US Presidents through the ages

When there’s a presidential election in the US, it’s just as certain to dominate the news in Europe. The question is always: will it be a Democrat or a Republican in the White House? After all, since 1853 no candidate from any other party has had a serious chance of becoming president. Since then, 19 Republican and 16 Democratic candidates have made it to the White House (as of 2 November 2020).


Abraham Lincoln remains the most popular US president in history. The first Republican president represents not only the end of the Civil War, but also the abolition of slavery. Other popular figures are the charismatic John F. Kennedy and the founding father himself, George Washington.

Tragically, the two most popular presidents – Lincoln and Kennedy – were assassinated before the end of their respective terms. James A. Garfield and William McKinley sadly also suffered the same fate. Throughout history others have also come close to losing their office, albeit for political reasons.

Designer Anne Geick chose the US colours of red, white and blue for this infographic, using a line-style to illustrate the White House and famous faces of Lincoln, Kennedy, Washington, Roosevelt (Teddy) and Jefferson.