This President’s Unexpected Path to the White House From Nuclear Submarine Engineer to the Oval Office

Certain candidates often appear on the political scene rather quickly, from not being on anyone's radar to running for the top office in the nation. Still, the road to the white house isn't instantaneous or a decision candidates make overnight. There is not a set path, or a direct one, to the presidency; each elected official has taken their own path to the White House.

The United States has seen 45 men sworn in as president since the country was founded 248 years ago, and while it may seem that they've always been career politicians, these men have all had varied and diverse experiences before they became commander-in-chief. From lawyers and law backgrounds to military and business careers, they've often had a lifetime of experience.

To date, only one president has served two non-consecutive terms in office – the nation's 22nd president, Grover Cleveland. This is a goal Donald Trump, the 45th president, is trying to achieve in November 2024 when he challenges the sitting president, Joe Biden. However, due to health questions, it remains whether Biden will stay in the race and many have voiced their opinion on who should take his place. (Kamala Harris is said to be an excellent choice by top Democrats).

To compile a list of what these men did before they led the nation, 24/7 Tempo has reviewed every president's road to the White House. Not all 45 set out to be president. Twelve men on this list were generals, including Dwight Eisenhower and Ulysses S. Grant, and leveraged their leadership experience and success in the military to become president.

Eisenhower's ability to delegate responsibility borne from his military experience as well as upgrading the Office of Congressional Relations helped him in his dealings with Congress. These are the most and least effective presidents, according to historians.

What all presidents have in common is that they all have their quirks. The third president of the United States, Thomas Jefferson, for example, was very passionate about meteorology and consulted an astrologist. Here are the weirdest presidential candidates in U.S. history.

Here is every president's road to the White House.

• Term: 1789-1797
• Party affiliation: None
• Previous occupation(s): Soldier, gentleman farmer

The nation's first war hero, Washington was unanimously elected president by the Electoral College after leading the Continental Army to victory over the British Empire. Before the American Revolution, he developed leadership skills during the French and Indian War.

• Term: 1797-1801
• Party affiliation: Federalist
• Previous occupation(s): Diplomat

During the Revolutionary War, Adams served in France in a diplomatic role and helped negotiate the Treaty of Paris that ended the war. After the creation of the United States, he was ambassador to England. When he returned, he was elected vice president under Washington.

• Term: 1801-1809
• Party affiliation: Democratic-Republican
• Previous occupation(s): Writer, diplomat

As one of the nation's Founding Fathers, Jefferson helped draft the Declaration of Independence and was appointed secretary of state in 1789 during Washington's presidency. It was at this time that two political parties began to take shape, leading to a division in government. The Federalists, headed by Alexander Hamilton, believed in a strong central government, and the Democratic-Republicans, led by Jefferson, believed in states' rights.

Jefferson resigned as secretary of state and ran for president against John Adams and lost. Because the second-place candidate became vice president at that time, Jefferson became vice president. He was elected president in 1801.

• Term: 1809-1817
• Party affiliation: Democratic-Republican
• Previous occupation(s): Writer, secretary of state

At 29, James Madison was the youngest member of the Continental Congress, becoming known as the Father of the Constitution, and was an advocate for strong central government and checks and balances. Madison was a staunch supporter of Washington's policies while serving in the House of Representatives.

He introduced and helped pass the first 10 amendments to the Constitution, and later, as secretary of state, played a key role in the Louisiana Purchase.

• Term: 1817-1825
• Party affiliation: Democratic-Republican
• Previous occupation(s): Diplomat, Governor

Monroe served in Washington's cabinet as minister to France, and it was his skills as a diplomat that played a role in the Louisiana Purchase, which doubled the size of the United States. He then served as minister to the United Kingdom from 1803-1807. Monroe became such a trusted public servant that he served in two cabinet positions – secretary of state and secretary of war – at the same time, making him the first American to do so.

• Term: 1825-1829
• Party affiliation: Democratic-Republican
• Previous occupation(s): Diplomat, senator

The eldest son of the country's 2nd president, John Quincy Adams had impressive credentials when he came to the presidency. Adams had a successful diplomatic career, serving as Washington's minister to the Netherlands. His observations about the wars ravaging Europe and the dangers of getting involved in them got the president's attention.

Adams is credited with laying the groundwork for the Monroe Doctrine, the dominant American foreign policy in the Western Hemisphere for almost 200 years. It maintained that the U.S. should not involve itself in the affairs of other Western nations.

