Rulers of the United States — and who ruled the rest of the world at the same time
Every ruler of the United States in order — and next to each, who was ruling England, France, the Holy Roman Empire, the Ottoman Empire, China, the USA and Russia in the same years.
Who was ruling the world when George Washington was in power
George Washington · 1789 – 1797
first President of the United States
Rus and Russia: Catherine the Great 1762 – 1796, Paul I 1796 – 1801
England and Britain: George III 1760 – 1820
Franks and France: Louis XVI 1774 – 1792, First Republic 1792 – 1804
Holy Roman Empire & Austria: Joseph II 1765 – 1790, Leopold II 1790 – 1792, Francis II 1792 – 1835
Ottoman Empire: Abdul Hamid I 1774 – 1789, Selim III 1789 – 1807
China: dynasties: Qing 1644 – 1912
Who was ruling the world when John Adams was in power
John Adams · 1797 – 1801
2nd US president, one of the Founding Fathers
Rus and Russia: Paul I 1796 – 1801, Alexander I 1801 – 1825
England and Britain: George III 1760 – 1820
Franks and France: First Republic 1792 – 1804
Holy Roman Empire & Austria: Francis II 1792 – 1835
Ottoman Empire: Selim III 1789 – 1807
China: dynasties: Qing 1644 – 1912
(cropped).jpg?width=160 "Rembrandt Peale · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons")
Who was ruling the world when Thomas Jefferson was in power
Thomas Jefferson · 1801 – 1809
third President of the United States
Rus and Russia: Paul I 1796 – 1801, Alexander I 1801 – 1825
England and Britain: George III 1760 – 1820
Franks and France: First Republic 1792 – 1804, Napoleon Bonaparte 1804 – 1814
Holy Roman Empire & Austria: Francis II 1792 – 1835
Ottoman Empire: Selim III 1789 – 1807, Mustafa IV 1807 – 1808, Mahmud II 1808 – 1839
China: dynasties: Qing 1644 – 1912
Who was ruling the world when James Madison was in power
James Madison · 1809 – 1817
4th US president, "Father of the Constitution" and the War of 1812
Rus and Russia: Alexander I 1801 – 1825
England and Britain: George III 1760 – 1820
Franks and France: Napoleon Bonaparte 1804 – 1814, Louis XVIII 1814 – 1824
Holy Roman Empire & Austria: Francis II 1792 – 1835
Ottoman Empire: Mahmud II 1808 – 1839
China: dynasties: Qing 1644 – 1912
Who was ruling the world when James Monroe was in power
James Monroe · 1817 – 1825
5th US president, the Monroe Doctrine and the "Era of Good Feelings"
Rus and Russia: Alexander I 1801 – 1825, Nicholas I 1825 – 1855
England and Britain: George III 1760 – 1820, George IV 1820 – 1830
Franks and France: Louis XVIII 1814 – 1824, Charles X 1824 – 1830
Holy Roman Empire & Austria: Francis II 1792 – 1835
Ottoman Empire: Mahmud II 1808 – 1839
China: dynasties: Qing 1644 – 1912
Who was ruling the world when John Quincy Adams was in power
John Quincy Adams · 1825 – 1829
6th US president, diplomat and opponent of slavery
Rus and Russia: Alexander I 1801 – 1825, Nicholas I 1825 – 1855
England and Britain: George IV 1820 – 1830
Franks and France: Charles X 1824 – 1830
Holy Roman Empire & Austria: Francis II 1792 – 1835
Ottoman Empire: Mahmud II 1808 – 1839
China: dynasties: Qing 1644 – 1912
Who was ruling the world when Andrew Jackson was in power
Andrew Jackson · 1829 – 1837
7th US president, the Trail of Tears and the Jacksonian era
Rus and Russia: Nicholas I 1825 – 1855
England and Britain: George IV 1820 – 1830, William IV 1830 – 1837, Queen Victoria 1837 – 1901
Franks and France: Charles X 1824 – 1830, Louis Philippe I 1830 – 1848
Holy Roman Empire & Austria: Francis II 1792 – 1835, Ferdinand I of Austria 1835 – 1848
Ottoman Empire: Mahmud II 1808 – 1839
China: dynasties: Qing 1644 – 1912
Who was ruling the world when Martin Van Buren was in power
Martin Van Buren · 1837 – 1841
