US Inaugurations Mix Tradition with Change
http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=B13AE1:2F72C9DPresidential historian looks back on ceremonies that began with George
Washington The United States Constitution says little about
Presidential inaugurations, except to state the oath of office…the
words that have been repeated by American Presidents for more than two
centuries. But even if the speeches, parades and parties that surround
that oath are not required by law, they have become time-honored
traditions, many dating back to America's earliest days as a nation.
Paul F. Boller, Jr., author of Presidential Inaugurations, notes that
the United States was launching an experiment in self-government when
the first inauguration took place. "The Founding Fathers thought it
was important to have a ceremony when they installed George Washington
in office," says Mr. Boller. "Of course I think they also wanted to
honor Washington. They felt that without him to start off this
experiment they wouldn't have much of a chance."
That first Presidential inauguration took place in New York, on April
30th, 1789. The ceremony was later moved to the new capital city of
Washington, D.C., and January 20th eventually became Inauguration Day
to reduce the gap between Election Day in November and the start of a
new administration. But, in other ways, George Washington's
inauguration became a model for those that followed.
"Washington was driven in a coach to the Congress," explains Paul
Boller. "That was one precedent, that now you've got two branches of
government involved. And then he decided to take the oath on the
Bible. That was common in those days for taking oaths. Then he said
'So help me God,' afterwards. That was his innovation. And then he
decided to give an inaugural address giving the aims of this new
country. And then he attended a dinner with friends and watched
fireworks. Those few simple things, they became standard."
Lithograph of the 1829 inauguration of Andrew Jackson - courtesy
Library of CongressIn 1809, James Madison hosted the first inaugural
ball, and soon Presidents were staging a round of parties and
receptions to celebrate their arrival at the White House. One of the
most famous inaugural parties took place when Andrew Jackson became
President in 1829. Mr. Jackson had campaigned as a leader for everyday
people. "So he invited them all to the White House for a reception
after he took his oath of office,” says Mr. Boller, “and they came in
big mobs. People stood on the furniture with muddy boots to see him,
and when waiters came in bringing food, people started fighting over
food. Jackson finally escaped through the window. And this shocked
dignified people. They said, 'This is democracy getting out of hand.'
But other people said, 'No, this is just the American people, showing
their enthusiasm for government.'"
1873 Inaugural ball for Ulysses S. Grant - courtesy Library of
CongressInaugurations turned even more festive in 1873, when Ulysses
S. Grant became the first President to hold an inaugural parade. "It
tended to be a military parade," Paul Boller explains. "This was not
long after the Civil War, and General Grant was the great Union
commander. But after that civilians quickly began to be added to the
afternoon parade. There would be governors, senators and other
prominent people, and then high school students, college students. And
then you began to get floats and even circus animals -- elephants and
things like that."
Not all inaugurations have gone off quite as planned. Some have been
marred by freezing weather. Others have been disrupted by protestors.
But U.S. Presidents aim to make the day a time for celebration and
unity -- and those who give a stirring inaugural speech can leave a
lasting legacy. Paul Boller counts John F. Kennedy's 1961 address as
among the most famous. "It spends most of its time on foreign
affairs,” he says. “It's very much a Cold War inauguration. Kennedy
promises that the American people will do everything they can to stop
communism from spreading, and defend freedom around the world."
U.S. Presidential inaugurations have also gotten longer, more
elaborate and more costly. "By the late nineteenth century," Paul
Boller notes, "you go from one day to two or three or four or five or
even a week. You have all sorts of things added to it beforehand --
the recitals, plays, galas, big variety shows, cocktail parties,
lunches, dinners. It goes on and on."
But none of that would be possible without the swearing-in ceremony
that lasts just a few minutes and includes only a few brief words. It
is the oath of office, says Paul Boller, that turns a U.S.
President-elect into a President.