Warren G. Harding

Warren G. Harding was born on November 2, 1865, in Blooming Grove, Ohio.

In 1888, he organized the Citizen’s Cornet Band, which was available for both Republican and Democratic rallies. He mentioned that he played every instrument except the slide trombone and the E-flat cornet.

In 1891, the owner and publisher of the Marion Star, Marion, Ohio, married Florence Kling DeWolfe.

In 1910, the individual ran for the position of governor of Ohio as a Republican candidate but was not successful.

Warren G. Harding delivered the nominating address for President Taft at the 1912 Republican Convention.

In 1914, Warren G. Harding was elected to the Senate, which he found 'a very pleasant place.'

In June 1920, the Republican National Convention began and adopted its platform. This event played a significant role in shaping the political landscape during Warren G. Harding's presidential campaign.

Warren G. Harding delivers an address accepting the Republican Presidential Nomination, stating 16 beliefs including the guarantee of rights for Negro citizens of America. This marks the beginning of a 'front-porch' campaign, the last in modern politics.

Warren G. Harding won the 1920 presidential election with 76.1% of the Electoral College and 60.3% of the popular vote.

President-elect made an informal visit to the Canal Zone in Panama.

On November 30, 1920, the President-elect made a stop in Kingston, Jamaica while returning to the U.S. This visit marked an important diplomatic engagement for the incoming President.

Warren G. Harding was inaugurated as the twenty-ninth President of the United States on March 4, 1921.

Warren G. Harding addressed a joint session of Congress, urging the adoption of revised tariffs and modernization of transportation systems.

Warren G. Harding made remarks at the unveiling of a statue in New York’s Central Park to honor Simon Bolivar, emphasizing the spirit of the United States toward Latin America.

The Thompson-Urrutia Treaty with Colombia is ratified. The treaty grants Colombia $25 million as compensation for the loss of Panama, which had gained its independence in 1903 with the help of the United States.

The Emergency Quota Act is enacted.

President Harding made remarks at the White House to welcome Nobel Prize winner Marie Curie and presented her with a gram of radium as a gift from the American people to support her research.

President Harding delivered remarks at the Academy of Political Science in New York City, praising the budget reforms underway and commending the 'sound methods' involved, following Taft’s Commission on Economy and Efficiency.

President Harding signs the Emergency Quota Act into law, limiting the number of immigrants from any given country to 3 percent of that nationality already in the United States by 1910. The temporary act lasts three years and serves as the precursor to the harsher and permanent 1924 act. The law represents the growing nativism of the 1920s, motivated, in part, by the massive influx of south and east European immigrants into the United States following the end of World War I.

Secretary of the Navy Edwin Denby transfers control of the naval oil reserves in California and Wyoming to the Department of the Interior, headed by Albert B. Fall. The reserves at Teapot Dome, Wyoming, will later figure prominently in the scandals that stain the Harding administration.

President Harding characterized the Tulsa riots as an 'unhappy and distressing spectacle' and acknowledged the challenges in achieving racial equality, emphasizing the need for gradual progress.

The Budget and Accounting Act is signed by Harding to reorganize the federal government's accounts, establishing the Bureau of the Budget and the General Accounting Office under the Treasury Department.

The Budget and Accounting Act of 1921 is signed into law, creating the 'executive budget' system and establishing the Bureau of the Budget within the Treasury Department. It also establishes the General Accounting Office as an independent entity under the direction of the Comptroller General.

Harding appoints former President William Howard Taft as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.

Warren G. Harding's presidency began on August 2, 1921. He aimed to promote a return to normalcy after World War I and focused on economic recovery and stability.

President intervenes to organize a conference between the Railroad Labor Board and the Interstate Commerce Commission to prevent a nationwide railroad strike. The strike is averted on 10/27/1921 when the Unions accept policy changes by the Railroad Labor Board.

On November 23, 1921, President Warren Harding signed the Sheppard-Towner Maternity and Infancy Protection Act, which contributed matching federal funds to support maternal and child health care.

On December 23, 1921, President Harding pardoned Eugene Debs and twenty-three others who were found guilty under the wartime Espionage Act. This act of clemency was significant in the context of political and legal history.

An executive order was signed, authorizing up to $4 million in funding for the relief of distressed and famine-stricken people in Russia.

The USA, Britain, France, Italy, and Japan signed the Washington Naval Treaty, aiming to limit naval armaments with a provision for treaty termination if any signatory gives notice of its intent to denounce the treaty by 12/31/1934.

In response to the challenges faced by American farmers, President Harding signs the Capper-Volstead Act, allowing farmers to engage in cooperative buying and selling without the fear of prosecution under anti-trust laws.

The Teapot Dome Scandal broke on April 14, 1922, revealing bribes, corruption, and secret deals worth millions in oil money in the American West. This scandal significantly impacted the reputation of the Harding presidency, leading it to be judged among the worst in American history.

In 1922, President Harding signed into law the creation of the Federal Narcotics Control Board, marking a significant step in the federal efforts to control narcotics and drug trafficking.

Warren G. Harding vetoed the Soldiers’ Bonus Bill, arguing that providing adjusted compensation for World War I veterans was less important than addressing the nation’s debt. The veto was overridden in the House but sustained in the Senate.

Warren G. Harding signed the Fordney-McCumber Tariff Act, stating that it would be the greatest contribution to tariff making in the nation’s history if its elastic provisions were effective. This act also contributed to the growth of executive power.

President Harding rejects the Soldiers' Bonus Bill, prioritizing budget balance over the nation's debt to World War I veterans. The bill is later passed despite the veto during Calvin Coolidge's presidency.

President Harding signs the Cable Act, allowing American women to retain their citizenship after marrying foreigners.

Albert Fall, the Secretary of the Interior, resigns as the Teapot Dome scandal begins to unfold during Warren G. Harding's presidency.

Charles Forbes, the head of the Veterans' Bureau, resigns in anticipation of the Senate investigation of his department, which later leads to his indictment and conviction on charges of fraud, conspiracy, and bribery. This case further discredits the Harding administration.

On April 10, 1923, the public became aware of the President's planning for a transcontinental trip ending in Alaska, which was criticized as a campaign tour. The White House asserted that the tour was non-partisan.

Warren G. Harding, the 29th President of the United States, made a significant visit to Canada on June 20, 1923.

President Harding starts a transcontinental tour known as the 'Voyage of Understanding,' delivering addresses in various cities and exploring national parks, driving a train locomotive, and taking part in an 'Oregon Trail' pageant.

President Harding becomes the first President to visit the territory of Alaska, including stops at Wrangell, Juneau, Seward, and Fairbanks, with a visit to McKinley National Park.

Warren G. Harding participates in a ceremony marking the completion of the railroad from Seward to Fairbanks by driving a gold spike into a railroad tie.

Warren G. Harding planned to address a large crowd in San Francisco and was reported to be working on upcoming speeches while onboard a ship.

Warren G. Harding dies of heart failure while in a San Francisco hotel. His wife declines to request an autopsy, leading to speculation about the cause of death. Vice President Calvin Coolidge becomes President.