• Term: 1829-1837
• Party affiliation: Democratic-Republican
• Previous occupation(s): Soldier

Never one to avoid a fight, Andrew Jackson, a veteran of street brawls and survivor of duels, took on Native Americans and the British in the War of 1812. He defeated Native American opposition in the South and beat the British at New Orleans, a feat that put him in the small but growing pantheon of American military heroes.

• Term: 1837-1841
• Party affiliation: Democratic
• Previous occupation(s): Governor, secretary of state

Van Buren was an impeccably dressed man and shrewd political operator, who allied with the forces of Andrew Jackson, who rewarded his loyalty by naming him secretary of state. Eventually, Van Buren would become Jackson's vice president before being elected president in 1836.

• Term: 1841-1841
• Party affiliation: Whig
• Previous occupation(s): Soldier

School children know "Tippecanoe and Tyler too," the campaign slogan of William Henry Harrison that according to the White House, was a slogan that implied flag-waving nationalism plus a dash of southern sectionalism. Tippecanoe was the site of Harrison's military victory over Native American forces in 1811, and that feat helped him win the presidency.

• Term: 1841-1845
• Party affiliation: Whig
• Previous occupation(s): Lawyer, vice president

John Tyler was a Virginia legislator known as "His Accidency" because he was the first vice president to become commander-in-chief following the death of his predecessor, Harrison. (Harrison served as president for about a month before he succumbed to pneumonia). Tyler served in the House of Representatives and was governor of Virginia before he became vice president.

• Term: 1845-1849
• Party affiliation: Democratic
• Previous occupation(s): Lawyer, governor

James Polk aligned himself with the forces of Jackson and rose to political prominence in his native North Carolina. Sensing the nation's thirst for expansion in the run-up to the 1844 election, Polk backed annexation of Texas and expansion into the Oregon territory. He also wanted to add California to the Union.

• Term: 1849-1850
• Party affiliation: Whig
• Previous occupation(s): Soldier

Zachary Taylor, hero of the Mexican War, appealed to northerners because of his military record and homespun demeanor, and he was acceptable to the South because he owned slaves.

• Term: 1850-1853
• Party affiliation: Whig
• Previous occupation(s): Lawyer, congressman

Millard Fillmore was an unremarkable upstate New York politician working closely with the Whig Party. He was elected to the House of Representatives, becoming vice president under Taylor during a tumultuous time in American history. The North and South were in disagreement over the extension of slavery to new states and territories. When President Taylor died in office, Fillmore became president.

• Term: 1853-1857
• Party affiliation: Democratic
• Previous occupation(s): Lawyer, diplomat

Franklin Pierce, son of a New Hampshire governor, served that state for two terms in the House of Representatives and one term in the Senate. While in Washington, he befriended Southern politicians and expressed some sympathy for the Southern cause. He left Washington, D.C. in 1842 to return to his private law practice.

As the nation was fracturing along sectional lines, the Democrats sought a candidate who could appeal to the North and South. New Englanders and Southern delegates backed Pierce. At the time of the 1852 Democratic National Convention, he became the quintessential dark horse presidential candidate.

• Term: 1857-1861
• Party affiliation: Democratic
• Previous occupation(s): Lawyer, diplomat

James Buchanan had a long and respected career as an American statesman before he became president. By the time he was elected to office in 1856, he had over 40 years of experience. Jackson appointed him as an envoy to Russia, and he served as secretary of state under Polk, and as minister to Great Britain under Pierce.

• Term: 1861-1865
• Party affiliation: Republican
• Previous occupation(s): Lawyer

The dissolution of the Whig Party led to the rise of the Republican Party, and Abraham Lincoln saw this as an opportunity to become a leader in Illinois as well as the region. Lincoln's debates with fellow Illinois rival Stephen Douglas over slavery and the future of the Union gained him national prominence.

• Term: 1865-1869
• Party affiliation: Democratic
• Previous occupation(s): Governor

One of the few Southern politicians to remain in Congress during the Civil War, Johnson was a Democrat serving as vice president under the Republican Lincoln. He became president after Lincoln was assassinated.

• Term: 1869-1877
• Party affiliation: Republican
• Previous occupation(s): Soldier

Ulysses S. Grant was the Union's greatest Civil War hero and also served briefly as the U.S. secretary of war. He became the standard bearer of the Radical Republicans who wished to impose a more punitive peace on the South.

• Term: 1877-1881
• Party affiliation: Republican
• Previous occupation(s): Soldier, governor

Rutherford B. Hayes, a Civil War veteran and governor of Ohio, believed in securing voting rights for African Americans and backing the U.S. currency with gold. He wanted to end the violence in the South by phasing out Reconstruction.