8th US president, builder of the Democratic Party
Rus and Russia: Nicholas I 1825 – 1855
England and Britain: William IV 1830 – 1837, Queen Victoria 1837 – 1901
Franks and France: Louis Philippe I 1830 – 1848
Holy Roman Empire & Austria: Ferdinand I of Austria 1835 – 1848
Ottoman Empire: Mahmud II 1808 – 1839, Abdulmejid I 1839 – 1861
China: dynasties: Qing 1644 – 1912
Who was ruling the world when John Tyler was in power
John Tyler · 1841 – 1845
10th US president, first vice president to succeed on a death
Rus and Russia: Nicholas I 1825 – 1855
England and Britain: Queen Victoria 1837 – 1901
Franks and France: Louis Philippe I 1830 – 1848
Holy Roman Empire & Austria: Ferdinand I of Austria 1835 – 1848
Ottoman Empire: Abdulmejid I 1839 – 1861
China: dynasties: Qing 1644 – 1912
Who was ruling the world when James K. Polk was in power
James K. Polk · 1845 – 1849
11th US president, the Mexican–American War and the push to the Pacific
Rus and Russia: Nicholas I 1825 – 1855
England and Britain: Queen Victoria 1837 – 1901
Franks and France: Louis Philippe I 1830 – 1848, Second Republic 1848 – 1852
Holy Roman Empire & Austria: Ferdinand I of Austria 1835 – 1848, Franz Joseph I 1848 – 1916
Ottoman Empire: Abdulmejid I 1839 – 1861
China: dynasties: Qing 1644 – 1912
Who was ruling the world when Zachary Taylor was in power
Zachary Taylor · 1849 – 1850
12th US president, general of the Mexican–American War
Rus and Russia: Nicholas I 1825 – 1855
England and Britain: Queen Victoria 1837 – 1901
Franks and France: Second Republic 1848 – 1852
Holy Roman Empire & Austria: Franz Joseph I 1848 – 1916
Ottoman Empire: Abdulmejid I 1839 – 1861
China: dynasties: Qing 1644 – 1912
Who was ruling the world when Millard Fillmore was in power
Millard Fillmore · 1850 – 1853
13th US president, the Compromise of 1850 and the Perry Expedition
Rus and Russia: Nicholas I 1825 – 1855
England and Britain: Queen Victoria 1837 – 1901
Franks and France: Second Republic 1848 – 1852, Napoleon III 1852 – 1870
Holy Roman Empire & Austria: Franz Joseph I 1848 – 1916
Ottoman Empire: Abdulmejid I 1839 – 1861
China: dynasties: Qing 1644 – 1912
Who was ruling the world when Franklin Pierce was in power
Franklin Pierce · 1853 – 1857
14th US president, the Kansas–Nebraska Act
Rus and Russia: Nicholas I 1825 – 1855, Alexander II of Russia 1855 – 1881
England and Britain: Queen Victoria 1837 – 1901
Franks and France: Napoleon III 1852 – 1870
Holy Roman Empire & Austria: Franz Joseph I 1848 – 1916
Ottoman Empire: Abdulmejid I 1839 – 1861
China: dynasties: Qing 1644 – 1912
.jpg?width=160 "From Brady daguerreotype (Mathew Brady) (1822-1896) · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons")
Who was ruling the world when James Buchanan was in power
James Buchanan · 1857 – 1861
15th US president, on the eve of the Civil War
Rus and Russia: Alexander II of Russia 1855 – 1881
England and Britain: Queen Victoria 1837 – 1901
Franks and France: Napoleon III 1852 – 1870
Holy Roman Empire & Austria: Franz Joseph I 1848 – 1916
Ottoman Empire: Abdulmejid I 1839 – 1861, Abdulaziz 1861 – 1876
China: dynasties: Qing 1644 – 1912
Who was ruling the world when Abraham Lincoln was in power
Abraham Lincoln · 1861 – 1865
16th President of the United States
Rus and Russia: Alexander II of Russia 1855 – 1881
England and Britain: Queen Victoria 1837 – 1901
Franks and France: Napoleon III 1852 – 1870
Holy Roman Empire & Austria: Franz Joseph I 1848 – 1916
Ottoman Empire: Abdulmejid I 1839 – 1861, Abdulaziz 1861 – 1876
China: dynasties: Qing 1644 – 1912
Who was ruling the world when Andrew Johnson was in power
Andrew Johnson · 1865 – 1869
17th US president, the first impeachment and the Alaska Purchase
