Quck answer
In the history of the United States, only one president has served more than two terms. Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected as president four times, serving from 1933 until his death in 1945. He is the only president to have served more than two terms due to the passing of the 22nd Amendment in 1951, which limited presidents to a maximum of two terms in office. Prior to this amendment, there were no restrictions on the number of terms a president could serve.
Have you ever thought about what you want to be when you grow up? Adults often ask this question to find out how children perceive the world and their role in it. It’s also never too early to encourage children to think about their future.
Responses usually reflect children’s interests in different aspects of the world. For example, some children might aspire to be astronauts, while others dream of driving a huge dump truck. And some children even aim for what they consider to be the highest position in the country: President of the United States.
Dreaming big is not a problem, but it’s also important to have a backup plan. After all, even if you become President, the maximum time you can serve in that position is eight years. You need a “Plan B” for after your time in office!
However, things were not always like this. When George Washington became the first President of the United States, there were no term limits. After serving two terms, though, Washington voluntarily decided not to seek reelection.
Historians believe that Washington’s decision influenced most future presidents to do the same. This would change, however, when Franklin Delano Roosevelt (“FDR”) became President.
After being elected in 1932 and 1936, FDR sought and won an unprecedented third term in office in 1940. He became the only President to ever serve more than two terms. In fact, he was reelected again in 1944 and had started his fourth term in office when he died in April 1945.
FDR was clearly a popular leader, as he was elected four times. Historians believe his enduring popularity was due to his strong leadership during challenging times for the United States.
During FDR’s presidency, he guided the United States through the Great Depression and World War II. In such difficult times, the people wanted a stable and dependable leader, so they continued to support FDR through multiple terms.
After FDR’s death, Harry S. Truman became President. In 1947, the Hoover Commission recommended that future presidents be limited to two terms. Some people were concerned that allowing more than two terms could essentially create a form of monarchy, which the United States had fought to escape during the Revolutionary War.
In response to the Hoover Commission’s recommendation, Congress passed the Twenty-Second Amendment to the Constitution on March 21, 1947, which established a two-term limit on the presidency. The states ratified the amendment on February 27, 1951.
Try It Out
We hope you enjoyed learning about the highest position in the U.S. government! Ask a friend or family member to join you in exploring the following activities:
- Have you ever attempted to memorize the chronological order of all the presidents of the United States? Although it may appear to be a challenging task, it is achievable. Some individuals find it beneficial to utilize a song to aid in memorizing the presidents in sequence. Take a look at Presidents Rap online for a contemporary rendition of a song that will assist you in learning all the presidents in order!
- Franklin Delano Roosevelt is renowned for his lengthy tenure as President of the United States. However, what about those presidents who only served for a brief period of time, whether it be years, months, or even days? Explore The 10 Shortest Stints in the Oval Office to discover information about the presidents who spent the least amount of time in the White House!
- Do you believe that term limits should be applied to other elected positions in addition to the presidency? What about representatives and senators? Compile a list of the advantages and disadvantages of imposing term limits on members of Congress. What is your opinion? Do you think they are a beneficial concept or not?
Valuable Sources
- http://biography.yourdictionary.com/articles/which-president-served-more-than-two-terms.html
- http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/fdr-wins-unprecedented-fourth-term
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