Ronald Reagan started a tradition as he prepared to leave office after two terms as president: Write a note congratulating your successor and leave it in the Oval Office desk drawer.

Barack Obama and George Bush were seen joking together at the inauguration of the 47th President of the United States, Donald Trump - with a lip reader suggesting a sly dig

In 1265, Britain's House of Commons, which became a model for parliamentary bodies, met for the first time. In 1778, James Cook became the first European to step foot on the Hawaiian Islands. He called them the Sandwich Islands.

America made its history as the first Black person, Barack Obama, was sworn in as the 44th president of the country. In front of record-breaking crowds, the young senator became the commander-in-chief of the United States,

It will be the coldest Inauguration Day since former President Ronald Reagan’s second inauguration in 1985, when the noon temperature was 7 degrees.

Ronald Reagan began tradition of leaving letter to his successor in 1989 as he handed over power to George H.W. Bush

Washington, D.C., will experience a high of 21 degrees and a low of 11 degrees around noon when the inauguration is set to begin.

The worst weather for an inaugural came in March 1909, when 10 inches of snow forced William H. Taft to move indoors to be sworn in.

The weather forecast is expected to be quite cold, likely the coldest since former President Ronald Reagan was sworn into office in 1985.

The second Presential inauguration of Donald Trump averaged 24.3 million viewers, a audience lower than Biden in 2021 (33.8 million) and Trump in 2017 (30.6 million).

Originally published in Synapse on January 22, 2009.

Ironically, the coldest inauguration was just four years later, when President Ronald Reagan publicly took the oath for a second time. The morning started off at 4 below zero. By noon, it was just 7 degrees, and wind chills ranged from -10 to -20 degrees. Not only was the swearing-in held indoors, but the parade was also canceled.