George Washington set high standards as the first president of the United States. He found the perfect balance between maintaining the office's dignity and still communicating and interacting with the public. In Washington's first State of the Union, he gently proposed suggestions to Congress while simultaneously praising them and shining a positive light on Congress for the public view. This address was published in the newspaper that would be viewed by many American people which called for Washington to present his best through his appearance and his words.

Abraham Lincoln was a gifted debated and public speaker. Many of Lincoln's debates, especially those with Stephan Douglas, were published in magazines and directly exported to the American public. Additionally, he was the first President to establish a telegraph office in the War Department.

How did it change from the previous president?

Lincoln's use of the telegraph for various messages to his commanders was said to have helped Lincoln win the Civil War. Never before had a president used the telegraph to issue orders or communicate with others during the war.

Improved transportation and railroad systems allowed citizens to hear McKinley's speeches and debates. This allowed the public to see McKinley and hear his presidential plans in person, allowing him to communicate with Americans more effectively. McKinley was also the first president to use moving pictures during his campaign which was intriguing for his audience during that time.

How did it change from the previous president?

McKinley's inauguration was the first one to ever be filmed which enabled him to reach a wider audience than the presidents before him.

Roosevelt used the power of the media to appeal directly to the people. He understood that his words were exactly what the press was looking for and used that to his advantage. He used the media as a "bully pulpit" to influence public opinion.

How did it change from the previous president?

During Teddy Roosevelt's presidency, mass-marketed newspapers were just starting to become prominent. With his quick and witty slogans, Roosevelt's words were perfect for the headlines of this type of newspaper.

Franklin Roosevelt appeared in 30 episodes of Fireside Chat during his 12 years of office. This allowed him to be broadcast on the radio into the homes of the American people. FDR shared his opinions and viewpoints on where he would see America as the president of the United States.

How did it change from the previous president?

While FDR was not the first president to broadcast speeches, he understood how to use his gift of charm to engage the public. This proved to be a valuable resource for his presidency, especially during the Great Depression.

JFK appeared on television segments to communicate with American citizens. Kennedy did not just use his young, charismatic looks to win over the hearts of many people, but he was also a great speaker and understood how to speak to the camera.

How did it change from the previous president?

Although JFK was not the first president to give a televised speech, Kennedy was the first president to effectively use television in order to communicate his political ideas and agenda as president.

Like any other President, Bill Clinton gave an inaugural speech and many addresses to the nation as a whole. The one difference in Clinton's communication with the people was he had access to emails and could send these to major companies or important officials in order to send vital information faster.

How did it change from the previous president?

Bill Clinton had the first official presidential email and was the first president to send out a presidential email. Electronic mail was never used by a president to send out information before Clinton's presidency.

In 2006, Twitter was launched and three years later, the first presidential tweet was sent out by Barack Obama's associates from the Red Cross. Very few messages like this were posted on Twitter, but this brought light to a new form of fast, easy communication with the general public.

How did it change from the previous president?

Barack Obama was the first president to have a presidential Twitter account, but he did not use it as one would use Twitter today. Obama, himself, never truly posted on Twitter.

Trump was able to communicate with American citizens by posting various strings of messages (tweets) on Twitter to update and inform the people with the click of a button. Trump used Twitter daily in order to notify Americans of any updates that concerned the United States government and for his own personal use of the app.

How did it change from the previous president?

Donald Trump established a heavy social media presence that had never before been seen by previous presidents. He totaled up to 2,500 tweets in just his first year of office and the number of tweets kept growing for the three years that followed.