Rus and Russia: Alexander II of Russia 1855 – 1881
England and Britain: Queen Victoria 1837 – 1901
Franks and France: Napoleon III 1852 – 1870
Holy Roman Empire & Austria: Franz Joseph I 1848 – 1916
Ottoman Empire: Abdulaziz 1861 – 1876
China: dynasties: Qing 1644 – 1912
Who was ruling the world when Ulysses S. Grant was in power
Ulysses S. Grant · 1869 – 1877
18th US president, commanding general of the Union Army
Rus and Russia: Alexander II of Russia 1855 – 1881
England and Britain: Queen Victoria 1837 – 1901
Franks and France: Napoleon III 1852 – 1870, Third Republic 1870 – 1940
Holy Roman Empire & Austria: Franz Joseph I 1848 – 1916
Ottoman Empire: Abdulaziz 1861 – 1876, Abdul Hamid II 1876 – 1909
China: dynasties: Qing 1644 – 1912
Who was ruling the world when Rutherford B. Hayes was in power
Rutherford B. Hayes · 1877 – 1881
19th US president, the end of Reconstruction
Rus and Russia: Alexander II of Russia 1855 – 1881, Alexander III the Peacemaker 1881 – 1894
England and Britain: Queen Victoria 1837 – 1901
Franks and France: Third Republic 1870 – 1940
Holy Roman Empire & Austria: Franz Joseph I 1848 – 1916
Ottoman Empire: Abdul Hamid II 1876 – 1909
China: dynasties: Qing 1644 – 1912
Who was ruling the world when Chester A. Arthur was in power
Chester A. Arthur · 1881 – 1885
21st US president, civil service reform
Rus and Russia: Alexander II of Russia 1855 – 1881, Alexander III the Peacemaker 1881 – 1894
England and Britain: Queen Victoria 1837 – 1901
Franks and France: Third Republic 1870 – 1940
Holy Roman Empire & Austria: Franz Joseph I 1848 – 1916
Ottoman Empire: Abdul Hamid II 1876 – 1909
China: dynasties: Qing 1644 – 1912
.jpg?width=160 "Public domain · Wikimedia Commons")
Who was ruling the world when Grover Cleveland was in power
Grover Cleveland · 1885 – 1889
22nd and 24th US president, two non-consecutive terms
Rus and Russia: Alexander III the Peacemaker 1881 – 1894
England and Britain: Queen Victoria 1837 – 1901
Franks and France: Third Republic 1870 – 1940
Holy Roman Empire & Austria: Franz Joseph I 1848 – 1916
Ottoman Empire: Abdul Hamid II 1876 – 1909
China: dynasties: Qing 1644 – 1912
Who was ruling the world when Benjamin Harrison was in power
Benjamin Harrison · 1889 – 1893
23rd US president, the Sherman Antitrust Act
Rus and Russia: Alexander III the Peacemaker 1881 – 1894
England and Britain: Queen Victoria 1837 – 1901
Franks and France: Third Republic 1870 – 1940
Holy Roman Empire & Austria: Franz Joseph I 1848 – 1916
Ottoman Empire: Abdul Hamid II 1876 – 1909
China: dynasties: Qing 1644 – 1912
Who was ruling the world when Grover Cleveland was in power
Grover Cleveland · 1893 – 1897
22nd and 24th US president, two non-consecutive terms
Rus and Russia: Alexander III the Peacemaker 1881 – 1894, Nicholas II 1894 – 1917
England and Britain: Queen Victoria 1837 – 1901
Franks and France: Third Republic 1870 – 1940
Holy Roman Empire & Austria: Franz Joseph I 1848 – 1916
Ottoman Empire: Abdul Hamid II 1876 – 1909
China: dynasties: Qing 1644 – 1912
Who was ruling the world when William McKinley was in power
William McKinley · 1897 – 1901
25th US president, the Spanish–American War and overseas empire
Rus and Russia: Nicholas II 1894 – 1917
England and Britain: Queen Victoria 1837 – 1901, Edward VII 1901 – 1910
Franks and France: Third Republic 1870 – 1940
Holy Roman Empire & Austria: Franz Joseph I 1848 – 1916
Ottoman Empire: Abdul Hamid II 1876 – 1909
China: dynasties: Qing 1644 – 1912
Who was ruling the world when Theodore Roosevelt was in power
Theodore Roosevelt · 1901 – 1909
26th US president, the Panama Canal and trust-busting
Rus and Russia: Nicholas II 1894 – 1917
England and Britain: Queen Victoria 1837 – 1901, Edward VII 1901 – 1910
