President Harrison Dies in Office: America's Shortest Term
William Henry Harrison delivered the longest inaugural address in American history on March 4, 1841, speaking for one hour and forty minutes in cold, wet weather without a hat or overcoat. He developed pneumonia and died exactly 31 days later on April 4, becoming the first president to die in office and the shortest-serving in history. The crisis exposed a constitutional ambiguity: did the Vice President become President or merely Acting President? John Tyler settled the question by immediately taking the full oath and refusing to open mail addressed to "Acting President Tyler." This precedent, later codified in the 25th Amendment, established that the Vice President assumes the complete office, not just its duties.
April 4, 1841
185 years ago
Key Figures & Places
What Else Happened on April 4
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