Memorizing presidents isn’t exactly a walk in the park. The United States has a lengthy list of leaders who have shaped its history, and a lot of those names have a sort of unremarkableness to them (John, Adam, Bill, George, Thomas). 

Maybe you’re a student aiming for an A in American history, or maybe you’re just here as an enthusiast wanting to impress your friends. Either way, we’ve got you covered with effective memorization techniques that go beyond mere rote learning.

1. Chunking by Term Dates

To avoid drowning in the sea of names and dates, “chunking” (breaking things into smaller chunks to memorize) by presidential term dates can be a game-changer. Grouping presidents by their terms allows you to create a mental timeline, making it easier to recall their order. Start with the Founding Fathers and move through each era, linking them to key historical events.

So why is this number one for me? For a few reasons. Firstly, it gives you more than just a name of people listed in order. You also get a real timeline in which those people exerted their influence. Knowing Franklin Pierce was the 14th president is useful one thing, but understanding what that means in the context of history (e.g. his term was from 1853-1857) is much more valuable. Another benefit of this: We actually created a study set to help you memorize the presidents by term date and by order. Try memorizing 10 at a time in chronological order. Then quiz yourself as many times as you want to test your knowledge.

Start memorizing the presidents using chunking

All you have to do is click “add to my study sets,” create a login (it’s free) study the presidents, and then take the quiz! The coolest past: We estimate to the day that you’ll forget something, and will prompt you to re-quiz accordingly!

2. Mnemonic Chunking

Mnemonic chunking is an effective way to remember sequences of information. The idea here is pretty simple: Create a memorable phrase or sentence using the initials of a group of presidents in chronological order. 

For example, consider the old phrase: “Wilma and John made merry and just vanished.” Here, each word corresponds to the initials of presidents such as Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, Adam, Jackson, Van Buren.

It’s not a perfect system, especially when you have both John Adams and John Quincy Adams sharing two-thirds of a name. It’s also easy enough to mix up James Madison, the 4th president, with James Monroe, the 5th president. But once you’ve mastered this technique, you can move on to yet another phrase for the next 7 presidents (which contains possibly some of the most obscure names like Millard Fillmore and James Buchanan). 

3. Memory Palace Technique

Another powerful method for memorizing presidents is the memory palace technique. Imagine constructing a mental palace or a familiar space in your mind, like your house. Place each president at a distinct location in this space, associating them with memorable images. 

For example, picture George Washington (1789–1987) in one corner of the backyard, perhaps crossing the Delaware River. In a separate corner, picture John Adams (1797–1801). Maybe Thomas Jefferson (1801–1809) is over by the shed. Fit the first 7 or so presidents outside, before moving to the backdoor, and into the next room. Obviously this technique has some downsides. You’re tying both a name and a date to a location, which makes this a more challenging use of a Memory Palace.

4. Historical Aids

You don’t exactly have to access the National Archives to get historical data on each of the presidents — plus all you need for this exercise is one real historical event. 

George Washington crossed the Delaware River. Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence. Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. John F Kennedy navigated the Cuban Missile Crisis. Bill Clinton had the, er, Oval Office thing. Barack Obama was The first Black president. 

The main benefit of this approach is that it not only aids memorization, but also deepens your understanding of the historical significance of each presidency. The downside, of course, is that you’re associating a name with an event, not a sequence or a date.

Pro tip: Consider starting with method 1, and then layering on top of that with this method. This will give you the sequence, the dates, and a significant event for each president.

5. Learn the American Presidents Song

Yes, this is indeed a real thing. The American Presidents Song is a 6-minute banger that goes through every single president, in order, all the way up to Joe Biden. If you’re the musical type, this is a great way to internalize the order of U.S. presidents through the power of song. 

Here it is, with lyrics, courtesy of the White House:

If you’re not musical in any way whatsoever (e.g., you’re the person who forgets the words to every song), then this memorization method is not for you.

Conclusion

Memorizing presidents has the potential to be a rather enriching journey through American history—especially if you memorize more than just the order and the names, and can actually place each president in context of a date and a major event. 

And again, I personally recommend method 1, which you can subsequently enrich through method 4. But from memory palaces to conceptual grouping with historical aids, there is no “wrong” memorization technique, provided it gets you the result you want in a reasonable timeframe … 

… you know, like no more than 8 years.