• Term: 1881-1881
• Party affiliation: Republican
• Previous occupation(s): Soldier, school president

Garfield illustrated his leadership qualities by leading Union troops to victory over Southern forces in Kentucky. He became a brigadier general at age 31 and served nine terms in the House of Representatives. When ally John Sherman failed to get the Republican nomination in 1880, Garfield eventually got the GOP nod on the 36th ballot.

• Term: 1881-1885
• Party affiliation: Republican
• Previous occupation(s): Lawyer, customs collector

Arthur, who had the reputation of a well-dressed man about town, was a product of the New York patronage system, which helped propel him to the vice presidency. He assumed the presidency following the assassination of President James Garfield.

• Term: 1885-1889, 1893-1897
• Party affiliation: Democratic
• Previous occupation(s): Governor, sheriff

Grover Cleveland had a no-nonsense look, integrity, and reputation as a reformer which earned him the nickname, "Ugly Honest". He was a sheriff in Erie County, New York, and during his tenure as sheriff, he hanged two men. The 1884 presidential race was one of the dirtiest in U.S. history, but Cleveland's dignity in the face of scurrilous accusations helped him win the election.

He was the only president to serve two non-consecutive terms.

• Term: 1889-1893
• Party affiliation: Republican
• Previous occupation(s): Soldier, senator

The grandson of the nation's ninth president who rose to brevet brigadier general by the end of the Civil War, was a very popular politician in his native Indiana. Harrison supported the rights of Native Americans, homesteaders, and Civil War veterans.

• Term: 1897-1901
• Party affiliation: Republican
• Previous occupation(s): Lawyer, governor

William McKinley served 14 years in Congress and was a two-term governor of Ohio. He was the last president to serve in the Civil War. Like many Republican contemporaries of the late 19th century, McKinley supported high tariffs and was pro-business.

• Term: 1901-1909
• Party affiliation: Republican
• Previous occupation(s): Soldier, cowboy, vice president

Myriad lifetime experiences prepared Theodore Roosevelt to become president after McKinley was assassinated. Roosevelt was a writer, naturalist, adventurer, cowboy, and soldier who explored the Great Plains and led the Rough Riders in Cuba during the Spanish-American War.

As president, he pushed for a more activist federal government, looking to strike a balance between big business and labor and put the nation on the road to world-power status.

• Term: 1909-1913
• Party affiliation: Republican
• Previous occupation(s): Lawyer, secretary of war

Taft came from a politically well-connected Ohio family. Buoyed by his ambitious wife, Taft became solicitor general in 1890, and while in Washington, D.C. he became friends with Theodore Roosevelt. Later, Taft became governor-general of the Philippines.

He received praise from the Filipino people for his even-handed administration of the islands and drafted a constitution modeled on the American constitution. After the Philippines experience, Taft became secretary of war under Roosevelt and helped oversee the building of the Panama Canal.

• Term: 1913-1921
• Party affiliation: Democratic
• Previous occupation(s): College president, governor

Wilson was once president of Princeton University where he reformed lecture methods, and it was his reputation as a reformer that got the attention of the New Jersey Democratic Party. The party convinced Wilson to run for governor in 1910. He bucked the party bosses and launched progressive measures such as compensation for families of workers killed or injured at work.

• Term: 1921-1923
• Party affiliation: Republican
• Previous occupation(s): Newspaper publisher, senator

Warren Harding gained political influence in Ohio as a newspaper publisher. Republican political bosses supported Harding, who delivered the nominating address at the Republican National Convention for Taft in 1912. Two years later, Harding was elected to the Senate.

He was pro-business, believed in higher tariffs and lower taxes, and was opposed to the United States joining the League of Nations.

• Term: 1923-1929
• Party affiliation: Republican
• Previous occupation(s): Governor

Coolidge was another accidental president, who assumed the presidency after Harding's death. Coolidge gained national recognition as governor of Massachusetts for his handling of the Boston police strike in 1919. He vigorously put down the strike, believing public safety was at risk, and the country, fearful of radicalism, rallied behind him.

• Term: 1929-1933
• Party affiliation: Republican
• Previous occupation(s): Mining engineer, businessman

Hoover was raised a Quaker who believed in the power of the individual and the importance of charity. He gained national prominence after he was asked by the U.S. Consul to help evacuate Americans from Europe during World War I. After the U.S. entered the war, President Wilson named Hoover to run the U.S. Food Administration.

