Timeline Description: Benjamin Harrison was the twenty-third American president. He was a Civil War hero and the grandson of former president, William Henry Harrison. He served one term, but lost the election for a second term due, in part, to his high spending habits.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 1833 | Benjamin Harrison is born Benjamin was born along the Ohio River near Cincinnati. His family was well-known, but they were not wealthy. |
| 1840 | Benjamin's grandpa, the president Benjamin was seven years old when his grandfather became president. He was not allowed to attend the inauguration ceremony. |
| 1847 | Schooling and college life After attending local schools for much of his education, Benjamin enrolled in Farmer's College when he was fourteen. It was there he met his future wife. |
| 1852 | Graduation and apprenticeship Benjamin graduated from his studies in 1852, and he eventually moved back to Cincinnati to study law. He was the apprentice at the office of Storer and Gwynne. |
| 1853 | Benjamin gets married Caroline Lavinia Scott became Benjamin's first wife while he was still studying law. They had two children. |
| 1862 | The Civil War Moved by a call for more troops, Benjamin volunteered for the Union Army during the Civil War. He was able to stay out of active battle until 1864, when he joined the Atlanta Campaign. |
| 1864 | Supreme Court of Indiana While still serving in the army, Benjamin was elected as the reporter for the Supreme Court of Indiana. It was a position he had held before, and it allowed him to make connections and build his reputation. |
| 1872 | Failed governor elections Harrison ran several times for the office of Governor of Indiana. He was defeated each time, but his influence continued to grow. |
| 1881 | The US Senate Mr. Harrison became a US Senator in 1881. He served for six years, working at improving living conditions for veterans and war widows. |
| 1888 | The presidential election Harrison didn't win the nomination to run for president right away, but over time his name reached the top of the list. He ran against President Grover Cleveland who had won the previous election, and Harrison won. |
| 1889 | President! Working with a surplus in the treasury due to high tariffs, or taxes, there was much debate on what should be done with the money. While he was urged to lower taxes, Harrison chose to use the money to help war veterans and their widows, as he had done in the past. |
| 1889 | Electricity! President Harrison and his wife were the first presidential family to have electricity installed in the White House. Harrison was also the first president to have his voice recorded, using a wax phonograph cylinder. |
| 1891 | The National Forests In 1891, the Land Revisions Act of 1891 was passed. It allowed the government to set aside public lands as preserved national forests. President Harrison authorized the first forest reserve, located near Yellowstone Park. |
| 1892 | Harrison's re-election campaign President Harrison was deeply criticized for his over spending of the treasury surplus, and because his wife was ill and eventually passed away he wasn't able to campaign for re-election. He lost the election to former president Grover Cleveland. |
| 1901 | Harrison's death Harrison remarried in 1896, and died a few years later of the flu. He was sixty-seven years old. |