They grew up to be president but what were their childhoods like?
Welcome to America Comes Alive!, a site I created to share little-known stories of America’s past.
These stories are about Americans—people just like you—who have made a difference and changed the course of history. Look around the site and find what inspires you.
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Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890-1969), Growing Up to be President
Served as president from 1953-1961
Dwight D. Eisenhower came to national prominence and was elected to the presidency in 1953 because of his esteemed military career. During World War II, he served well and honorably as the Supreme Commander of Allied Forces in Europe.
No one would have predicted this future for Dwight Eisenhower, who was born into a Mennonite family that did not support the military. They believed pacifism was the way to solve world problems.
Dwight D. Eisenhower was the third-born son of seven brothers. When he was only a year old his family moved to Abilene, Kansas. The family was quite poor and relied on their garden for most of what they ate. The boys were expected to help with chores such as feeding the chickens, gathering eggs, and milking the cow and bringing in firewood. Eisenhower found that he could make money for the family by selling some of the family’s unneeded vegetables to other residents of Abilene.
George Washington (1732-1799): Childhood and Early Years
President from 1789-1797
Today we know that the “I cannot tell a lie” statement George Washington was supposed to have made to his father after cutting down a cherry tree is not true; it was a story that came from Washington’s first biographer, Parson Weems, who saw fit to fill in with stories he thought would embellish the tale of our first president.
Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919): Growing Up to be President
Served as president from 1901-1909
Teddy Roosevelt was born into a wealthy family in New York City but he suffered from poor health, so he had a very sheltered childhood.
Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865); President from 1861-1865
We have all heard the story of Abe Lincoln growing up in a log cabin, but the additional details about his childhood make it all the more amazing that this man grew up to become a great orator and a strong and principled leader of our country who guided our nation through its darkest time.