Franks and France: Third Republic 1870 – 1940
Holy Roman Empire & Austria: Franz Joseph I 1848 – 1916
Ottoman Empire: Abdul Hamid II 1876 – 1909, Mehmed V Reşad 1909 – 1918
China: dynasties: Qing 1644 – 1912
Who was ruling the world when William Howard Taft was in power
William Howard Taft · 1909 – 1913
27th US president, later Chief Justice
Rus and Russia: Nicholas II 1894 – 1917
England and Britain: Edward VII 1901 – 1910, George V 1910 – 1936
Franks and France: Third Republic 1870 – 1940
Holy Roman Empire & Austria: Franz Joseph I 1848 – 1916
Ottoman Empire: Abdul Hamid II 1876 – 1909, Mehmed V Reşad 1909 – 1918
China: dynasties: Qing 1644 – 1912, Republic of China 1912 – 1949
.jpg?width=160 "Harris & Ewing, photographer · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons")
Who was ruling the world when Woodrow Wilson was in power
Woodrow Wilson · 1913 – 1921
28th US president, World War I and the League of Nations
Rus and Russia: Nicholas II 1894 – 1917, Provisional Government 1917 – 1917, Vladimir Lenin 1917 – 1924
England and Britain: George V 1910 – 1936
Franks and France: Third Republic 1870 – 1940
Holy Roman Empire & Austria: Franz Joseph I 1848 – 1916, Charles I of Austria 1916 – 1918
Ottoman Empire: Mehmed V Reşad 1909 – 1918, Mehmed VI 1918 – 1922
China: dynasties: Republic of China 1912 – 1949
Who was ruling the world when Warren G. Harding was in power
Warren G. Harding · 1921 – 1923
29th US president, the "return to normalcy"
Rus and Russia: Vladimir Lenin 1917 – 1924
England and Britain: George V 1910 – 1936
Franks and France: Third Republic 1870 – 1940
Ottoman Empire: Mehmed VI 1918 – 1922, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk 1923 – 1938
China: dynasties: Republic of China 1912 – 1949
.jpeg?width=160 "Harris & Ewing · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons")
Who was ruling the world when Calvin Coolidge was in power
Calvin Coolidge · 1923 – 1929
30th US president, "Silent Cal" and the Roaring Twenties
Rus and Russia: Vladimir Lenin 1917 – 1924, Joseph Stalin 1924 – 1953
England and Britain: George V 1910 – 1936
Franks and France: Third Republic 1870 – 1940
Ottoman Empire: Mustafa Kemal Atatürk 1923 – 1938
China: dynasties: Republic of China 1912 – 1949
Who was ruling the world when Herbert Hoover was in power
Herbert Hoover · 1929 – 1933
31st US president, the 1929 crash and the Great Depression
Rus and Russia: Joseph Stalin 1924 – 1953
England and Britain: George V 1910 – 1936
Franks and France: Third Republic 1870 – 1940
Ottoman Empire: Mustafa Kemal Atatürk 1923 – 1938
China: dynasties: Republic of China 1912 – 1949
Who was ruling the world when Franklin D. Roosevelt was in power
Franklin D. Roosevelt · 1933 – 1945
32nd President of the United States
Rus and Russia: Joseph Stalin 1924 – 1953
England and Britain: George V 1910 – 1936, George VI 1936 – 1952
Franks and France: Third Republic 1870 – 1940, Vichy France 1940 – 1944
Ottoman Empire: Mustafa Kemal Atatürk 1923 – 1938
China: dynasties: Republic of China 1912 – 1949
.jpg?width=160 "National Archives and Records Administration. Office of Presidential… · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons")
Who was ruling the world when Harry S. Truman was in power
Harry S. Truman · 1945 – 1953
33rd US president, the atomic bombs and the start of the Cold War
Rus and Russia: Joseph Stalin 1924 – 1953, Nikita Khrushchev 1953 – 1964
England and Britain: George VI 1936 – 1952, Elizabeth II since 1952
Franks and France: Fourth Republic 1946 – 1958
China: dynasties: Republic of China 1912 – 1949, People's Republic since 1949
Who was ruling the world when Dwight D. Eisenhower was in power
Dwight D. Eisenhower · 1953 – 1961
