| William Henry Harrison | |
 Mr. Harrison | |
| Political Party: | Whig |
|---|---|
| Education: | Hampden–Sydney College |
| Religion | Episcopalian |
| Born | February 9 1773 |
| Died | April 4, 1841 (aged 68) |
William Henry Harrison was the ninth President of the United States. On the day of his inauguration, on March 4, 1841, he gave a two hour inauguration speech and refused to wear a coat, gloves, and jacket, despite the cold and rainy weather. Three weeks later, on March 26, he caught a serious cold that developed into pneumonia or a typhoid fever. Eight days after being bedridden, Harrison died on April 4, 1841. He was president for thirty-one days until his death, making his one month tenure the shortest amount of time in American history. He was succeeded by his Vice President, John Tyler. Harrison was also the oldest president until Joe Biden in 2021, the first to die in office, and the last to be born before the Declaration of Independence.
Although he was suffering these illnesses for the last eight days of his presidency and life, we can still agree he was better than Andrew Jackson. His grandson, Benjamin Harrison, would later become the 23rd president.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Folk hero of the Battle of Tippecanoe
- Only president to study medicine
- Defeated Tecumseh during the War of 1812
- The victory of the Whig Party was a reaction to the discontent of the Jackson presidency
- Governor of the Indiana Territory
- Help negotiate treaties with American Indian Tribes and help settle border disputes
- Appointed Daniel Webster as Secretary of State
Cons
- Ran on a campaign of lies
- Dies from either a typhoid fever or pneumonia after exactly one month in office and eight days after becoming sick during his third week as president