Once the war ended, Hoover headed the European Relief and Rehabilitation Administration which brought food and other supplies to the continent. He served in the Harding and Coolidge administrations, enhancing his reputation for efficiency and reform. In 1927, Hoover coordinated relief efforts for those displaced by the devastating Mississippi River floods.

• Term: 1933-1945
• Party affiliation: Democratic
• Previous occupation(s): Governor

Although he was trained as a lawyer, Roosevelt's real love was politics. He wanted the opportunity to be a leader, and he greatly admired his cousin, Theodore Roosevelt, the nation's 26th president. FDR contracted polio in 1921, but the disease did not defeat him. He became governor of New York in 1928 and was then elected president for an unprecedented four terms.

• Term: 1945-1953
• Party affiliation: Democratic
• Previous occupation(s): Farmer, businessman

Truman grew up on a farm in Missouri and developed leadership skills while commanding soldiers in combat in World War I. He forged friendships with soldiers from the Kansas City area that would eventually create a political power base. Under the auspices of Kansas City Democratic Party boss Thomas J. Pendergast, Truman ran for political office and became district judge, modernizing roads in his district.

He developed a reputation for honesty and began to win support from African American and ethnic groups. He was elected senator in 1934 and became the vice presidential nominee in 1944.

• Term: 1953-1961
• Party affiliation: Republican
• Previous occupation(s): Soldier

The Western Allies were led to victory in World War II by Eisenhower, where he displayed the leadership and management skills that would enable him to become the nation's 34th president. He won in a landslide over Democrat Adlai Stevenson in 1952.

• Term: 1961-1963
• Party affiliation: Democratic
• Previous occupation(s): Senator, congressman

John F. Kennedy was not his father's first choice to fulfill the Kennedy presidential ambitions. That was supposed to be older brother Joseph but when he was killed during a bombing mission in World War II, the task fell on JFK. Kennedy's leadership skills were burnished during World War II when he served as a lieutenant on the USS PT 109.

Kennedy helped save crew members of his patrol boat that had been cut in half by a Japanese destroyer. His heroism and political connections helped launch his career, which began with him serving in the House of Representatives and the Senate.

• Term: 1963-1969
• Party affiliation: Democratic
• Previous occupation(s): Senator, congressman

Johnson's path to the presidency began in the rough-and-tumble world of Texas politics, where he developed the persuasive skills that would define his career. He served six terms in the House of Representatives and was elected to the Senate in 1948, eventually becoming the Senate majority leader in 1954.

He became Kennedy's vice president to help gain Democratic support in the South and became president after the assassination of Kennedy.

• Term: 1969-1974
• Party affiliation: Republican
• Previous occupation(s): Lawyer, congressman

Richard Nixon, the only president to resign from office, attended Whittier College and developed a reputation as a vigorous debater. He would put his argumentative skills to use as a congressman and member of the House Un-American Activities Committee (1948 to 1950), which sought to root out communists in the U.S. government.

He saw an opportunity to win the presidency in 1968 as the country was divided over Vietnam and racial strife was tearing apart the nation.

• Term: 1974-1977
• Party affiliation: Republican
• Previous occupation(s): Lawyer, vice president

Ford served in the House of Representatives for 25 years and was a member of the Warren Commission that investigated the assassination of Kennedy. He was House minority leader for eight years before becoming vice president. Ford became vice president because his predecessor, Spiro Agnew, resigned in disgrace in 1973.

He assumed the presidency after Richard Nixon resigned in 1974 and served out the last two years of his term.

• Term: 1977-1981
• Party affiliation: Democratic
• Previous occupation(s): Nuclear engineer, farmer

Carter was admitted to the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, and joined the submarine service, the most dangerous branch of the Navy. He was at the forefront of the construction of the nuclear-powered submarine fleet and taught nuclear engineering.

He eventually became governor of Georgia in 1970. With the nation still disillusioned from the Watergate scandal, Carter won the 1976 election.

• Term: 1981-1989
• Party affiliation: Republican
• Previous occupation(s): Actor, governor

• Term: 1989-1993
• Party affiliation: Republican
• Previous occupation(s): Oil company executive, CIA director

• Term: 1993-2001
• Party affiliation: Democratic
• Previous occupation(s): Governor

• Term: 2001-2009
• Party affiliation: Republican
• Previous occupation(s): Businessman, governor

• Term: 2009-2017
• Party affiliation: Democratic
• Previous occupation(s): Lawyer, senator

• Term: 2017-2021
• Party affiliation: Republican
• Previous occupation(s): Businessman

• Term: 2021 – Current
• Party affiliation: Democrat
• Previous occupation(s): Senator, vice president