34th US president, commander of the Normandy landings
Rus and Russia: Joseph Stalin 1924 – 1953, Nikita Khrushchev 1953 – 1964
England and Britain: Elizabeth II since 1952
Franks and France: Fourth Republic 1946 – 1958, Fifth Republic since 1958
China: dynasties: People's Republic since 1949
Who was ruling the world when John F. Kennedy was in power
John F. Kennedy · 1961 – 1963
35th US president, the Cuban Missile Crisis and assassination in Dallas
Rus and Russia: Nikita Khrushchev 1953 – 1964
England and Britain: Elizabeth II since 1952
Franks and France: Fifth Republic since 1958
China: dynasties: People's Republic since 1949
Who was ruling the world when Lyndon B. Johnson was in power
Lyndon B. Johnson · 1963 – 1969
36th US president, civil rights and the Vietnam War
Rus and Russia: Nikita Khrushchev 1953 – 1964, Leonid Brezhnev 1964 – 1982
England and Britain: Elizabeth II since 1952
Franks and France: Fifth Republic since 1958
China: dynasties: People's Republic since 1949
Who was ruling the world when Richard Nixon was in power
Richard Nixon · 1969 – 1974
37th US president, the opening to China and Watergate
Rus and Russia: Leonid Brezhnev 1964 – 1982
England and Britain: Elizabeth II since 1952
Franks and France: Fifth Republic since 1958
China: dynasties: People's Republic since 1949
.jpg?width=160 "David Hume Kennerly · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons")
Who was ruling the world when Gerald Ford was in power
Gerald Ford · 1974 – 1977
38th US president, the pardon of Nixon
Rus and Russia: Leonid Brezhnev 1964 – 1982
England and Britain: Elizabeth II since 1952
Franks and France: Fifth Republic since 1958
China: dynasties: People's Republic since 1949
Who was ruling the world when Jimmy Carter was in power
Jimmy Carter · 1977 – 1981
39th US president, the Camp David Accords
Rus and Russia: Leonid Brezhnev 1964 – 1982
England and Britain: Elizabeth II since 1952
Franks and France: Fifth Republic since 1958
China: dynasties: People's Republic since 1949
Who was ruling the world when Ronald Reagan was in power
Ronald Reagan · 1981 – 1989
40th US president, "Reaganomics" and the end of the Cold War
Rus and Russia: Leonid Brezhnev 1964 – 1982, Yuri Andropov 1982 – 1984, Konstantin Chernenko 1984 – 1985, Mikhail Gorbachev 1985 – 1991
England and Britain: Elizabeth II since 1952
Franks and France: Fifth Republic since 1958
China: dynasties: People's Republic since 1949
.jpg?width=160 "David Valdez · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons")
Who was ruling the world when George H. W. Bush was in power
George H. W. Bush · 1989 – 1993
41st US president, the end of the Cold War and Desert Storm
Rus and Russia: Mikhail Gorbachev 1985 – 1991, Boris Yeltsin 1991 – 1999
England and Britain: Elizabeth II since 1952
Franks and France: Fifth Republic since 1958
China: dynasties: People's Republic since 1949
Who was ruling the world when Clinton was in power
Clinton · 1993 – 2001
Rus and Russia: Boris Yeltsin 1991 – 1999, Putin 2000 – 2008
England and Britain: Elizabeth II since 1952
Franks and France: Fifth Republic since 1958
China: dynasties: People's Republic since 1949
Who was ruling the world when G. W. Bush was in power
G. W. Bush · 2001 – 2009
Rus and Russia: Putin 2000 – 2008, Medvedev since 2008
England and Britain: Elizabeth II since 1952
Franks and France: Fifth Republic since 1958
China: dynasties: People's Republic since 1949
Who was ruling the world when Obama was in power
Obama · since 2009
Rus and Russia: Medvedev since 2008, Putin since 2012
England and Britain: Elizabeth II since 1952
Franks and France: Fifth Republic since 1958
China: dynasties: People's Republic since 1949