# Trivia question: U.S. Presidents **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [May 28, 2012, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-question-u-s-presidents/623396 "2012-05-28T23:53:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2012, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-question-u-s-presidents/623396/101 "2012-06-13T16:13:44Z")
Wilson met TR, or at least some writer came along later and said that he had introduced the two. I only know that because we had an earlier thread on the topic! ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2012, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-question-u-s-presidents/623396/102 "2012-06-13T18:58:42Z")
It was not Grant who borrowed money for his inauguration. Yes, it was Wilson, at that time a professor at Princeton, who met with T.R. soon after his first inauguration in Buffalo. (I was the guy who started that earlier thread, as it happens). And yes, it was Lincoln who exercised battlefield control as CINC, near Hampton Roads in early 1862. According to one account, he personally scouted out a landing site in a rowboat, and then ordered an attack (although he didn’t go ashore with the troops). ---
**Author:** ![bahia\_hombre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@bahia\_hombre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bahia_hombre)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2012, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-question-u-s-presidents/623396/103 "2012-06-13T21:57:27Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > Don’t think it was Grant, who graduated West Point. > > Andrew Johnson? Benjamin Harrison? After Johnson & Grant, before Harrison. ---
**Author:** ![UTejas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UTejas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UTejas)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2012, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-question-u-s-presidents/623396/104 "2012-06-14T04:02:30Z")
Who was the first Acting President of the United States? Who was the first Acting President to not later fully assume the presidency? ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2012, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-question-u-s-presidents/623396/105 "2012-06-14T04:48:58Z")
> [@UTejas](#): > > Who was the first Acting President of the United States? > > Who was the first Acting President to not later fully assume the presidency? Question #2’s answer: Cheyney ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2012, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-question-u-s-presidents/623396/106 "2012-06-14T06:07:40Z")
> [@UTejas](#): > > Who was the first Acting President of the United States? GHW Bush, when Reagan underwent cancer surgery? ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2012, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-question-u-s-presidents/623396/107 "2012-06-14T06:09:01Z")
> [@bahia\_hombre](#): > > After Johnson & Grant, before Harrison. Elected in 1880? Garfield? ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2012, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-question-u-s-presidents/623396/108 "2012-06-14T06:12:32Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > It was not Grant who borrowed money for his inauguration. What other president was down-and-out at the time of his election? 😕 I’m assuming this was in antebellum days, long before the Federal Government was responsible for such things. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2012, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-question-u-s-presidents/623396/109 "2012-06-14T14:24:46Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Still unanswered:… > > - Which future President had to borrow money in order to afford to attend his own inauguration? > > - Which future President saw Jefferson Davis as a captive of Federal troops? > > … > > - What typo was made on commemorative pens during the Clinton impeachment trial? The first was George Washington, land-rich but cash-poor, who had to borrow money from a Virginia friend to travel to New York City. A young Woodrow Wilson saw Jefferson Davis in chains as he was led through Wilson’s hometown of Staunton, Va. Pens given to every U.S. senator in the Clinton trial referred to the “Untied States Senate.” ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2012, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-question-u-s-presidents/623396/110 "2012-06-14T14:30:30Z")
Next round of questions: - Which entertainer had a helicopter pad built at his home for the convenience of his buddy the President? - Which future President married his supervisor? - Where is the national First Ladies National Historic Site and museum? - Which future President stuck up for some guys who were loathed in his hometown? - Which future President fought segregation long before it was politically advantageous to do so? ---
**Author:** ![bahia\_hombre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@bahia\_hombre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bahia_hombre)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2012, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-question-u-s-presidents/623396/111 "2012-06-14T19:57:32Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > Elected in 1880? Garfield? Very close. Kenyon College (OH)–\>Harvard Law. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2012, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-question-u-s-presidents/623396/112 "2012-06-14T21:22:31Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > - Which entertainer had a helicopter pad built at his home for the convenience of his buddy the President? Frank Sinatra. He smashed it to pieces with a sledgehammer when JFK stood him up after the election. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2012, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-question-u-s-presidents/623396/113 "2012-06-14T21:23:34Z")
> [@bahia\_hombre](#): > > Very close. Kenyon College (OH)–\>Harvard Law. Crikey, who came between Garfield and Harrison? Cleveland? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2012, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-question-u-s-presidents/623396/114 "2012-06-14T21:53:05Z")
It was: Garfield - elected 1880, shot and died 1881 Arthur - succeeded 1881 Cleveland - elected 1884 B. Harrison - elected 1888 Cleveland - reelected 1892 McKinley - elected 1896 > [@terentii](#): > > Frank Sinatra. He smashed it to pieces with a sledgehammer when JFK stood him up after the election. Didn’t know about smashing it up, but yes, it was Sinatra. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2012, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-question-u-s-presidents/623396/115 "2012-06-15T04:27:04Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > - Which future President fought segregation long before it was politically advantageous to do so? Chester A Arthur, who represented a black woman in a case over segregation in street cars. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2012, 8:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-question-u-s-presidents/623396/116 "2012-06-15T08:10:53Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > - Which future President stuck up for some guys who were loathed in his hometown? John Adams, who defended the Redcoats charged in the Boston Massacre? (Strictly speaking, his hometown was Braintree, now Quincy, MA.) ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2012, 8:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-question-u-s-presidents/623396/117 "2012-06-15T08:15:37Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Didn’t know about smashing it up, but yes, it was Sinatra. After the Rat Pack helped him get elected, Kennedy broke all ties with Sinatra due to his Mafia connections. I first read about it in Nick Tosches’ biography of Dean Martin. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2012, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-question-u-s-presidents/623396/118 "2012-06-15T18:47:23Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Next round of questions: > > \*\* Which future President married his supervisor? Michelle Obama was briefly Barack’s supervisor at their Chicago law firm. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2012, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-question-u-s-presidents/623396/119 "2012-06-26T15:07:03Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > …\* Where is the national First Ladies National Historic Site and museum?.. You’ve all correctly answered my questions. The answer to this one is Canton, Ohio: [http://www.firstladies.org/](http://www.firstladies.org/) My next round of questions: - Why do we now have so few letters from George to Martha Washington? - Who nominated Washington to be commanding general of the Continental Army? - What is the only inanimate object ever to be pardoned by a President? - Where did Harry Truman speak, as scheduled, right after the failed assassination attempt against him at Blair House? - What Theodore Roosevelt pal later became a nemesis of another President? ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2012, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-question-u-s-presidents/623396/120 "2012-06-26T19:45:44Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > - Who nominated Washington to be commanding general of the Continental Army? Hmmmmmmmm. I’d guess either John Hancock, President of the Continental Congress, or Henry Lee, the delegate from Virginia? 😕 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-question-u-s-presidents/623396.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-question-u-s-presidents/623396.md?page=7)