993 | Republican |
| 42 | Bill Clinton | 1993-2001 | Democratic |
| 43 | George W. Bush | 2001-2009 | Republican |
| 44 | Barack Obama | 2009-2017 | Democratic |
| 45 | Donald Trump | 2017-2021 | Republican |
| 46 | Joe Biden | 2021-2025 | Democratic |
Note: Grover Cleveland is the only President to serve two non-consecutive terms (22nd and 24th President).
Presidents the Test Asks About
George Washington (1st)
- First President of the United States
- Commander of the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War
- "Father of Our Country"
- Set the precedent of serving only two terms
Thomas Jefferson (3rd)
- Wrote the Declaration of Independence
- Purchased the Louisiana Territory from France (1803)
Abraham Lincoln (16th)
- Led the nation during the Civil War
- Issued the Emancipation Proclamation (freed slaves in Confederate states)
- Preserved the Union
Woodrow Wilson (28th)
- President during World War I
Franklin D. Roosevelt (32nd)
- President during the Great Depression and World War II
- Only President to serve more than two terms (served 4)
- His presidency led to the 22nd Amendment (limiting Presidents to two terms)
Dwight D. Eisenhower (34th)
- General during World War II before becoming President
- Led the D-Day invasion as Supreme Commander of Allied Forces in Europe
Fun Facts
- William Henry Harrison served the shortest term — 31 days (died of pneumonia)
- Franklin D. Roosevelt served the longest — over 12 years (4 terms)
- Theodore Roosevelt was the youngest President to take office (age 42, after McKinley's assassination)
- John F. Kennedy was the youngest elected President (age 43)
- 4 Presidents were assassinated: Lincoln, Garfield, McKinley, Kennedy
Practice with Games
MyCitizenPrep has a dedicated Presidents section with questions covering all 47 Presidents — both forward (number → name) and reverse (name → number). The Who Am I? game also features Presidential clues that help you remember key facts about each leader.
Test Questions About Presidents
Q: Who is the President of the United States now? A: Visit uscis.gov to confirm the current President before your interview. This answer changes over time.
Q: Who was the first President? A: George Washington
Q: What did Abraham Lincoln do? A: Freed the slaves / saved the Union / led during the Civil War
Q: Who was President during World War I? A: Woodrow Wilson
Q: Who was President during the Great Depression and World War II? A: Franklin D. Roosevelt
Q: Before Eisenhower was President, he was a general. What war was he in? A: World War II
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was the first President of the United States?
George Washington was the first President, serving from 1789 to 1797. He is called the "Father of Our Country" for his leadership during the Revolutionary War and the founding of the U.S. government.
How many U.S. Presidents have there been?
There have been 46 U.S. Presidents through 2026, though only 45 different individuals — Grover Cleveland served two non-consecutive terms and is counted as both the 22nd and 24th President.
Who is on Mount Rushmore?
Mount Rushmore in South Dakota features the faces of four presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. They were chosen for their roles in founding, expanding, preserving, and developing the nation.
Who was President during World War II?
Franklin D. Roosevelt was President for most of World War II (1941-1945). After his death in April 1945, Harry Truman became President and led the country through the war's end.
Who was the President during the Civil War?
Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President, led the country through the Civil War (1861-1865). He issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 and was assassinated in April 1865.
Who is the current President of the United States?
The current President's name changes with elections. Always verify the current President at uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates before your citizenship interview.
Key Takeaways
- The U.S. has had many Presidents from Washington (1789) to today
- Must-know Presidents: Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, Wilson, FDR, Eisenhower
- Know the current President by name — verify at uscis.gov before your interview
- Washington = "Father of Our Country," first President
- Lincoln = freed slaves, preserved the Union
- FDR = Great Depression + WWII, only President to serve 4 terms
- Use the Presidents study section and Who Am I? game to practice