There was a time, just 9 years ago, when I could have told you all of the former presidents of the United States, the years they served, and what political party they belonged to. I was just thinking about it, and I have lost almost all of that knowledge. My A. P. History teacher would be disappointed, I am sure. My best effort is below; how would you do?
- George Washington, no party, starting in the 1780s when the Constitution was ratified
- Thomas Jefferson, Democratic-Republican
- John Adams, Federalist
- James Madison, Federalist
- John Quincy Adams, Federalist
- [some others that I do not recall ...]
- Andrew Jackson, Democrat
- [a lot of others that I do not recall ...]
- Abraham Lincoln, Republican, 1860s
- [at least Lincoln's VP, possibly some others ...]
- Ulysses Grant, unknown party
- [lots more that I do not remember ...]
- Theodore Roosevelt, Democrat, late 1800s or early 1900s
- [some more that I forget ...]
- Woodrow Wilson, unknown party, end of World War I
- [more gaps ...]
- Herbert Hoover, unknown party, late 1920s
- Franklin Roosevelt, Democrat, 4 terms
- Harry Truman, unknown party, end of World War II
- [possibly someone in here]
- Dwight Eisenhower, unknown party
- [possibly some more in here]
- John Kennedy, Democrat, early 1960s
- Lyndon Johnson, Democrat, late 1960s
- [possibly some in here]
- Richard Nixon, Republican
- [at least Nixon's VP]
- Jimmy Carter, Democrat
- Ronald Reagan, Republican
- George H. W. Bush, Republican, 1989-1993
- Bill Clinton, Democrat, 1993-2001
- George W. Bush, Republican, 2001-2009
- Barack Obama, Democrat, 2009-present
Then there is the short list of presidents whose name I remember but whom I cannot place in the timeline.
- James Buchanan
- Grover Cleveland
- Warren Harding
- William Henry Harrison
- Rutherford Hayes
- Franklin Pierce
- William Taft
Even within the small amount of information that I thought I had retained there are quite a few errors. I reversed the positions of Adams and Jefferson. I forgot about Monroe. (How could I? The Monroe Doctrine!) I had the wrong parties for Madison, Quincy Adams, and Teddy Roosevelt.