This engaging and authoritative four-volume resource offers fascinating portrayals of the 44 men who have achieved the ultimate seat of power in the United States -- the presidency. One was an accomplished duelist. One was a lifelong bachelor while another was married in the White House. One needed a wheelchair while another could have played professional football. And one became the first of African American heritage to hold the office. These are among the men elected president of the United States, and the time in office for each is a distinctive chapter in the American story. From George Washington to Barack Obama, Chronology of the U.S. Presidency portrays each of the nation's chief executives in richly observed detail. Chapter by chapter, we meet the real flesh-and-blood men occupying the one office elected by the entire country, the office that most profoundly affects the workings of the government, U.S. relations with other countries, and the everyday lives of all American citizens. Spanning four volumes, this work covers each president's early life and rise to power, the pivotal events during his presidency, and when applicable, his post-presidential life. In addition, the book includes sections on the First Ladies and presidential families plus primary source documents (speeches, memos, messages to Congress), and entertaining FYI facts -- for example, once bitter rivals John Adams and Thomas Jefferson died hours apart, on the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence they helped create together. More than just names-and-dates history, Chronology of the U.S. Presidency helps readers understand the ways each of these intriguing men changed the country, and how he in turn was impacted by his time in power. - Publisher.